Towards 2020 Variable Crewing Project: Review of the Day ...7. This review assesses the suitability of the day-crewed duty system in being able to deliver emergency cover as set by

Towards 2020

Variable Crewing Project: Review of the Day-Crewed duty system This is a Technical Appendix to the 2013 Safety Plan

Variable Crewing Project: Day-Crewed Review

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Contents

Contents ............................................................................................................................ 2

Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 4

Project Assumptions ...................................................................................................................... 4

Scope of Review ................................................................................................................ 5

Background ....................................................................................................................... 6

Current Working Hours .................................................................................................................. 7

Calculation methodology and rationale .......................................................................................... 9

Leave entitlement ......................................................................................................................... 11

Base Option: Existing arrangements ............................................................................. 13

Description ................................................................................................................................... 13

SWOT Analysis ............................................................................................................................ 14

Current Costs ............................................................................................................................... 15

Housing & Housing Allowance ..................................................................................................... 15

Activity on day-crewed stations .................................................................................................... 15

Scope for change ............................................................................................................ 20

Area 1: Aligning positive hours to demand .................................................................................. 20

Area 2: Self-rostering ................................................................................................................... 21

Area 3: Reduce crew numbers .................................................................................................... 23

Area 4: Split shift options ............................................................................................................. 24

Area 5: Consolidated Pay ............................................................................................................ 24

Option 1a: Increase and align positive hours of day-crewed stations to demand and

risk profile of the area ..................................................................................................... 26

Description ................................................................................................................................... 26

Indicative costings ........................................................................................................................ 26

SWOT Analysis ............................................................................................................................ 27

Option 1b: Increase and align positive hours of day-crewed stations to demand and

risk profile of the area and reduce workforce to six per watch. ................................... 29

Description ................................................................................................................................... 29


SWOT Analysis ............................................................................................................................ 30

Option 2: Apply self-rostering to day-crewed stations with 13 staff ........................... 31

Description ................................................................................................................................... 31


SWOT Analysis ............................................................................................................................ 32


Description ................................................................................................................................... 33


SWOT Analysis ............................................................................................................................ 34



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Description ................................................................................................................................... 35


SWOT Analysis ............................................................................................................................ 36


Description ................................................................................................................................... 37


SWOT Analysis ............................................................................................................................ 38

Option 6: Implement split-shift arrangements on day-crewed fire stations. ............... 39

Description ................................................................................................................................... 39

SWOT Analysis – Single 24 hour duty periods ............................................................................ 40

SWOT Analysis – Single 24 hour units with exchange facility under local arrangements .......... 41

SWOT Analysis – Split Positive and On Call shifts ..................................................................... 42

SWOT Analysis – Smaller six hour split shifts ............................................................................. 43

Summary tables of working hours ................................................................................. 44

Evaluation ........................................................................................................................ 48

Recommendations .......................................................................................................... 50

Appendix 1 – Example criteria for self-rostering .......................................................... 51


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Introduction

1. In 2012 Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue Authority commissioned a project to explore

different ways of using staff to provide emergency cover. This followed previous work to

establish the locations fire engines were required to meet risk, demand and isolation

factors across the County. This work was published in 2011, and is available on our

website. This new project, referred to as the Variable Crewing Project, is designed to

identify the most effective and efficient ways of staffing all fire engines across Kent and

Medway. The project is divided into a number of workstreams which allow each of the

Authority’s duty systems to be challenged in turn.

2. This document outlines the options identified that relate to the day-crewed duty system

by drawing on findings from analytical reviews and comments and suggestions received

from focus groups with day-crewed firefighters. Staff working this duty system have been

given the opportunity to challenge, verify and review data and information throughout the

process by means of a series of visits to their stations. The review addresses current

activity levels, working practices and conditions of service applied to the firefighters at

day-crewed fire stations.

