Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 June 2013
343. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the risk assessment that informed the document Keeping Communities Safe was carried out; and the person who carried out this assessment. [29228/13]
View answerI have recently published Keeping Communities Safe (KCS) as national policy for the future direction of fire services in Ireland. The document was prepared by the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management in my Department through a collaborative process, which included consultation with stakeholders. The intention is to ensure that Ireland continues to manage its fire risk effectively in accordance with current international best practice and that the successful approaches to fire safety, under which the level of fire fatalities recorded in 2012 was the lowest for four decades, are extended and consolidated.
With a view to developing a common understanding in relation to terminology in risk management, relevant definitions are set out in KCS. In particular, the term “Risk Assessment” as used in KCS is one stage of the systemic risk management process on which KCS is based. The National Directorate prepared a series of Task Analyses to show how the initial fire crew, including the incident commander, would work safely to undertake tasks normally associated with the range of fire scenarios set out in Appendix A to the document. This was developed by the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM) project team with the assistance of the Operations Research Committee, which assists the NDFEM with its work. The Operations Research Committee comprises fire service management and technical/operational expertise. Their work is overseen by the Management Board.
Specifically on fire fighter safety, KCS recognises the importance of the twin duties on fire authorities under the Fire Services and Safety, Health and Welfare at Work legislation. An updated Fire Services Safety Management System (SMS) support document is being developed as part of the KCS implementation process (a draft is currently with stakeholders as part of the consultation process) to ensure that occupational health and safety in fire services is fully aligned with international best practise and the recently adopted local government SMS policy.
