More Hertfordshire fire crews met ‘attendance targets’ in 2019/20

Fire crews are meeting emergency ‘attendance targets’ in Hertfordshire more often, according to new data.

Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service’s ‘attendance targets’ say that, in the case of a property fire, a first appliance should arrive at the scene of a property fire within 10 minutes, at least 90 per cent of the time.

And – where necessary – the second appliance should arrive within 13 minutes in 90 per cent of incidents.

Annual data presented to the county council’s audit committee on Tuesday, December 8, shows that in 2019/20 the proportion of first fire engines arriving within 10 minutes increased by 2.4 per cent, to 92.5.

And although the target for the second engine was not met – with just 85.8 per cent of vehicles making it within 13 minutes – that’s still higher than the 84.4 per cent recorded the year before.

The data is contained in the Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Authority’s ‘statement of assurance’ 2019/20.

The document also records that during the 12-month period there were fewer fires in the county than the year before, with 1324 ‘primary’ fires, 1113 ‘secondary fires’ and 1103 ‘deliberate’ fires.

‘Primary’ fires are those that involve properties, that are not derelict. Secondary fires are those that involve hedgerows, grassland, bins or wasteland.

The data also shows that in 2019/20 the county’s fire service attended 538 road accidents, which is 45 fewer than in the previous 12 months.

‘Attendance standards’ demand that the first fire appliance has to be on the scene of a road accident within 12 minutes on at least 75 per cent of occasions.

And the data shows the service exceeded this – with 82.7 per cent of incidents being reached within 12 minutes.

During the meeting councillors also heard that plans for a trial to replace a small number of appliances with ‘alternative’ vehicles had been delayed until next year (2021), as a result of supply issues caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

And they were also told that additional work undertaken by the fire service during the pandemic had included ‘vulnerable checks’ and the delivery of prescription medicines.

Chair of audit committee Cllr Frances Bacon highlighted the “huge support” the service had from councillors.

And she said: “I think we are all joining together to thank you so much – and to thank Darryl Keen as well for his particular role – in everything you have done to keep us safe.”

Darryl Keen is the county’s chief fire officer and the county council’s director of community protection.