Speaker Notes on Quality and Standard - Speech or Presentation Example

SPEAKER NOTES

SLIDE #1 - Introduction

This is a critical review of the effectiveness of training and development in the Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service against the requirements of the Fire and Rescue Service National Framework 2008-2011 and other relevant legislation

SLIDE #2

Primarily, the Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service must comply with the Fire and Rescue Service Act 2004 and create their own Integrated Risk Management Plan. The plan will eventually set out the ways to which the organization responds to fires and other emergencies, develop the skills of their workforce, and promote the health, safety, and well-being of this workforce (IRMP 2010-2013, p.2).

Secondly, the service must meet the expectations of the Fire and Rescue National Framework 2008-2011 in terms of the following:

• Prevention, protection, and response
• Resilience
• Diversity and Workforce
• Governance Improvement

SLIDE #3

Since requirements for inspections will be abolished, the organization must operate according to the requirements of the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 to avoid any legal problem particularly when gross failure results in a person’s death. In other words, Warwickshire Fire and Rescue is liable when it failed to effectively manage the health and safety of its employees (Bray 2009, p.11).

As one of the Category 1 responders under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, employees are entitled to the full range of civil protection duties provided by the Act (Bray 2009, p.11). These include;

• Risk assessment of the emergency occurring
• Maintain plans to respond to an emergency
• Maintain arrangements to warn, inform, and advise the public in the event of an emergency

SLIDE #4

The Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service produced an Integrated Risk Management Plan to reduce the risks to those people who work, live, or visit Warwickshire. As part of their statutory requirements to keep the community and firefighters safe, the organization provides its employees with;

• Workforce skills development
• Health and safety, and well-being
• The right equipment, vehicles, and information
• Prepare employees for major threats and emergencies and
• Treat employees with their most valuable assets.

SLIDE #5

These include;

• Specialist fire behavior training for all operational staff at the National Fire Service College
• Investment on new breathing sets
• Improve capability, communication, and effectiveness of staff by carrying out a gap analysis
• Improve training outcomes for fighters on the retained duty system by establishing a team to monitor and assess the capability, flexibility, and role of RDS.
• Reducing the level of sickness by establishing an Absence Management Group.
• Improving the well-being of staff through the Stress Management Action Plan
• Improving processes for identifying and managing organizational risks through consistent review and maintaining a Corporate Risk Register
• Managing organizational change by systematic program and project management

SLIDE #6

In order to measure the effectiveness of training and development within Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service, it has to;

• Achieve good performance in its primary work which means a reduction in fire occurrences and reduced injuries and deaths as required by the FRS National Framework 2008-2011
• Managed its workforce effectively with no injuries or work-related ill-health for employees
• Achieve stakeholder satisfaction

SLIDE #7

The Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service performance reports show a consistent reduction in the number of primary and accidental dwelling fires since 2004, the year when IRMP was first required by the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004. Moreover, reduction exceeded the target in 2008 and 2009 and leveled in 2010 during the time when the Fire and Rescue National Framework 2008-2011 was published.

SLIDE #8

However, although the number of non-fatal casualties is decreasing, it is surprising that despite the reduction of fire occurrences, fatalities in accidental dwelling increased considerably in 2009. This is an indication that there is something wrong with either fire prevention program or emergency response.

SLIDE #9

In terms of stakeholder satisfaction, the WRFS overall service performance as indicated by the result of stakeholders survey is only around 80%  while only 63% in response time.

SLIDE #10

Analyzing the effectiveness of training and development in Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service in terms of community safety is average since the number of accidental dwelling fires is not consistently decreasing and in fact, it suddenly went up a year ago. The probable factor in increased fatalities is slow response time. However, the report in general shows consistency in performance.

SLIDE #11

Based on the performance report, this review recommends the following:

• Training and development program must focus on enhancing response time and improving firefighter capability particularly in rescue
• Staff handling community safety programs must be trained further in enhancing community awareness to reduce fatalities of dwelling fires.