NFCC launches new national risk methodologies to support Community Risk Management Planning

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has released the last of a series of standardised tools to support UK fire and rescue services (FRSs) in their community risk management planning (CRMP).

The Road Traffic Collision (RTC) Risk Methodology is among a set of evidence-based risk assessment methodologies, that can be used by all UK FRSs. It sets out to establish a consistent approach to understanding the risk, likelihood and consequence of RTCs across the country, and will assist each FRS to assess their preparedness, prevention and response.

Dan Quin, NFCC’s Executive Lead for Road Safety, and Chief Fire Officer at Surrey Fire and Rescue Service, said:

“This methodology highlights the significance of fire and rescue service involvement with road safety, and the importance of a joined-up and coordinated approach with our road safety partners.

“We set out to understand the national picture of risk identification and assessment, and created a standardised, data-led tool and evidence-based methodology. This will support decision-making on how to mitigate road safety risk locally and support national comparison and collaboration activities across England, Scotland and Wales.”

The final CRMP guidance which has been launched as part of a series is the Evaluation of Fire Interventions. This document is intended to develop the UK FRS’s ability to complete robust evaluations across Prevention, Protection and Response.

In 2018, an independent review of community risk management across the UK found that different approaches were being taken by fire and rescue services. This finding was echoed in the first State of Fire report from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) which set out recommendations to address this. The tools that have been produced by NFCC will help services to consistently identify, assess and mitigate community risks and provides a framework and systemic approach for developing community risk management plans.

NFCC has also worked with the Fire Standards Board to produce a fire standard for community risk management and has delivered several pieces of guidance and tools that are being utilised by UK fire and rescue services.