Fire Authority Briefing Note Making the Black Country North Q3 1 SAFER, STRONGER, HEALTHIER FIRE AUTHORITY BRIEFING NOTE Our quarterly Fire Authority Briefing Notes Black Country North Command give us the opportunity to look back over the last three months and celebrate the hard work of our command area. It covers our priorities of response, prevention and JANUARY 2020 protection focussing on how we help people have safer, healthier lives and BRIEFING NOTE FOREWORD how we tackle emergencies assertively, JULIET MALONE effectively and safely. Black Country North (BCN) Operations Commander BLACK COUNTRY NORTH OVERVIEW Black Country North YTD Actual YTD Target Black Country North has again seen many proud moments for teams and individuals in Quarter 3 Accidental Dwelling 226 241 2019/20 which include SCDR Warren Davies receiving Accidental Non Domestic 64 52 recognition for the most inspirational in the WMFS Deliberate Dwelling 29 33 awards for his work over the last 10 years as the Deliberate Non Domestic 28 18 driving force behind WMFS boxing team, raising Deliberate Vehicle 97 99 thousands for disabled children from boxing. Aghia Deliberate Rubbish fires 257 305 Pal Singh who lives in Walsall received an MBE for his Injuries in Accidental services to Charity. 7 6 Dwelling Fires BCN has also been at the forefront of partnership Deaths in Accidental 5 working with several significant incidents which has Dwelling Fires pulled our partners together to identify learning and False Alarms 945 962 best practice. Sadly in Quarter 3 BCN has experienced Deliberate Derelict 28 20 two fire related deaths. Buildings

@WestMidsFire www.wmfs.net @WestMidsFire Fire Authority Briefing Note Black Country North Q3 2

FIRE CONTROL West Midlands Fire Service is Fire Control are the resource managers for both Staffordshire Our response priorities focus on dealing excellently committed to an average risk-based and West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service and receive all the with emergency incidents: attendance time of 5 minutes. We emergency 999 calls for both services. know through academic studies • through risk management, the most serious emergency Between October and December 2019, Fire Control received a on survivability that if we can incidents in high-risk areas will be attended within five total of 15,336 emergency 999 calls; 69% of these calls were get to someone within 5 minutes minutes, to save life, protect homes and businesses, and attributed to West Midlands Fire Service and 31% attributed to the chances of them surviving a keep our transport networks moving Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service. Fire Control mobilised to significant incident increases. • risk to life and property will be reduced through 51% of these incidents with the other 49% being challenged as Throughout October to December our commitment to operational excellence, enabling not requiring a resource or deemed a non-emergency. we have consistently over an assertive, effective and safe emergency response A key performance measure within Fire Control is the speed in performed against our average risk- to all incidents whilst supporting firefighter safety which they mobilise a fire engine to a serious incident e.g. a based attendance time, with the house fire; impressively throughout October to December brigade average being 4 minutes • at all incidents attended, rescue operations will be led 2019, Fire Controls average time to mobilise to a house fire and 46 seconds; which is really and coordinated by WMFS whilst working collaboratively was 54 seconds. great news. with other agencies to deliver an excellent response and meet public expectations Fire Control apply dynamic intelligence led mobilisation which West Midlands Fire Service is the provides the control operators the autonomy to mobilise the only Fire & Rescue Service out • National Resilience will be enhanced through delivery appropriate number and type of resources to the incident based of all Fire and Rescue Services of a local, national and international response to major on the intelligence they receive from members of the public inspected by HMICFRS to receive incidents, new risks andhumanitarian situations through at the point of call. During this quarter, Fire Control have outstanding for the response our specialist response teams. either increased or decreased mobilisations on approximately element of the service. 600 occasions. BCN RESPONSE UPDATE Fire AuthorityCROSS BriefingSTREET NORTHNote 3 BCN continues to demonstrate its drive and action plan included interventions, partnership BCN appliancesBlack Country were called North to a fire Q3 in Cross Street North, commitment to the evidence based 5-minute response working, CCTV and referrals to clean and green. The in , at around 4.39am, “Three fire engines time. Reaction time is currently running at 52.5 impact has seen an excellent performance in year to were sent to the scene, with two from Fallings Park seconds across the 8 BCN stations and continued date with 257 incidents against a target of 305 year station and one from Wolverhampton fire station.” The performance is demonstrated across the Command to date a full evaluation will be completed against blaze had been started deliberately. area. In addition, the BCN combined (Wolverhampton success and learning at end of year report. and Walsall) attendance time is currently 280.5 In BCN the proactive work of crews and partnership seconds a total of 19.5 seconds below the 300 teams has been unable to prevent 5 deaths in total in second target set for the WMFS. Crews strive to bring the 19/20 period, in Quarter 3 BCN has experienced this down further as every second counts and the two fire deaths, one due to deliberate ignition (under introduction of the new station ICT turn-out system is police investigation) with the critically injured victim supporting this current high performance. losing life after being rescued from the fire and Quarter 3 19/20- Great news on the Deliberate one death was due to a late fire call with a full SIR Rubbish fires action plan. BCN put in place an active completed. The sensitivity of such incidents is always deliberate fires action plan following a number of in the mind of crews targeting prevention activities in issues around wheelie bins in the Walsall area. The the areas and communities of these tragic events.

