PAPER D3

 

Committee:      FIRE AND PUBLIC SAFETY SELECT COMMITTEE                                       

 

Date:                20 MAY 2002

 

Title:                UPDATE ON ISLE OF WIGHT FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE RADIO EQUIPMENT

 

REPORT OF THE CHIEF FIRE OFFICER      

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                SUMMARY/PURPOSE                                                             

 

This is an information paper to update Members on the recent background and progress so far in relation to replacement of radio equipment in the Brigade.  Members will remember previous papers outlining the need for all Fire Brigades in England and Wales to replace their wide area radio schemes by the end of 2005.  This is due to a combination of reallocation of existing frequency bands and ageing equipment.

 

BACKGROUND

 

Previously the Central Fire Brigade’s Advisory Committee (CFBAC) formally agreed to accept Home Office guidance that Brigade should act collaboratively to procure regional solutions for radio replacement.

 

Her Majesty’s Fire Service Inspectorate (HMFSI), together with their consultants, have provided model guidance, output specification and procurement documents and have created a coordination project named ‘Fire Link’ to assist regions in the process.

 

The Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue Service have joined with eight other Brigades in the South-East and together have formed a South-East Region Communications Collaborative Group (SRCCG).  A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed by all constituent Brigades. 

 

The project is being managed using PRINCE 2 methodology which involves the following:-

 

C                     Project Board                          

 

A Principal Officer from each constituent Brigade.

 

C                     Project Director                                   

 

Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Royal Berkshire.

 

C                     Project Committee                              

 

Principal Officers from four Brigades.

 

C                     Legal Advisor                                      

 

Lead legal advice has initially been offered by Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service.

 

C                     Financial Advisor                                

 

Lead financial advice has initially been offered by West Sussex.

 

C                     Project Manager                                 

 

The post of Project Manager is contracted to an outside consultancy as no Brigade was       able to release suitably qualified personnel.  The cost apportionment model was agreed        by all Brigades to share the funding of his contract.

 

C                     Project Team                                      

 

Each Brigade provides operational control and technical representatives to the project team.  The isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service has one representative covering all three areas.

 

C                     Team Leaders                        

 

One representative from each Brigade.

 

C                     Training Team                        

 

Brigades are currently being asked to provide representatives to evaluate the          operational/technical impact and training issues arising from the new technology radio          system.  The Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue Service is unable to provide a representative         at this stage, due to resources.

 

C                     Project Plan

 

The Project Plan is progressing on a schedule with work packages finalising our regional and Brigade user requirements towards the first major milestone which is the OJEC Notice being placed in the European Journal at the end of June 2002.

 

In this Brigade the project resources have been agreed to be funded, this year, from existing Fire Brigade revenue budget with support for on-going years from Council funds.  This will include an additional Control Operator and various upgrade allowances for responsibility in order to allow the Project Management and fire Control to run efficiently during this radio replacement.

 

Nationally, issues with relation to procurement of radio are changing.  At a recent meeting of the Sub-Committee of the Civil Contingencies Committee attended by the First Secretary to the Treasury and other representatives from the DTLR, CACFOA and Home      Office, levels of inter-operability and inter-service working were agreed by the Professional Associations, namely, the Chief Fire and Assistant Chief Fire Officers’ Association (CACFOA), the Association of Chief Police Officers’ (ACPOA) and the Chief Ambulance Officers’ Association (CAOA).  The decision on Fire Service procurement has been deferred to allow further detailed work to continue on whether to allow regional procurements in West Midlands and South Wales to continue or, to continue the National Fire Service procurement of radio. It is also confirmed that the Treasury have asked the DTLR to submit a late bid into the Spending Review 2002.

 

On 7th May an e-mail was received from the DTLR announcing that Fire Service Minister, Alan Whitehead, had given the go-ahead to the procurement of a national radio communications system for the Fire Service in England and Wales. 

 

A copy of his press release is attached as Appendix A.

 

            Contact Point: DO P D Street, Third Officer  F 01983 823195

 

 

RICHARD HARDS

Chief Fire Officer