Public Safety Award
The Public Safety award recognises a local authority or other public sector body which has strived to improve the level of service it provides in helping to protect the public from crime or accidental injury.
2010 Winner: Kent Fire and Rescue Service
Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) is responsible for delivering fire and rescue services to more than 1.6 million people in the county, from 66 fire stations and four fire safety offices. Home Safety Visits (HSVs) are essential to fire prevention work and involve Service personnel conducting home visits to deliver fire safety advice and, where necessary, fitting ten year smoke alarms free of charge.
Traditionally, local fire stations managed the generation and delivery of these visits, often resulting in confusion for the customer due to up to 36 different telephone numbers. Additionally, the public were only able to request a visit, rather than agree an appointment time at first contact - stations would call customers back, arrange a time and send a completed paper copy risk assessment to admin offices upon completion of the HSV.
KFRS set out to improve delivery standards with the implementation of a new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. Following considerable development and testing involving all stations and teams, the system went fully live in April 2008, when 36 telephone numbers were replaced by one freephone number. Five call handlers now handle all interactions, ensuring consistently high standards of customer service. Initial risk assessments carried out on the phone allow for the HSV to be tailored to the specific needs of the individual (for example specialist equipment for the deaf). This reduces the need for repeat visits.
The system allows the call handlers to book appointments directly into the diary of the customer’s local fire station, which are electronically notified of these appointments and can enter the data directly at the station, eliminating paper forms.
Efficiency gains have been impressive. Before the launch of the CRM, the Service completed 6,500 Home Safety Visits; in 2008/09 this rose to over 12,000 without increasing delivery resources, and in 2009/10, it plans to deliver 16,000.
Home Safety Teams witnessed the most dramatic efficiency gains. More accurate data has enabled KFRS to better understand and model risk, allowing for the development of sophisticated predictive models to prioritise HSV delivery.
The project has dramatically improved partnership working, particularly in terms of vulnerable people. KFRS now shares data directly with Social Services among others, offering fire prevention advice to those at risk. Planned developments include unified communications, mobile working and web portals for self service.
Commended:
Merseyside Road Safety Partnership
Surrey Police
Fife Partnership
Peterborough City Council
