Just been made aware of this statement from CFOA - Good news or bad?
The Chief Fire Officers' Association (CFOA) is not surprised with the decision announced today by Bob
Neill MP, the Minister for Fire, to end the FiReControl project. The project designed to set up 9 regional
control centres to handle all 999 fire calls in England has been beset by difficulties from the outset. Peter
Holland, CFOA President said, "Despite the best efforts of fire professionals in attempting to assist both
CLG and EADS in developing a resilient mobilising and operational asset management solution for the
Fire and Rescue Service, the project has failed to deliver on time, cost and quality."
CFOA will now be pressing CLG as a matter of urgency to secure appropriate funding to deliver
alternative resilient fire control systems and facilities. CFOA wishes to ensure that equipment which has
already been delivered to services by the project remains in place including mobile data terminals in fire
appliances. CFOA also wants to see delivery of many of the other benefits that would have been
provided by the regional control project but at a lower cost and reduced complexity. To this end, CFOA
will be seeking an early meeting with the Minister to explore the implications of this decision and will
continue to support Chief Fire Officers throughout England to deliver improvements in what are
unprecedented times.
