Final chance to have your say on your local fire and rescue service

We are offering communities a final chance to have their say on their local fire and rescue service as part of our Safety Plan consultation.

With the consultation ending on 26 November, local communities are encouraged to get involved and help shape our future priorities.

It is designed to shape the service’s Community Risk Management Plan – which we call our Safety Plan, which is a document all fire and rescue services are required to produce. The final plan will detail the priorities we will adopt and the approach we will take to ensure the protection of local communities, the reduction of risk and the commitment to firefighter safety. Those who complete the survey will also be entered into a prize draw to win a £100 Amazon voucher.

The consultation is about the refreshed version of our current Safety Plan which we are required to extend for nine months. The current Safety Plan was due to end in March 2024, but we need to extend this current plan until the end of 2024 to ensure the four year cycle of the plan aligns with the four year term of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC). 

The next PFCC elections are in May 2024. By extending our current plan until the end of 2024, this will allow the newly elected Commissioner time to produce their own Fire and Rescue Service Plan and approve our next four year plan. It is important that the Commissioner has the opportunity to do this as they are responsible for scrutinising our performance against these plans and holding the service to account.

Chief Fire Officer, Rob Barber said: “The feedback which will be gathered through this consultation period will be pivotal in the future service we can deliver to communities across the county. We are keen to listen to local people about their concerns, better understand their priorities and implement measures to make sure we service their needs as effectively as we can.

“We have a proven track record of transformation, commitment and innovation and we will continue in our quest of making Staffordshire the safest place to be.”

Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire & Rescue and Crime Ben Adams said: “It’s vital that local services understand the concerns of their communities, so they can be sure their priorities reflect these concerns.

“I’d encourage everyone to take part in this consultation and share their views on what Staffordshire Fire & Rescue Service should be focusing on to keep the communities of Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent safe.”

Visit our website to view the Safety Plan and to complete the survey. For those not able to fill out an online survey, a hard copy can be requested by calling 0300 330 1000, or contact details can be left at your local fire station.