BILSTON COLLEGE LEAMORE LANE RTC, WALSALL Around 20 firefighters were called to the well-known red and terracotta brick building, in Mount Pleasant, shortly Vehicle road traffic collisions in Walsall test interagency after midnight. The fire involved all floors and the roof working and especially those involving heavy goods of the three-storey detached building, which was also vehicles. Crews from Walsall and Bloxwich were tested once part of Community College. Appliances during the RTC on Leamore lane where they released from Bilston, Walsall, , Bloxwich, Tettenhall two males from the wreckage. The driver sustained and Fallings Park were called to the blaze at the derelict life changing injuries and a full police investigation building at around 12.20am. commenced due to the serious injuries received. CHRISTMAS CANNABIS FARM PREPAREDNESS Fire Authority Briefing Note 4 During the Christmas eve festive period Walsall crews West Midlands Fire Service are committed Black Country North Q3 attended a cannabis farm in a roof of a three-bedroom to undertaking 104 large exercises every semi-detached house. An investigation into the cause year, these exercises test our response and of the blaze is underway. WMFS attended the fire at procedures to a variety of complex incidents Pennyroyal Close at just before 11.30am. On arrival in some of our high risk premises. officers found a cannabis farm set-up in the loft, which had been destroyed by the fire. BCN leads the way organising their fair share of the 107 The distributed training model (DTM) encourages use medium sized exercises to test capability and operational of the WMFS training facilities and the 12-monthly skill of attending crews and incident command for competence standardised assessments are completed officers, testing the crews with realistic tests of policy daily after acquiring the skills through knowledge and and procedures. The Picture below captures local BCN understanding and then applying the skills learned. crews at the Shelley road exercise in Willenhall in Q3. The Walsall RTC Hub is instrumental in training new and exercise took part in several disused shops and flats, great current firefighters as well as our partners from WMAS. to see the BCN diversity and the effective teams in role. WMFS raises funds from training our partners and works in effective collaboration to practice joint operations. The WMAS trainee paramedics and WMFS crews from BCN share knowledge and best practice. Three full days TECH RESCUE DEPLOYED TO WRECK training took place in Quarter 3 ensuring standardisation of knowledge and understanding of techniques and Technical Rescue (TRU) and Walsall crews attended a equipment from the RTC Hub. vehicle into house, two men were cut from the wreckage and TRU shored the building to prevent from further BCN boasts some of the best training facilities in Region structural collapse. A total of 13 firefighters rushed to and this is recognised by the best in the world as Broadway North in the borough at around 1.30am. The demonstrated when the UK Special Forces dropped in to black car was left with severe front-end damage – with an have a look at the training facilities at Wolverhampton in airbag having been deployed in the front passenger’s seat. October 2019 (the real SAS in action). Fire Authority Briefing Note Black Country North Q3 5

BCN PREVENTION UPDATE Safe and Well (SAW) has continued to be a key work stream for operational crews to reduce vulnerability in the BCN conurbations with stations completing a total Our prevention work focuses on Our prevention priorities focus on making safer, 1758 safe and Well visits in Quarter 3. The targeted reducing people’s vulnerability to healthier communities: the type of emergencies to which interventions are being forwarded from partner we respond. • the number of people killed or seriously injured by fire referrals and after the fire activity. related incidents will reduce as we focus, with our Our firefighters carry out BCN Sparks (school education) delivery has increased partners, on reducing the risks faced by the most Obis eos dem in Q3 with 106 schools visited (78.6%) out of 131 with thousands of ‘Safe and Well’ visits vulnerable people in our communities vent, conseque every year, and our crews give the remaining appointments set for Quarter 4 19/20. 57% et sum advice on health and wellbeing • the safety, health and well-being of the most vulnerable Road Safety has been delivered to 550 people in where it will reduce the risk of a fire. This means people in our communities will improve by targeting Quarter 3 (the 2nd highest total in the returns from vulnerable people are safer in their own homes and we ‘radical prevention’ interventions that are directly linked other command areas). It is essential the targeting can get them extra help if they need it. to vulnerability from fire of key black spot areas is highlighted and key interventions are delivered whether this is through We also provide fire safety education in hundreds of • arson-related incidents will fall, supporting safer joint operations with the WM police or talks with schools and colleges and at our interactive ‘Safeside’ and stronger communities, as a result of our schools and colleges. learning centres in Handsworth and Eastside, as well partnership working as at public events and through our popular Fire BCN are working with our partners to identify and • fewer people will be killed or seriously injured on West report empty and derelict buildings so they do not Cadets programme. Midlands roads and we will keep our transport networks become victims of deliberate ignition, used for crime moving, as we work with the West Midlands Combined or ASB. Reporting by crews has been standardised led Authority and other organisations to develop and deliver from the work already in place as best practice in line interventions that support the West Midlands Regional with the deliberate derelict action plan. Road Safety Strategy. WINTER CAMPAIGN NEW VOLVO FIRE APPLIANCE Fire AuthorityPET Briefing FIRST AID Note Black Country North Q3 6

Our focus on the Winter Campaign has seen some Wolverhampton and Tettenhall fire stations arranfed for heart-warming and innovative approaches to some specialist training in Pet First Aid. In partnership engagement and reaching those most vulnerable with Vets4Pets Group, they were able to utilise our new in the community. Pet Oxygen Masks, in a real life environment.

