| The Fire Service Role |
South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue has long since acknowledged the key importance of partnerships and collaboration at all levels of public, private, voluntary and faith organisations in achieving safer communities. The role of the Fire Service in collaborative working has evolved considerably recognising the fact, that fire incidents deaths, injuries and other emergencies are only a consequence of the many problems facing many of our communities particularly in those most deprived areas. It is clear therefore to tackle the problems facing socially deprived communities, a key fire service role is to engage actively with key partners in a coordinated, outcome focused, long- term approach to community protection, that mainstreams fire service objectives into the community safety agenda, thus tackling ‘fires and the causes of fire’. The Fire Service’s role and function within partnerships, involves working at many levels adopting a multi agency cross cutting approach in which to deliver sustainable outcomes in making communities safer. The Fire Service in adopting such a cross cutting role at all levels is supported by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, as amended by the Police Reform Act 2002, which requires police, local authorities, health authorities, fire and police authorities to carry out an audit of crime and disorder in their area, consult on the results and formulate and implement a strategy to tackle local and National priorities. The Police Reform Act 2002 made Fire Authorities a statutory authority of the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP). This move was welcomed by both Fire Authorities and Fire Service managers, as the membership of CDRPs enabled in the broadest sense the fire service role in partnership working to integrate, not only its objectives in terms of crime related fire, but also its objectives in regard to enhancing community safety generally. In South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue we therefore see our overall role of ‘partnership working’ as one of engagement at all levels within our communities, other agencies, public, private, voluntary and faith organisations in identifying local solutions to local problems in the achieving of a ‘Safer South Yorkshire’. Our role working within partnerships extends from the Fire Authority down to local station level engagement and examples of partners we are working with can be found by navigating this site. You can also request further details on partnerships and should you be interested in engaging with the Service in any type of partnership there is a link to direct you to the correct point of contact. |