Water provision strategy

The Service has a statutory duty to take all reasonable measures to ensure the availability of water in the event of fire, as detailed in Part 5 section 38 of the Fire & Rescue Services Act 2004.

Our ambition

• By ensuring that the hydrant portfolio supports and enables the activities of the Service to mitigate community risk, including through providing timely feedback on schemes for new or revised developments
• Formally utilising operational crews to conduct hydrant councils regarding hydrant and water supply issues. In addition, we work within and support the partnership approach to improve working relationships and secure co-operation with relevant water companies/undertakers. Identified areas or locations of increased risk will be subject to a pre-determined water strategy that identifies the source, the route and termination point. Where this is not practicable, an enhanced pre-determined attendance may be considered. testing during safe and well checks, business safety checks and site-specific risk information (SSRI) inspections
• Improving e-learning packages for effective hydrant use and hydrant testing, to improve operational crew knowledge on hydrant operation, testing, and the use of tools available to improve utilising of the water network
• Introducing 3TC's Water Management software access to operational crews to streamline the transfer of information on the mobile data terminal (MDT)

Where we want to be

During the life of this strategy, we aim to:

• Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of systems and processes for hydrant inspection
• Inspect in excess of 10,000 hydrants per annum Our water provision strategy supports our ambition to be an outstanding fire and rescue service in the following ways:

Operating context and drivers for change

The Service has a statutory duty under the Fire & Rescue Services Act 2004 to ensure an adequate supply of water for firefighting. Specifically, we are responsible for ensuring the adequate provision and maintenance of fire hydrants.

Any hydrant related work must comply with the relevant sections of the Fire and Rescue Services Act (2004) (sections 38, 39 and 41).

In the UK, most water used for firefighting is taken from the water mains provided by water undertakers. Additional water supplies may be required and should always be given early consideration. We have a statutory duty to liaise with stations, other FRSs, water companies, residents and councils regarding hydrant and water supply issues. In addition, we work within and support the partnership approach toimprove working relationships and secure co-operation with relevant water companies/undertakers.

Strategic drivers for change include:

• Minimising the environmental impact of our firefighting activities
• Improving efficiency and productivity through more efficient systems and processes and more effective use of resources

Resources/ delivery model

Our water supply services are managed by a small team based at JHQ.

The hydrant team manages a rolling programme of hydrant inspection and maintenance, ensuring all hydrants are visually inspected once every five years. We will carry out all hydrant repairs in-house unless they require additional resources from the relevant water company.

Operational crews will commit to testing the hydrants at every safe and well visit, business safety check and site-specific risk information inspection.

Delivering the strategy

Over the life of this strategy, we will deliver the following:

Outcomes

The successful delivery of this strategy will result in:

• Improved productivity in hydrant inspection, maintenance and recording