The Effectiveness of the Local Authority, Fire Investigation and Rescue Service - Research Proposal Example

Title: The effectiveness of the local authority, Fire Investigation and Rescue Service Introduction The local authority has been under criticism for a long period concerning the quality and effectiveness of the Fire Investigation and Rescue Service they provide. This has heightened a debate as to whether the local authority should still hold the Fire Investigation and Rescue Service department being one of the most critical departments, which need serious people involved in service provision (Ewen 2003, p. 317-338). The local authorities have come out reiterating to the comments posted by many local residents, justifying exactly what they ideally have been up to and their respective successes they have made in service delivery. They also have been quoted justifying some of the weaknesses and failures the authority has had over time in the recent past in the event of providing such services. In facilitating the improvement of these services, a research is ideal to come up with the current situation and later develop recommendations facilitating the efficiency of service delivery in the fire department regarding Fire Investigation and Rescue Service. In this research, I will conduct an exploration of how locals view the Fire Investigation and Rescue Service as well as what the department ha to say regarding the same. In particular, I will put emphasis on how the quality of service affects the people involved. Such a study will give insights to the Fire Investigation and Rescue Service delivery and help in serving the locals efficiently. Aims/Objectives The research aims at investigating the effectiveness of Fire Investigation and Rescue Service delivery by the local authority. The dissertation will answer the question, how effective is the local authority in delivering Fire Investigation and Rescue Service. The research questions emanating from this broad objective include Does the local authority do enough in providing Fire Investigation and Rescue Service? Are there any failures in the local authority in providing Fire Investigation and Rescue Service? Are there any improvements required in the local authority to deal with Fire Investigation and Rescue Service delivery? The Literature Review The United Kingdom fire service operates under separate administrative and legislative arrangements in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales. Fire services ideally have undergone enormous changes since the start of the new 21st century, a process mostly propelled by a devolution of UK central government powers, a change to operational procedures and new legislation in the light of terrorism threats and attacks (Secretary of State 2006). The catalyst for this drastic change came with the 2002 review publication of the fire service in the UK by Professor Sir Bain. His report, THE Fire Service Independent Review, led to fast changes to rescue and fire services. Bain's argument was described as "Having regard to the developing and the changing role of the Fire Service in the UK, to make recommendations and inquire into on the future management and organization of the Fire Service NFPA 2004." Included in the report's headings, and precisely within the text of the review was the word modernization, but the report was not popular particularly with firefighters, and an extended period of industrial action merely started in 2002 and continued only until 2003 with the conditions package and new pay being put together for the rescue service providers (Mark 2010). Fire investigation, occasionally referred to as cause and origin investigation, is the evaluation of fire-related incidents. Particularly after firefighters extinguish a fire, investigations start in determining the cause or origin of the fire or explosion (Ewen 2003, p. 317-338). Investigations in the UK for fires are, one through a systematic approach as well as the knowledge of basic fire science. The effectiveness of the investigation service depends on the cooperation of the individuals present at the time when the fire started (Mark 2010). Fire investigation is generally one of the most difficult of all the practiced forensic sciences. Unlike many forensic disciplines, even the essential question of whether a crime has ideally been committed is usually not obvious. During a fire investigation, the process must be in place just to determine if undoubtedly the case is arson or not (Ewen 2003, p. 317-338). The difficulty to determine whether arson has occurred comes forth because fire normally destroys the key evidence particularly of its origin. A fire investigator normally looks at the fire remains, obtaining the information to try and reconstruct the sequence of possible events leading up to the start of the fire. The UK local authority acknowledges the challenging aspects particularly of fire investigation being the multi-disciplinary basis precisely of the investigator's job. Fires can be caused merely by or involve common artifacts (Secretary of State 2006). Therefore, fire investigators should know not only basic science entailing fire behavior, but also the knowledge of different areas of study, which include electricity, construction, human behavior, and vehicles among others. The local authority in UK argues that this is much helpful if the investigative service is to be effective. The fire service in UK consists of local authority brigades, which come under the control of the administrative metropolitan and shire, or relatively under county fire authorities, for instance Essex County Rescue and Fire Service (Ewen 2003, p. 317-338). The London Fire Brigade is particularly unique in providing an extra layer of administrative governance in the form of the Greater UK Authority above the London Emergency and Fire Planning Authority. Most statutory bodies of firefighting in UK consist of a brigade and a fire authority, the later responsible for administrative and political aspects of service provision and the former responsible for delivering the service. For instance, the LFEPA in UK is the authority running the London Fire Brigade; the County Council of Oxford shire is responsible for Oxford shire Rescue and Fire Service (Secretary of State 2006). Local authorities in the entire UK administration have several other responsibilities as well as fire brigade provision. Additionally, private fire brigades, the armed forces, and airports all make own provisions for firefighting (Mark 2010). The UK fire and rescue department operating under Fire Control has been