Thank you for your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. We can confirm that Essex County Fire & Rescue Service does hold the information you have requested.
Please see below the answers to your request.
Questions and final response:
1. Are there any High-Rise Residential buildings in your response area, if yes how many and what is the size of the tallest structure?
201 4-9 storey residential buildings
62 10+ storey residential buildings
16 storey is the tallest
2. When it comes to confirmed and unconfirmed fires in High-Rise buildings, what is your Pre-Determined Attendance?
AFA/Unconfirmed Fire:
4 pumps
1 L2 Incident Commander (Flexi Officer)
Confirmed Fire:
6 pumps
1 L2 Incident Commander (Flexi Officer)
1 L3 Monitoring Officer (Flexi Officer)
1 ICU & 2 L2 Command Support Officers (Flexi Officers)
3. Since the Grenfell fire have you made changes to your Pre-Determined Attendance?
We have not made any changes to our pre-determined attendance since the Grenfell fire.
4. How many mobilizations have you had for High-Rise building fires per year in the last three years? Out of these responses what is the total amount in which firefighting actions had to be carried out?
Table - Mobilisations to high-rise buildings (4-9 storey residential buildings and 10+ storey residential buildings).
|
Row Labels |
Count of 1.2 Fire and Rescue Service |
|
2017 |
387 |
|
False Alarm |
185 |
|
Fire |
35 |
|
Special Service |
167 |
|
2018 |
411 |
|
False Alarm |
184 |
|
Fire |
42 |
|
Special Service |
185 |
|
2019 |
437 |
|
False Alarm |
219 |
|
Fire |
52 |
|
Special Service |
166 |
|
Grand Total |
1235 |
I5. Is there an operational policy for dealing with High-Rise Buildings? If so, would it be possible to share the operational policy information with me?
The information on operational policy is not currently available.
Q6. What circumstances would lead to a Fire Officer changing the stay put policy to evacuation?
A Fire Officer would change the stay put policy to evacuation if the incident is or is likely to escalate placing people in potential danger if they remain where they are. It is difficult to be more specific, as it very much depends on the circumstances of the incident including the Incident Commanders tactical plan.
7. As a result of the Grenfell fire can you summarize the main changes to your procedures?
We have not made any changes to our procedures as a result of the Grenfell fire.
8. Does your firefighting personal undertake familiarization visits to High-Rise buildings? If so, how frequent?
ECFRS undertakes familiarisation visits to high-rise properties. At a minimum and excluding any exercises we conduct an annual risk visit to ensure risk info held is accurate.
9. As a result of the phase 1 Grenfell Enquiry recommendations. How have you changed the way you manage or control evacuation procedure?
ECFRS have not changed the way we manage or control evacuation procedure. However, additional guidance was published relating to evacuation strategies.
10. What do you think are the most positive things you have changed to improve evacuation procedures?
ECFRS has not changed its evacuation procedures.