3. An impact assessment specific to this element of the project has been completed and

considered when developing options. This allows a comparison between the options

presented and the strengths and weaknesses of the current day-crewed duty system.

4. Throughout this document reference is made to positive, standby and on-call hours.

Positive hours are those where a firefighter is actually at a fire station or with the crew on

the fire engine in the local area. Standby and on-call hours are those where firefighters

respond from nearby homes to emergency calls. They travel to the fire station, collect

the fire engine and then travel to the incident, within five minutes of being alerted. The

Authority currently has a mechanism in place to provide housing or support for housing

costs close to staff at day-crewed fire stations to ensure sufficient cover. The hours are

differentiated by the way in which payment is calculated, this is explained later in the

document.

Project Assumptions

5. The following assumptions have been made when conducting this work:

The review extends to all nine fire stations currently working the day-crewed shift

system;

Current operational procedures are followed;

The five minute ‘turn-in’ condition for on-call cover remains;

Levels of staffing are based on current establishment figures and may not reflect the

actual numbers of firefighters currently based at fire stations

The review uses data from the period 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2012 and

Crewing fire engines with four firefighters is used when examining staffing levels.


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Scope of Review

6. The review has been commissioned as part of the Variable Crewing project to review the

current day-crewing duty system as operated at nine fire stations across the County. The

review focused on:

Continuing to match resources to risk, demand and isolation as defined by the

Review of Emergency Response Provision;

Ensuring an effective and efficient system of work for the delivery of the Authority’s

services is in place;

To ensure the service delivery model reflects the operational requirements of the

stations within their operational clusters;

To consider value for money principles at all stages; and

To maintain effective interoperability between duty systems on all stations, examining

the potential to make each day-crewed station self-sufficient in terms of crewing.

7. This review assesses the suitability of the day-crewed duty system in being able to

deliver emergency cover as set by the Review of Emergency Response Provision and if

considered necessary develop and implement a series of recommendations for

alterations to the duty system. The outcomes will be applied to all firefighters working the

current day-crewed duty system.

8. The project will not:

Determine the levels of emergency cover required in the area; nor

Look at the mechanics of disposing any assets (if recommended)

9. The review sought early and on-going engagement through discussions with:

Firefighters at day-crewed stations;

Accredited representatives;

KFRS Managers; and

Other fire and rescue services.


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Background

10. The day-crewed duty system is one of three working patterns operated by the Authority

for firefighters and provides 24/7 availability through a blend of positive, standby and on-

call cover. There are nine day-crewed stations across Kent (there are none in Medway)

each with two watches of seven firefighters. Each watch is comprised of five firefighters,

one crew manager and one watch manager, referred to as a ‘watch strength’ or

‘establishment’ of seven staff. Throughout this document, this composition is generically

referred to as ‘firefighters.’ At the time of writing, some watches on day-crewed stations

are running below these levels through recent retirements or long-term sickness. Every

day-crewed fire station has an on-call fire engine attached to it, although this is out of

scope for this review.

11. The system is already considered good value for money; it provides experienced full-time

firefighters at night, but on a cheaper basis than the fire stations where staff are on

station 24/7, since around half the numbers of firefighters are needed to keep the fire

engine available. Smaller numbers of staff are also advantageous in keeping the overall

training requirements down for specialist vehicles like the animal rescue unit or our high-

volume pumps, which need specialist training to use. At night and some other times the

fire engines at day-crewed stations are subject to a time delay in leaving the station to

attend emergencies, as the firefighters are responding from their homes nearby. This is

similar to conventional on call units, but slower than the turnout time associated with

wholetime shift stations in the larger towns of Kent and Medway. This is a cost benefit

relationship that has existed in this and many other fire and rescue services for many

years. Some firefighters provide their own local accommodation for which they are paid

an allowance; others live as tenants in housing owned by the Authority.

12. The distribution of the special appliances at day-crewed stations which perform a variety

of specialist functions is summarised in Table 1.

Table 1: Fire engines, special appliances and staff numbers at day-crewed stations

Station Fire engines Special

appliances

Number of day-crewed

firefighters1 Whole-time On-call

Deal 1 1 1 14

Faversham 1 1 1 14

Herne Bay 1 1 1 14

Larkfield 1 1 1 14

Sheppey 1 1 1 14

Sevenoaks 1 1 14

Sittingbourne 1 1 1 14

Tonbridge 1 1 1 14

Whitstable 1 1 2 14

1 ‘Numbers of day-crewed firefighters’ refers to establishment figures, and may not reflect actual

numbers of firefighters working at the station at the time of publication of this document. Budgets are based on establishment figures.


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Current Working Hours

13. Firefighters operating the day-crewed duty system work on a ‘4 on 4 off’ basis.

Firefighters provide a mix of positive and on-call cover over a continuous 96 hour period,

resulting in an eight week rota. Table 2 below illustrates the division of positive (P),

standby (S) and on-call (O) hours and how cover varies during a typical week. Between

Monday and Friday staff provide positive cover (at the fire station) between 09:00 and

13:00 hours and 14:00 and 18:00 hours and are on standby between 13:00 and 14:00

hours and on-call 18:00 and 09:00 hours. At weekends firefighters generally provide

positive cover between 09:00 and 13:00 hours and are on standby up to 18:00 when they

then go to on-call for the remainder of the day2. This adjustment was made historically to

compensate firefighters for attendance at an average of two drill evenings per eight week

period, training with colleagues from the on-call sections based at the stations. It is

recognised that on some day-crewed watches firefighters choose to remain on station

during lunch breaks, effectively providing positive hours cover instead of standby. This

may be for various reasons such as heavy daytime traffic affecting response times to

station or simple personal preference. Outside of these working times firefighters are not

on duty, which is known as a ‘rota day’ (R).

14. Local arrangements exist to allow sufficient rest periods during the 96 hour period of

continuous duty that day-crewed firefighters currently undertake. For example, if an

incident occurs and progresses through the night, discretion is given to the supervisory

officer to set a later time to report to the station for positive hours the following day.

15. According to the National Schemes of Conditions of Service (Grey Book 6th Edition) day-

crewed duty hours comprise of an average of 42 hours positive cover per week where 35

hours are provided on station and 7 hours on standby from home3. Standby cover is

different to on-call cover in that it is paid at the same rate as positive cover. In this

Authority, day-crewed staff currently work an average of 24 positive hours per week,

(table 2) and are allocated an additional 18 hours4 per week at positive hours rate to

provide ‘standby’ cover at wholetime pay rates. The review explores the potential for

movement in this ratio towards the Grey Book provision.

16. Where changes to the day-crewed system are proposed, the extract below from the Fire

Services’ National Schemes of Conditions of Service (SOCOS) (Grey Book 6th Edition)

sets out the framework for negotiations:

2 Local arrangements have developed over time which means that at some stations, comparatively

small amounts of time are spent on the station on positive hours. 3 National SOCOS 6

th Edition 2009, Section 4 paragraph 8

4 The 18 hours standby cover is provided between the hours of 05:00 and 09:00 on the second, third

and fourth day of every shift rotation, the 13:00 and 18:00 on weekend shifts and 13:00 and 14:00 on every shift.


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‘the following duty system shall continue to operate until replaced or supplemented locally by new systems

under the following terms;

‘Duty systems will need to meet the requirements of the fire and rescue authority’s Integrated Risk

Management Plan (in Kent this is known as the Safety Plan). Any proposed system should be discussed with

the recognised trade unions and be based on the following principles:

1) Basic working hours should average forty-two per week (inclusive of three hours of meal breaks in

every twenty-four hours) for full-time employees. Hours of duty should be pro-rata for part-time

employees.

2) There should be at least two periods of twenty-four hours free from duty each week.