under criticisms over the last four weeks. The concept has been its failure to provide greater control within the fire service department and better coordination among the emergency services. From 2008, the projects initiated have been under evaluation to analysis their efficacy in operation within the country (NFPA 2004). Consolidating the existing 45 fire-control rooms in England, to at least nine Regional Control Centers has been the key challenge for the local authorities. Methodology This research will use qualitative method in data collection and analysis. This is because the methods used to collect and analyze the information needed are appropriate to answer the dissertation question. The applied qualitative methodology is questionnaires and interviews. These are the two most strong research methods leading in deriving information on the subject matter. The methods will apply to the research effectively. It is easy to find participants and the topic at hand is unpretentious and understood sufficiently by the participants. The questionnaires include the service delivery status in fire investigations. Through the method applied, the participants provide their own will to share these ideas recording every bit of their views in case of any clarification required. Fifteen participants will be involved in the research to come up with a research sample of the people’s representatives. The participants will include some 10 people in the local authority fire department and some 5 people who might have been victims of fire. For the interviews, fifteen participants will be engaged in discussions on the subject matter. This will be a representative sample to provide information on fire investigation. It will also deliver the perceptions they have concerning the quality of service. It will be open enough to give a chance to the participants of airing out their demands. They will also narrate personal experiences with the fire investigations to help derive relevant information on fire investigation services. The advantage with these two methods is reliability and convenience in completing the research. Since the research will be conducted in the local authority fire department, expectations are on a high that the respondents will cooperate and give information willingly. Questionnaires provided will be returned on the same day. Interviews will be completed in reasonable time to help delivery data and stay put for analysis in reasonable time to complete the research by the due date. Timescale In order to complete my dissertation successfully, I have established a timetable for myself. Roughly, I have five months to complete the dissertation. I am intending to collect literatures and finish the introduction and methodology off by the end of June. The next two months I want to focus on collecting data in the field. This will detail conducting the interview and filling in of questionnaires by the respondents giving them adequate time to respond. The fourth month will be data analysis qualitatively starting with keying in the data, analyzing it, generating findings and making conclusions from the data. Finally, the last month will be polishing up my research and making the presentation. Methodology This research will use qualitative method in data collection and analysis. This is because the methods used to collect and analyse the information needed is appropriate to answer the dissertation question. The applied qualitative methodology is questionnaires and interviews. These are the two most strong research methods great in deriving information on the subject matter. The methods will apply in the research effectively. It is easy to find participants and the topic at hand is simple and understood sufficiently by the participants. The questionnaires include the service delivery status in fire investigations. Through the method applied, the participants provide their own will to share these ideas recording every bit of their views in case of any clarification required. Fifteen participants will be involved in the research to come up with a research sample of the people’s representatives. The participants will include some 10 people in the local authority fire department and some 5 people who might have been victims of fire. For the interviews, fifteen participants will be engaged in discussions on the subject matter. This will be a representative sample to provide information on fire investigation. It will also deliver the perceptions they have concerning the quality of service. It will be open enough to give a chance to the participants of airing out their demands. They will also narrate personal experiences with the fire investigations to help derive important information on fire investigation services. The advantage with these two methods is reliability and convenience in completing the research. Since the research will be conducted in the local authority fire department, expectations are on a high that the respondents will cooperate and give information willingly. Questionnaires provided will be returned on the same day. Interviews will be completed in good time to help delivery data and stay put for analysis in good time to complete the research by the due date. Timescale In order to complete my dissertation successfully, I have established a timetable for myself. Roughly, I have five months to complete the dissertation. I am intending to collect literatures and finish the introduction and methodology off by the end of June. The next two months I want to focus on collecting data in the field. This will detail conducting interview and filling in of questionnaires by the respondents giving them adequate time to respond. The fourth month will be data analysis qualitatively starting with keying in the data, analyzing it, generating findings and making conclusions from the data. Finally, the last month will be polishing up my research and making the presentation. References Ewen, S 2003, “Central government and the modernization of the British fire service”, Twentieth Century British History, 14:4 (2003), 317-338 Mark, M 2010, “FBU denounces failing fire control project as ‘the worst ever’”, Tribune Magazine, retrieved on April 22, 2010, from, http://www.tribunemagazine.co.uk/2010/03/19/fbu-denounces-failing-fire-control-project-as-%E2%80%98the-worst-ever%E2%80%99/ National Fire Protection Association 2004, “Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations” NFPA, 921 Secretary of State 2006, “Government Response to the Communities & Local Government Committee’s Report on the Fire and Rescue Service”, 29 September 2006, TSO Read More