West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) is celebrating today after receiving a resounding ‘good’ report from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS).
The independent assessors visited WYFRS this summer as part of a national inspection programme of all 45 fire and rescue services in England.
Today, the results of the tranche three of the inspections have been published, reporting on 15 more of the fire and rescue services.
And WYFRS is standing proud amongst them scoring ‘good’ in the three main pillars assessing
effectiveness, efficiency and how well the service looks after its staff.
Chief Fire Officer John Roberts said: “This inspection looks in great detail at every aspect of the service and every aspect has been deemed as ‘good’.
“We are delighted with the results which are a tribute to the hard work of our 1,400 staff who put their hearts and souls into making West Yorkshire safer on a daily basis.
“This success is down to everyone who plays their part at West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, firefighters, departmental and Control Room staff, who should all be very proud of what we as a team have achieved.
“There is, of course, always room to learn and develop and we will be looking at the commentary from the inspectors to address any shortfalls they have highlighted, but the overall picture is incredibly positive.”
The service has not been formally inspected in over a decade. In Summer 2017 Her Majesty’s
Inspectorate of Constabulary started inspecting fire and rescue service.
HM Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services Phil Gormley called the results ‘a credit to the service’.
He said: “Overall, the people of West Yorkshire should be proud of the service they receive from their fire service.”
Chair of the Fire Authority, Councillor Darren O’Donovan said: “This endorsement is a great tribute to the work of West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and the fact that it is providing a great value service for the taxpayer.
“The report commends not just the Fire Service’s ability to respond to emergencies but also its work in preventing them. It endorses the work done to protect those most at vulnerable in local communities but it also highlights the service’s response to national risks, such as working with neighbouring brigades during the widespread wildfires this year. I am truly proud of everyone in the Fire Service and this great achievement.”
Overall the service was marked against 11 different criteria under the three over-arching pillars.
Good was awarded for each of the 11 criteria.
Understanding the risk of fire and other emergencies
Preventing fires and other risks
Protecting the public through fire regulation
Responding to fires and other emergencies
Responding to national risks
Making the best use of resources
Making the FRS affordable now and in the future
Promoting the right values and culture
Getting the right people with the right skills
Ensuring fairness and promoting diversity
Managing performance and developing leaders
The full report will be published on the HMICFRS website here:
https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmicfrs/