The Integrated Risk Management Plan for Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services - Coursework Example

Abstract Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services provides fire fighting services and has witnessed widespread changes due to the change the management team has witnessed which has ensured that better facilities can be developed and steps taken through which better risk can be assessed and controlled. The report looks towards presenting the different areas which Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services has to consider and has looked towards identifying those. This has led towards the development of services and has helped them to comply with the required legislation. Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services apart from it has to look towards developing strategies which helps them to have a positive budget and helps towards improving the overall level of services. This will require proper management of the resources and having the required financials and resources which will ensure that the required standards are delivered. This will thereby ensure that Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services is able to save more lives and ensure better commitment towards the society. Table of Contents Introduction 3 Background 3 Societal Risk Associated with Fire 4 Categorizing Societal Risk 6 Strategies to Change Human Behavior towards Risk 7 Matching Resources to Risk for Decision Making 8 Role of Legislation as a Preventive Measure 9 Effective Response Force 9 Recommendations 10 Conclusion 11 References 12 Introduction The manner in which fire incidents have grown over the last decade requires proper strategies to control fire and demonstrating an ability through which the resources are used in the best possible manner and human lives preserved. This makes it imperative that the fire department and the other decision makers understand the manner in which the resources are deployed in the community and has to look towards identifying the manner in which it causes injuries and deaths for both the fire fighters and the society, the different areas where a change in behavior of people is required and the role legislation can have in controlling fire. Being able to ensure that the different fire fighting equipments are deployed in the best possible manner will help to reduce the level of hazard and will work on the three areas as stated above and will help to save and preserve the community. This report thereby considers the above three stated questions by looking into the manner Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services look towards managing the society and its resources. To understand the aspect better the Integrated Risk Management Plan for Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services is being looked at for the year 2012 to 2015. This will help to understand the different underlying areas and will also help to identify the manner in which the financials are being managed and looked at so that better community safety areas can be developed and the overall process of improving effectiveness can be measured. Background Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services provides fire fighting services and has witnessed widespread changes due to the change the management team has witnessed which has ensured that better facilities can be developed and steps taken through which better risk can be assessed and controlled. The fact that fire department faces huge problems related with budget which creates difficulties in carrying out the normal operations. Along with the manner in which call volumes have grown and the acute shortage of personnel and equipments and rising security issues has complicate the matter and made it difficult for Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services to render proper services. The manner in which the different challenges have been dealt by the fire department of Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services has ensured better use of the resources and ensuring that the level of emergencies for the future comes down. The fact that sustained economic recession has affected the business but being able to deal with it as seen in the case of Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services where they have a positive budget has ensured that they are able to save their resources and render better services. Societal Risk associated with Fire Traditionally the risk assessment method looked towards identifying the process through which hazards takes place and looks towards developing a supresion method which will help to deal with emergency. The risk assessment for fire goes beyond fire and looks towards determining casualties and medical emergency arrangements that have to be made. This has given rise to different societal risk which needs to be taken care of and Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services has to look towards ensuring that the development of the emergency steps are as required and helps to evaluate the method through which society can be protected (Fire, 2012). This makes the societal risk assessment to identify the different hazards that the society has to deal with in case of fire. The consequences of fire thereby can be determined by the manner in which different combination helps to determine the level of risk for the society like the duration, nature of fire, loss to life and property, personal injuries, economic loss and other damages which the environment has to undergo. This thereby helps to find out the societal risk that Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services has to face and includes the following four categories (Consultation, 2012) Human Impact: This aspect considers the risk that the society has to face and includes the fire fighters where the impact of fire on their life and property is considered Economic Impact: This aspect looks into the risk to property which arises due to both direct and indirect effects that the fire has on the society. This has an impact on the overall performance of fire fighters and helps to determine the manner in which the society is impacted. Psychological Impact: This aspect considers the manner in which fire has an impact on the confidence that the community has and looks towards determining the method through which further risk for the society can be controlled. Functional Impact: This aspect looks at the manner in which the community faces difficulty in carrying out their operations smoothly and the changes and transformation that is required to enable the society to function in a better way This thereby explains the manner in which the different societal risk arises due to fire and requires methodology to be dealt in a proper way. Categorizing Societal Risk The fact that society faces different obstacles and risk which increases the complexity for the business makes it imperative that a proper methodology is identified through which the different hazards that are caused due to fire can be ascertained. This has helped to divide the different hazards into the following (Fire, 2012) Property: This is the risk that the society has to face due to fire which might result in a loss of property. The fact that each structure in a community is aimed at providing different hurdles which complicates the matter and requires proper strategies are developed by Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services which will help to reduce the loss towards the society Life: This is the maximum societal risk that the society has to deal with and will require development of proper strategies through which maximum life can be protected. This will also require that Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services develop strategies through which the impact on human life is reduced and aims at improving the overall condition of people within the community. Critical Infrastructure: The critical infrastructure for the society is the faith and belief that the community has on the manner in which the services are rendered. This will require that proper infrastructure is developed through which proper training and facilities are provided that will help to ensure that better strategies are developed through which they will be able to provide quality services to help to reduce the impact of fire Strategies to Change Human Behavior towards Risk The impact that fire has on society has made Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services prepare a timely and coverage plan which looks towards dealing with the hazards and developing strategies through which human behavior can be altered. Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services have determined this process as “Standard of Response Coverage”. Through this method Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services looks towards determining the policies and procedures which will help in the mobilization of resources and bring a change in the behavior of human beings so that more and more life can be protected (Drabek, 2001). The service level objective for Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services will require that strategies are developed through which the time taken to reach the incident spot is minimized. This will require acting in a manner through which the confidence of the society can be built on Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services. This can be achieved to a level by having strategies where regular drills and training is done so that maximum efficiency can be achieved. This will also have a direct relation in altering the behavior and changing the level of confidence as being able to work on it will help to change the manner in which the fire fighters will be able to carry out their roles (Drabek, 2001). In addition to it Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services will also require that they procure the required equipments and things through which better services can be provided and the magnitude of risk which can arise due to fire can be controlled. This will help to ensure that the level of confidence changes and the society is able to transform their behavior. This will have a positive effect and will lead towards developing the required standards through which Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services is able to protect human life. Matching Resources to Risk for Decision Making Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services have ensured that they are able to develop the required facilities through which proper services can be provided and risk curtailed. This has made Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services ensure that they have the required resources at their disposal to act accordingly in case of fire and reduce the hazards that the society otherwise might have to face (IRMP, 2012). Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services have ensured that they have the required number of fire fighters to be able to deliver better services and protect more lives. This has been matched by the fact that Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services looks towards purchasing new equipments and tools which matches the newly developing technology and enables the users to be able to garner maximum efficiency. Through this method Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services have managed the required resources in regard to the different tools and equipments that will help them to generate positive result. Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services has also ensured that they develop a positive budget which will that the required equipments are purchased and proper training is provided through which human life can be protected. This has resulted in a decrease in the number of incidents in 2010-11 to 59.21 from 63.05 in 2009-10. This shows that Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services has gained efficiency and has been able to determine a method through which their resources have been managed well. This has improved the services and ensured that the fire fighters reach the place of incident at the shortest possible time. This has reduced the magnitude of loss and will thereby act as a method through which overall operational efficiency can be achieved (IRMP, 2012). Role of Legislation as a Preventive Measure Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services have looked towards developing a legislation through which they have ensured that they follow the national framework for fire and rescue services for England. The services of Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services follows the rules that has been laid down by the government and looks towards ensuring that they are able to develop a formal process through which all the rules are adhered to. The fire and rescue national framework has looked towards ensuring that they set out the priorities and objectives based on act that has been enacted by the government of England and looks towards accomplishing the objectives by having those in their planning process. This has ensured that Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services is able to provide better services and based on it comply with the requirements of the law. This will help to ensure maximum efficiency and will thereby ensure that Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services are able to work towards a framework through which better services can be provided. In addition to it the role of legislation has looked towards as a preventive measure through which Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services is able to develop better plans and services. This has aided towards improving the overall productivity of Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services and has ensured that they are able to deliver fire fighting services based on the requirements through which better control and effectiveness can be ascertained. Effective Response Force The legislation and development of strategies which are matched towards improving the manner in which fire fighting services are provided has helped to develop an effective response from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services and help to reduce accident. This has helped Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services to ensure that they have the required fire fighters and equipments which are required on a minimum level to deliver the required services. Apart from it Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services has also ensured that there response force considers the time required to reach the place of incident and looks towards developing an indicator through which proper resource allocation can be identified to deal with efficiency. This has ensured that Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services is able to develop the required response capability through which maximum capacity utilization of their resources are possible. This has transformed towards building the required sphere through which better services are rendered and has helped to develop for the unwanted fires and emergencies. This has helped Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services to protect more life and has ensured that the level of risk is controlled. Recommendations Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services have thereby ensured that the different fundamentals which are essential in delivering proper services and saving human lives are adhered. This has led towards the development of strategies and an Integrated Risk Management Plan through which maximum efficiency has been garnered. Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services thereby have to ensure that while looking towards applying those strategies care and consideration should be given to find out the manner in which the resources will be allocated based on the financial budget and to comply with the legislation that the fire and safety department has to. Conclusion The report looks towards presenting the different areas which Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services has to consider and has looked towards identifying those. This has led towards the development of services and has helped them to comply with the required legislation. Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services apart from it has to look towards developing strategies which helps them to have a positive budget and helps towards improving the overall level of services. This will require proper management of the resources and having the required financials and resources which will ensure that the required standards are delivered. This will thereby ensure that Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services is able to save more lives and ensure better commitment towards the society. References Consultation. 2012. Fire & Rescue National Framework for England. Communities & Local Government Drabek, T. 2001. Anticipating Organizational Evacuations: Disaster Planning By Mangers. International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters 9 (2), 219-245 Fire. 2012. Fire Service Deployment: Assessing Community Vulnerability. Urban Fire Forum IRMP. 2012. Merseyside Fire and Rescue Services Integrated Risk Managemetn Plan 20102-2015. Fire & Rescue Services Read More