All Station/Brigade Reps - Briefing Note 04/08
The National ‘New Dimension’
unit now has a team of 24 people set up at Fire Service College in the
FPA Building. The team comprises a secretariat of seven people who are
specialists in the various fields of ND.
The terminology ‘New Dimension' will be replaced by 'National Resilience'
but continue to incorporate Incident Response Unit (IRU), Urban Search
and Rescue (USAR), High Volume Pump (HVP), Command and Control (C+C) and
Enhanced Command Support (ECS). As a result of this, the National Working
Group (New Dimension Sounding Board) is looking at changing its name to
National Resilience; this will be confirmed in the not too distant future.
As ECS is the latest and last ‘special’, to be rolled out,
to which there was a press launch on 15th September in Gloucester. A total
of 9 ECS vehicles have been procured, with the view to keeping them out
of any known risk areas preferring, the ECS to travel to the incident,
for example London will not receive an ECS vehicle, with the nearest one
being located in Kent. What has come to light is that Local FRS seem to
appear to be impressed with the capabilities of the ECS vehicles and are
procuring their own. I believe that two are going to West Sussex and three
are going to West Mids. Indeed Lincs have procured their own. The nine
ECS vehicles will also be able to be utilised for larger scale FRS Incidents
at the request of the Senior Management Team. The ECS are based on a large
Iveco van and will be crewed by competent Ff's. Awareness training will
be rolled out to all FRS personnel across the UK of the capabilities of
the ECS Vehicle.
Onto C+C, all FRS and CMC should have received training CD's from CLG
to assist them in the training of terminology for any ND incident, however,
there is a request for an exercise training CD to be issued for control
staff to practice large scale incidents.
As New Dimension has split into its various sectors, it has come to light
that that each sector has its own workstream, if you are interested in
becoming the National representative for the RFU on these workstreams
(Mass Decontamination, HVP, USAR etc.) please contact RFU HQ.
As local FRS are now taking ownership of ND, funding from the Government
for the FRS has been secured for the next three years, to be kept at current
levels, with a view to uplifting if required. CLG is aware that if funding
is not maintained from central government, the capability will not be
maintained so it is in CLG’s interests for central funding to continue.
Vosper Thorneycroft are to receive the contract for national maintenance
on the ND fleet from 1st October 2008. I am led to believe they have a
very good reputation, and have a very strong management team in place
to fulfil the commitment.
The final date for FRS Ownership of the fleet keeps slipping due to a
Survey sent to all 46 CFO's at FRS. The CFO's were asked to raise any
concerns, before transfer of ownership. 41 CFO's replied, all with various
issues. Many were to do with life insurance if a FF has an accident in
another work area, using equipment belonging to another FRS? The earliest
proposed date for transfer of ownership is now 1st April 2009.
UKFSART will remain a seperate entity but be represented on the NWG and
Technical Groups to ensure best practice is shared. CFO Mike Thomas will
be the UKFSSART Lead and will chair the Management Group (MG), he is the
UKFSSART representative on the NWG. The MG consists of the Chair, National
Coordinator, UFSSART FRS Reps and a representative for the Chief Fire
and Rescue Adviser (CFRA). This framework that will enable FRS USAR and
UKFSSART to manage their business effectively.
Attention all
members
In an effort to highlight the issues facing our members who work within
the National Resilience unit we need your feedback (good and bad) from
within your FRS on the following;
-
Levels of Training for RDS, involved in any form of ND, at station, local/regional training centre and exercise level.
-
Confidence in retained members to get ND equipment to work.
-
Levels of welfare arrangements at Local and Cross border incidents. i.e.: refreshments, clothing, rest areas or longer incidents, provision to contact home &work on a regular basis.
-
Arrangements by FRS to provide assurances to primary employers and to compensate for losses incurred due shortage of staff.
Please provide your feedback via;
Telephone: 01953 455005
Email: phillip.grimes@rfuonline.co.uk
Post: RFU, Firefighter House, Station Road, Attleborough, Norfolk NR17
2AS
We need this feedback by
1st November 2008
Kind regards
Phill
Grimes
RFU Lead on National Resilience
