Press Release from Staffordshire FRS

[Golden]

Interesting one from Staffs regarding a 'contract' for the home fire safety visits and bordering on checking some of the fire risk assessment details regarding front doors. Would the 'contract' have been a by product of the local authority carrying out its responsibilities under the housing act and the fire rating system or merely a formalisation of the home safety checks - problematic?

http://www.tamworthinformed.co.uk/homes-fire-risk-check/

[Dinnertime Dave]

Interesting one from Staffs regarding a 'contract' for the home fire safety visits and bordering on checking some of the fire risk assessment details regarding front doors. Would the 'contract' have been a by product of the local authority carrying out its responsibilities under the housing act and the fire rating system or merely a formalisation of the home safety checks - problematic?

http://www.tamworthinformed.co.uk/homes-fire-risk-check/

Reading the article I would suggest it is the latter. It doesn't appear to be about enforcement rather an avenue for identifying vulnerable tenants. The "Home Fire Safety Checks" are commonplace throughout the UK. My Experience is where crews/individuals identify doors being removed or faulty alarms they do something about it. It is about keeping the community safe.

[Fishy]

Seems odd to me.  I thought that the provision of fire safety advice such as home safety visits was provided free by the fire authority, under the duties described in Regulation 6 of the Fire Services Act?  They seem to have managed to obtain a contract to get paid for doing what appears to be the same thing?

[kurnal]

Yes but to be fair the workload involved in this case would be very onerous and above and beyond reasonable application of their legal duties. Also I wonder if it will distort their risk based targeted work.  Ah the good old days of polishing the brass and testing the hydrants!

[Golden]

My first impression was why are they entering a contract for home visits when they are free but this is obviously targeted at vulnerable people and represents a huge workload. We used to enter into similar contracts with Age Concern and other local community groups - but they would do the targeting work and we would pay them. I like the partnership working but wonder how much the contract is worth - if it keeps the community and firefighter jobs safe then its a good example for others.