Priorities outlined for Essex's fire service

6 March 2019, 07:21 | Updated: 6 March 2019, 07:24

Essex's fire service is going to have eight priorities between now and 2024.

The county's Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, Roger Hirst, has developed a Fire and Rescue Plan that is the first of its kind in the country.

It sets out the vision and priorities for the delivery of fire and rescue services in Essex and is the basis on which Mr Hirst will hold Essex County Fire and Rescue Service to account for its performance.

The document mirrors the Police and Crime Plan which sets the priorities for policing in Essex.

The eight priorities for the fire service are:

- Enhance prevention, protection and response
- Promote a positive culture in the workplace
- Develop and broaden the roles and range of activities undertaken by the Service
- Help the vulnerable to stay safe
- Collaborate with our partners
- Be transparent, open and accessible
- Improve safety on our roads
- Make best use of our resources

Roger Hirst said: "For me, safe and secure communities are the bedrock on which we build well-being and prosperity for all. This requires all emergency services to work well together, to be efficient and effective in the service they provide, to prevent incidents wherever possible and to be closely embedded in the communities they serve.

"The Fire and Rescue Service has a special mission in this, to make Essex a safe place to live, work and travel.

"We need a plan for a Fire and Rescue Service in Essex which ensures we can help people to stay safe, reduces the number who are killed or seriously injured and minimises the damage to property and businesses.

"The priorities in the plan reflect what the people of Essex expect from their fire and rescue service."