HMICFRS release report into Isles of Scilly Fire and Rescue Service
It found the service has progressed since its last inspection in 2022
A report into the performance of Isles of Scilly Fire and Rescue Service has found it's made progress since it's last inspection in 2022.
The report has been released by HMICFRS.
The inspection found the service performs in keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks but needs to improve in some areas.
That includes how it promotes the importance of equality diversity and inclusion across the service and developing a prevention strategy on the main island of St Mary’s.
Roy Wilsher, HM Inspector of Fire & Rescue Service, said: "It was a pleasure to revisit Isles of Scilly Fire and Rescue Service, and I am grateful for the positive and constructive way in which the service worked with our inspection staff.
"I am pleased with the performance of Isles of Scilly Fire and Rescue Service in keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks, but it needs to improve in some areas to provide a consistently good service. For example, it needs to improve how it promotes the importance of equality, diversity and inclusion across the service.
"Needs to improve in some areas"
"It is important to recognise that the service can’t directly be compared to other fire and rescue services on the mainland, and the assessment of the service against the characteristics of our judgment of good is relatively bespoke. It is led by a part-time temporary chief fire officer and operates an on-call duty system with one full-time station manager. What the service provides – with the resources it has – needs to be recognised in the context of the size, remoteness and uniqueness of the islands.
"We were pleased to see that the service has made progress since our 2022 inspection. For example, the service has improved how it monitors the service level agreement with Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service for the services the latter provides. The service manages this effectively through scrutiny and oversight.
"Has made progress"
"Overall, it is pleasing to see the improved performance of the Isles of Scilly Fire and Rescue Service and the improvements it has made since our last inspection. In our next inspection, I look forward to seeing the progress it has made against the areas for improvement we have highlighted."
The principal findings from the assessments of the service over the past year are:
• The service is working to identify and inspect all commercial sleeping risk on the islands in its risk-based inspection programme, making sure the public are kept safe.
• Firefighter training is more structured, with the help of a computerised dashboard to record and direct training, which helps firefighters maintain the skills they need to keep them safe at incidents.
• Communication across the service has improved because of the introduction of the part-time temporary chief fire officer, supported by the station manager. This gives all staff a voice.
• Promotion and development processes have been introduced that show openness, clarity and direction for progression for all staff.