Statement of Assurance

We have published our latest performance report which shows our firefighters attend more than 8,800 incidents in 2023/24, a reduction of nine per cent.

We also saw reductions in injuries caused by accidental fires (by 18 per cent to four), accidental business fires (by 13 per cent to 132) and small outdoor fires (by 29 per cent to 1,604). 

There were increases in the number of deliberate business fires (up 34 per cent to 47), collisions we attended (by four per cent to 869) and accidental house fires (up two per cent to 416).

Our Statement of Assurance covers the 12 months between April 2023 to March 2024 and highlights our prevention, protection and response activity across Staffordshire and how we have supported local communities and their priorities.

In October 2023, we welcomed eye-in-the-sky-technology to help our crews tackle emergency incidents across the county. Our firefighters were given access to two state-of-the-art drones to gather vital aerial intelligence by live-streaming imaging to colleagues on the ground. They provide additional support by gathering information of the structural integrity of buildings, monitoring fire spread and confirming safe areas.

Two new state-of-the-art aerial ladder platform (ALP) vehicles hit the roads of Staffordshire in March 2024 which allow rescues from tall buildings and help when tackling difficult to reach fires. Based at Longton and Burton, they replaced existing ALPs which we had used for nearly 20 years.

Our falls response team, which launched in December 2022, attend non-injury falls to relieve pressure on the ambulance service whilst our homes from hospital team, which was formed in December 2023, transport patients back home after a hospital stay and ensure they are settled back into their properties. Both teams have dedicated personnel that are not on duty firefighters. Both projects are supported by the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent integrated care board and the Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust.

In other positive news, we recruited 34 wholetime firefighters, 70 on-call firefighters and 10 support staff and we visited almost 14,000 homes of vulnerable people to do Safe and Well checks, an increase of seven per cent compared to the previous 12 months.

Our protection team carried out 280 total fire safety audits and issued 12 enforcement notices and 10 prohibition notices

Rob Barber, Chief Fire Officer for Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “It is pleasing to see that overall incidents are down and in particular house fire injuries and small outdoor fires which have seen a significant decrease.

“Whilst there has been a notable percentage increase in deliberate business fires, some of which are void premises, the numbers are still relatively low. When these incidents occur our fire investigators work closely with police to provide evidence to help bring those responsible to justice.

“Key achievements include the development of the falls response team and the home from hospital service, both providing support to vulnerable individuals and helping alleviate the pressures on the NHS and social care.”

Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire & Rescue and Fire Ben Adams said: “This report highlights the wide range of work Staffordshire Fire & Rescue undertakes to keep us all safe. As well as responding to fires, more firefighters, staff and volunteers are engaged in prevention work that is ever more focused on protecting those most at risk.

“This work continues to evolve. I have invested in new equipment to support the Service to meet new and emerging operational challenges, some of which are a consequence of climate change or new battery and energy storage technologies that are rapidly developing in response to it.

“The falls response and home from hospital schemes continue to go from strength to strength, and have rightly been recognised nationally as excellent examples of the difference a forward-thinking Service can make for the most vulnerable in our communities.

“I’d like to thank everyone at Staffordshire Fire & Rescue Service for their commitment and dedication in protecting the people of Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.”