Fire service told to do urgent safety checks

A fire service has been told it has to carry out home fire safety checks as a matter of urgency.

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMCIFRS) has issued Hertfordshire Fire & Rescue Service with what it calls an accelerated cause for concern ahead of publishing its full report.

The inspectorate told the service that its prevention activity was not a high enough priority and it needed to implement "a robust and consistent method of identifying risk and vulnerability".

Chief fire officer Alex Woodman responded: “We take the concerns raised by the Inspectorate very seriously, and the issues raised will be resolved thoroughly, quickly and transparently."

The HMCIFRS made five recommendations for the service, which all relate to identifying and preventing potential fire risks.

Among them, it said there needed to be more home fire safety checks completed in a timely manner.

A full report is due to be published at a later date, but the inspectorate believed this area of concern was putting public safety at risk and made the recommendations ahead of publication.

Mr Woodman added: "I’m proud of our service and the dedication of those who work here. We have already been taking big steps to reduce risks and prevent incidents in Hertfordshire.

"I recognise we need to do better, and we will work closely with HMCIFRS to ensure the recommendations are actioned, and we’ll share updates on progress with the public on our website."

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