& Area Committee Summary Report 2007 - 08

London Fire Brigade

Isleworth & Brentford Area Committee Summary Report 2007 – 08 By Borough Commander, Phil Butler

Created 2nd July 2008

Isleworth & Brentford Area Committee Summary Report 2007 - 08

Introduction

This report has been produced as part of a commitment to engage with Area Committees to inform them of our performance, receive feedback on it, and to discuss any areas of concern.

It includes a statistical analysis in a tabular form. The data used to compile this report has yet to be ‘cleaned up’ so cannot be considered as 100% accurate, however, it will not change significantly from that quoted. The report briefly outlines the LFB’s headline targets and the borough’s overall performance in relation to them to enable the Area-based data to be put into perspective.

This report will inform the Area Committee about the number of key incidents attended by the fire service in each of its wards. It will allow the Area Committee to recognise the successful and challenging issues associated with that performance and enable them to ask questions or raise issues with the Borough Commander. The report also provides an opportunity for the Area Committee to identify how they may support the goals of the fire service in their Area.

London Fire Brigade Headline Targets 2005 - 2010 • To reduce accidental fires in people’s homes by 5 per cent.

• To reduce the number of accidental fire-related deaths in the home by 20 per cent.

• To reduce deliberate fires (arson) by 10 per cent.

• To reduce hoax calls (malicious false alarms) by 5 per cent.

• To maintain the current time it will take, on average, for the first fire engine to arrive at an incident (while reviewing how we might improve on that).

• To improve the time taken for a second fire engine to arrive at an incident.

Borough Performance Summary • Accidental dwelling fires fell by almost 25% in 2007 - 08 to 144 incidents and over the last three years such incidents have fallen by 13.25%.

• There was one accidental fire-related death. • Arson was reduced by 16.7% last year to 494 incidents and over the last three years such incidents have fallen by 26.71%. Created 2nd July 2008

Isleworth & Brentford Area Committee Summary Report 2007 - 08

• Hoax calls appear to have flat-lined since a major reduction was achieved in 2005 - 06 (59.9%) with a total of 64 last year compared to 62 and 61 for the previous two years. • The average attendance time for the first appliance to arrive in Hounslow is 6 minutes 15 seconds (for the Isleworth & Brentford Area it is 6 minutes 27 seconds). • The time taken for a second fire engine to arrive at an incident slightly increased compared to 2006 - 07.

At the end of 2007 – 08 the fire crews within the borough spent just over 11.5% of their time engaged with community safety activities which underpin several themes which are listed below: • Arson • Home Fire Safety • Road Safety • Unwanted Calls

Isleworth & Brentford Area The table below highlights the number of key incidents attended by the fire service in each of its wards: Ward Arson Hoax calls AFAs People shut Road Traffic Accidental in lifts Collisions Dwelling Fires Brentford 15 2 47 39 21 17

Isleworth 18 1 10 11 4 11

Osterley & 15 2 32 4 10 4 Spring Grove Syon 12 9 153 16 5 8

Area Total 60 14 242 70 40 40

Percentage of 12.2% 21.9% 38.6% 32.7% 20.5% 27.8% all calls

Created 2nd July 2008

Isleworth & Brentford Area Committee Summary Report 2007 - 08

Overall, incidents of arson are very low and virtually all the hoax calls in the Area can be attributed to the night-time economy. However, calls to non-domestic automatic fire alarms (AFA) in the borough have an increasing trend. Below is a list of the properties/business parks/thoroughfare which experiences the highest number of such calls for each ward: Brentford - The Paragon Site Isleworth - Twickenham Trading Estate & Spring Grove - Profile West Syon - West Hospital

The properties within the Area to which we attend more than any other to release people who have become stuck in lift due to electrical or mechanical defects are the tower blocks in Green Dragon Lane.

Reducing the number of road traffic collisions and the number of people killed and seriously injured as a result of them remains a priority for the borough. The 40 collisions led to two people being killed and 18 injured. The roads experiencing the highest number of such calls for each ward are: Brentford - Boston Manor Road Isleworth - Mogden Lane Osterley & Spring Grove - Great West Road Syon - Boston Manor Road

Accidental dwelling fires are fires that occur in people’s homes. To reduce these fire crews carried out 1263 free home fire safety visits where they give advice and fit a smoke alarm(s) if required. The 40 fires led to no fatalities but 9 people were injured (24% of the total number of injuries in the borough).

Created 2nd July 2008