Official Statistics
Fire and rescue authorities: operational statistics bulletin for England 2013 to 2014
Annual statistics about fire and rescue authorities’ staff, numbers of injuries to firefighters, fire safety audits of buildings and community fire safety.
Applies to England
Documents
Details
This publication and accompanying appendix data tables were released on 27 August 2014 by the Department for Communities and Local Government. The publication focuses on personnel, health and safety and fire safety for the period 1 April 2013 to 31 March 2014.
The key points are:
Numbers of staff
- as at 31 March 2014, the number of full-time equivalent fire and rescue authority staff in England was 45,632, 3.6% lower than in March 2013
- there were 26,176 wholetime firefighter full-time equivalents (down 3.8% on 2013), and 10,985 retained firefighter units of 24 hour cover (down 3.1% on 2013)
- there has been a gradual increase in the representation of women and minority ethnic staff in recent years; at 31 March 2014, 4.5% of firefighters were women compared with 2.4% in 2004 - minority ethnic staff accounted for 3.4% of firefighters compared with 2.1% in 2004
Staff leaving fire and rescue authorities
- during 2013 to 2014 there were 4,228 staff who left fire and rescue authorities; the most common reason for leaving was normal retirement (1,086)
Health and safety
- there were 3,146 reported injuries to firefighters in 2013 to 2014 - this is under half the number of 2003 to 2004; there was 1 fatality, in Greater Manchester
Community fire safety
- in 2013 to 2014 fire and rescue authorities and partner organisations undertook 672,019 home fire safety checks, 10% fewer than in 2012 to 2013
Fire safety audits of buildings
- fire and rescue authorities reported spending 309,221 personnel hours on audits in 2013 to 2014, 10 % fewer than the 343,561 personnel hours in 2012 to 2013
- fire and rescue authorities are focusing their audit activities so that premises which are considered to represent the highest risks are more likely to be audited; the highest proportions were care homes (27% were audited during 2013 to 2014), followed by hostels (22%) and hospitals and hotels (both 15%)