Residents and businesses across Norfolk are being asked to give their views on proposals put forward by the county’s fire and rescue service aimed at reducing risk and improving safety.

A public consultation on Norfolk Fire & Rescue Service’s draft Community Risk Management Plan 2023-36 (CRMP), is now live and will run for six weeks.

“It is really important that the public use this opportunity to have their say around how our fire service plans to achieve its aims of improving public safety, reducing the number of emergency incidents and saving lives,” said Councillor Margaret Dewsbury, Cabinet Member for Communities and Partnerships at Norfolk County Council.

“These proposals include strengthening partnerships, positioning of kit and equipment and ensuring that the resources the service has are used in the best possible way to protect Norfolk.”

The Draft CRMP features an online consultation with seven proposals which the public are being asked to comment on, alongside space to give views on the wider work of Norfolk Fire & Rescue Service.

Face to face consultation events will also be held at fire stations across the county, giving people a chance to discuss the proposals and give their comments.

Some of the public drop-in events will also include a chance to have a drink and informal chat with members of the fire team around the consultation, and also around any safety concerns they may have.

Drop-in events are being held in the following locations. (There is no need to book)

• King’s Lynn north fire station, Kilhams Way, PE30 2HY – Tuesday 15th November 2-4
• Wymondham fire station, London Road, NR18 9AW – Tuesday 22nd November 11-1
• Massingham fire station, Station Road, PE32 2JJ – Thursday 24th November 11-1
• North Walsham fire station, New Road, NR28 9DE – Monday 28th November 10:30-12:30
• Great Yarmouth fire station, Friars Lane, NR30 2RP – Tuesday 29th November 10:30-12:30
• Carrow fire station, Bracondale, NR1 2EE– Wednesday 30th November 10:30 – 12:30
• Fakenham fire station, Norwich Road, NR21 8BB – Thursday 1st December 11:30-1:30
• Cromer – North Norfolk District Council offices, Holt Road, NR27 9EN – Friday 2nd December 10:30- 12:30
• Aylsham fire station, Cawston Road, NR11 6BX – Monday 5th December 2-4
• Thetford library, Raymond Street, IP24 2EA – Monday 12 December 10-12:30
• The fire station events will also include Brew with a Crew where attendees can enjoy refreshments while they talk to our staff about the proposals, in aid of our service charity.

The service is also engaging with stakeholders and partners, staff and councillors around the plans through meetings and focus groups.

Every three years fire services are required to produce a CRMP showing how they will plan for existing and emerging fire and rescue risks across their communities.

The review is based on risk evidence, data about what kind of incidents are attended and considerations about what resources are needed and where they are best located.

Depending on public views, the draft version may be amended before the final version goes to Norfolk County Council’s Cabinet in the New Year for approval. The draft version of the plan went before Cabinet at the start of October, who gave approval for the consultation to go ahead.

The seven proposals being consulted on include:

• Plans to create a more targeted approach to fire prevention, working more closely with partner agencies around identifying and support Norfolk’s most vulnerable residents and those at highest risk.
• Relocating a technical rescue unit from Thetford to Great Yarmouth. This water rescue equipment is also used for large animal rescues and our data shows it is more likely to be needed in the Eastern side of the county.
• Housing gas-tight suits, used in hazardous incidents such as chemical spills, on our environmental protection units, whole-time fire stations and on four on-call fire stations. They are currently on all stations and not frequently used, they have a ten-year shelf-life.
• Amending how we calculate emergency response times in line with a national approach. Specifically, this means timing our response from the time a 999 call is answered in the emergency control room to the time crews arrive on scene. Currently we measure from the point the first crew is alerted by control room staff, so we expect to see a slight increase in our response times as a result of this proposal.
• Trialling having a fire engine as a roaming pump with a crew able to be based from anywhere in Norfolk to ensure fire and rescue cover. We also want to consider expanding our fleet of agile 4×4 vehicles.
• Exploring expanding our current Emergency Medical Response trial with EEAST beyond the current two trial fire stations. Crews go to the aid of cardiac arrest patients where they are able to offer a quicker response than an ambulance and when they are not tied up with a fire and rescue incident.
• Reviewing our on-call firefighting model in line with an anticipated national review. We want to look at how we recruit and retain staff.

To have your say please visit www.norfolk.gov.uk/crmp or find more information at www.norfolk.gov.uk/fire

The consultation closes on 19 December 2022.