Thank you for your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. I can confirm that Essex County Fire & Rescue Service does hold this information.
Please see below the answer to your request.
Initial Request:
1. Can you advise how many drivers you have that are permitted to use Blue Light warning devices fitted to a vehicle while the vehicle is in motion.
Number of Drivers completing Emergency Response Driving (ERD) courses 2014-2019.
ERD initial - 96
ERD refresher - 448
ERD Co-responders - 13
ERD Officer initial - 17
ERD Officer Refresher - 14
UNIMOG On/Off Road - 60
Water Bowser - 23
Bronto Driver - 16
Dim Driver - 27
Ranger Driver - 49
2. Can you advise at what level these Drivers are trained to? (Eg is it an internal award or recognized by an external awarding body) What is the total contact time duration of this course.
All ERD Drivers are trained in house. The appliance driver ERD training course is run as 2-1 over 9 days. The Officer Car ERD Course is run 1-1 over a 5 days.
See attached Word document.
3. Are these courses compliant with Section 19 of the Road Safety Act 2006.
All ERD the courses we run are compliant with Section 19 of the road safety act 2006.
See attached Word document.
4. Has there been an impact assessment on the introduction of Section 19 conducted in the last 3 years, if please provide the report.
We have no record of any impact assessments on the introduction of Section 19 conducted in the last three years.
5. If section 19 of the Road Safety Act 2006 was to be enacted what, if any, impact would it have on the service.
See response to Question 4.
Please note that the response and data released to you as part of this request will be published on the Essex County Fire & Rescue Service website. The website address is http://transparency.essex-fire.gov.uk/. All requests will be anonymised and no personal information including contact details will be disclosed as part of this process.