Thank you for your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
We can confirm that Essex County Fire & Rescue Service (ECFRS) does hold the information you have requested, however the information is exempt from disclosure to you.
The exemption applicable to the information you have requested is: Freedom of Information Act 2000 (legislation.gov.uk)
Questions and final response:
Question 1 - Would it be possible to receive an up-to-date list of the pre-determiner arrivals / attendances at incidents across Essex, please may this include: Call type - E.g fire in the open Attendance - one pump
The information is exempt from disclosure under Section 24 National Security of the Freedom of Information Act.
Disclosure of the information poses a threat to the interests of national security: the information is being withheld to safeguard national security.
To use this exemption, we are required to undertake a public interest test.
The matters which were considered in applying the public interest test are as follows:
Factors in favour of disclosure
• The information relates to public safety
• The efficiency and effectiveness of the Authority
• Transparency when spending public money
• Transparency over decision making • Informing public debate
• Visibility of protection for citizens
Factors in favour of withholding
• To protect the information of the residents of Essex
• To protect our staff and those in our partner agencies
• To protect our ability to deliver our service in a secure and robust environment
• To protect National Security
• Releasing exact pre-determined arrivals, the information could lead to delivery of service being exploited leading to a risk to the health and safety of the public, colleagues and other front-line responders.
• To release this information would identify how ECFRS responds to certain types of incidents, which could be exploited and considerably undermine the delivery of our services.If our services are affected in this way, our responsibility to protect the health and safety of the public would be at a significant disadvantage.
Public Interest Balancing Test
It is considered that the greater public interest therefore lies in not providing the information.
In coming to that conclusion, the public interest in providing the information has been carefully weighed against any prejudice to the public interest that might arise from withholding the information; in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.
This response therefore acts as a refusal notice under section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
We hope you find this information useful.