On Christmas Day, Walsall White Watch visited the After 13 years with our old Dennis appliance in Children’s Ward at Walsall Manor Hospital. November 2019, Fallings Park fire station accepted DERELICT BUILDINGS delivery of a brand new Volvo fire appliance. There will DERELICT BUILDINGS be a competition launched soon to engage with local schools to either name the appliance or produce a slogan to share an important safety message.

BCN are working with our partners to identify and report empty and derelict buildings so they do not become victims of deliberate ignition, used for crime or ASB. Reporting by crews has been standardised led from One of our three Key Stage 3 and 4 educators, the work already in place as best practice in line with Firefighter Tony Bishop, delivered a safety message the deliberate derelict action plan. programme on arson, to St Mattias School. Fire AuthorityBCN PROTECTION Briefing NoteUPDATE BCN Blackcontinues Country to provide North business Q3 support with7 completion of safe and strong (SAS) visits, these visits can be arranged, on spec or following incidents, the purpose of the visits are to ensure businesses understand their responsibilities and how they must comply with the legislation. This approach ensures when learning, fire safety issues and/or incorrect Our protection work Our protection priorities focus on protecting life and property practice is identified. Owners and responsible persons focuses on helping to make businesses stronger and communities safer: can put and fire safety issues right before WMFS uses businesses to thrive, fire safety legislation. making the West • life and property will be protected by targeting high-risk buildings Midlands stronger. and vulnerable businesses, including residential high-rises, to ensure compliance and enforcement of fire safety legislation SUPERMARKET SAFE AND STRONG We assess high-risk buildings including • improved community safety through implementing outcomes of residential high-rises to ensure public safety the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety and provide reassurance about the risks of fire. • improved community safety through innovative and contemporary We also advise companies how best to comply approaches to the delivery of protection activities and working with fire safety legislation, to keep staff and cohesively with partners at local, regional and national levels to customers safe. influence thedevelopment of new and enabling legislation Walsall crews carried out a Safe and Strong visit at a If fire does strike, we help them to get back • prosperity and economic growth are enhanced by educating and supermarket. Following FF8 training, they used video up and running as soon as possible. As a supporting businesses, including collaboration with other calling to show the concerns they had over travel large organisation ourselves, we know the regulators and partner agencies distance, fire loading and blocked exits. They asked for importance of business continuity. • disruption to businesses, communities and West Midlands Fire the attendance of Fire Safety and it was discovered that Service caused by unwanted fire signals from fire alarms will there was an out of order fire alarm, blocked means be reduced. of escape and the only way into the first floor was through the shop itself and within this area a disused office area. SITE SPECIFIC RISK INFORMATION SPECIAL MENTION Fire AuthorityLOOK Briefing FORWARD Note

• CulturalBlack review Country benchmark North look Q3 back and 8 current position • Evaluation of the derelict dwelling and derelict non -domestic action plans. • Evaluation of the FAE commercial and non-domestic actions plan. • New planning for Performance indicators and performance requirements BCN continues to carry out site specific risk inspections • Ensure teams are competency risk assessment (CRA) (SSRI) at Commercial business properties and all tall aware and recording It’s the end of an era at West Midlands Fire Service, buildings (over four floors) in the Wolverhampton and as its first ever female firefighter has retired. When Walsall Partners Walsall Conurbations. To date it has carried out and • Making Connections Walsall- Mental Wellbeing - completed 707 SSRI inspections since April 2019 out of Julie Cooper first joined Walsall fire station thirty years ago, she was the only female on the frontline Evaluation and Community Mental Wellbeing the 807 listed. Station personnel are ensuring that the © West Midlands Fire Marketing Service 2020 1920•158 risk assessments for all recorded premises are accurate and she finished her career working from Walsall in strategy and funding event. and up to date. This familiarises teams for when they the OLPD training department. • the impact the MCW social prescribing project has may be dealing with any potential incidents at these had on: The lives of older people and their families Starting and ending her long career in the heart of premises. Not all high-risk premises will be inspected as well as Other Walsall based services. BCN at Walsall Fire Station. every 12 months and this process includes inspections Wolverhampton partners of the site/ premises, creating incident action plans BCN wishes Julie all the best with her retirement • Wasp – Anti slavery partnership with water sources, hazards and risks identified and and future. • Linking in with Wolverhampton Adult social care checked equipment put in place for mitigation and and Mash to deliver joint SAW occupier/firefighter awareness and safety.

Look forward to quarter 4 will be to complete the remaining 100 SSRI sites remaining and identify the high priority ones to be completed in 20/21 period.