3) It should comply with relevant United Kingdom and European law, Including the Working Time

Regulations 1998, and Health, Safety and Welfare at Work legislation.

4) It should have regard to the special circumstances of individual employees and be family friendly.

Where, following discussion, there is no agreement between the Fire and Rescue authority and

recognised trade union over a proposed duty system (and it does not accord with the principles of

any of the existing national duty systems at paragraphs 7 to 16 below) the difference can be referred

by either party to the NJC’s Technical Advisory Panel. The Panel will be chaired by an Independent

Expert (appointed on a three-yearly basis by the NJC), who will be assisted by the Joint Secretaries.

The Panel will seek to broker an agreement between the parties, but where that is not possible it will

make recommendations. The Panel’s recommendations will ensure that the duty system follows the

four principles set out at paragraph 3 above and is compatible with the deployment of resources that

the fire and rescue authority has determined is necessary to implement its Integrated Risk

Management Plan. This process will be concluded within one month of reference to the Panel, or

longer with the agreement of the parties. The parties will decide their responses to any

recommendations from the Panel within fourteen days of receipt.

Day-crewed duty system (para eight SOCOS)

The hours of duty of full time employees on this system shall be an average of forty two per week. The rota will

be based on the following principles:

1) An average of thirty-five hours per week shall be worked at the station 2) An average of seven hours per week shall be on standby at home. Employees are required to

respond to any emergency call received during this standby period. 3) Employees on this system may be requested to undertake retained duties outside the hours at (1)

and (2). 4) There shall be at least two complete periods of twenty-four hours free from any duty each week 5) One hour per day shall be specified as a meal break. Account shall be taken of meal breaks

interrupted by emergency calls.


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Calculation methodology and rationale

17. The following section details the methodology for the calculation of hours worked ‘on

station’, ‘on standby’ and ‘on call’ in the day-crewed system, for the purposes of

assessing feasibility and compliance with the National Schemes of Conditions of Service.

It is important to understand the methods and calculations used as they will be

consistently applied through the options appraisals later in this document.

18. Table 2 illustrates current working arrangements of day-crewed stations.

Table 2: working hours over an eight week cycle on day-crewed fire stations

19. Any emergency incidents which day-crewed firefighters attend during their on-call hours

are paid through a disturbance payment per call out and an additional hourly rate for work

undertaken. The rates are detailed in Table 3.

Table 3: Pay rates for day-crewed firefighters when working under their on-call

contract

Role Disturbance payment Hourly rate

Firefighter 3.78 13.14

Crew Manager 3.78 14.56

Watch Manager 3.78 16.28

Mon Tues Wed Thus Friday Sat Sun

TOTALS

P S O P S O P S O P S O P S O P S O P S O P S O All

Week 1 8 1 15 8 5 11 8 5 11 8 5 11 R - - R - - R - - 32 16 48 96

Week 2 R - - 8 1 15 8 5 11 8 5 11 8 5 11 R - - R - - 32 16 48 96

Week 3 R - - R - - 8 1 15 8 5 11 8 5 11 4 9 11 R - - 28 20 48 96

Week 4 R - - R - - R - - 8 1 15 8 5 11 4 9 11 4 9 11 24 24 48 96

Week 5 R - - R - - R - - R - - 8 1 15 4 9 11 4 9 11 16 19 37 72

Week 6 8 5 11 R - - R - - R - - R - - 4 5 15 4 9 11 16 19 37 72

Week 7 8 5 11 8 5 11 R - - R - - R - - R - - 4 5 15 20 15 37 72

Week 8 8 5 11 8 5 11 8 5 11 R - - R - - R - - R - - 24 15 33 72

TOTAL(S) 192 144 336 672

Average hours per week 24 18 42 84

P – Positive hours S – Standby hours O – On Call hours


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20. For the purpose of evaluating and calculating hours as part of the review, the hours in

this eight week cycle have been multiplied out to ‘annualise’ the hours, as a basis for

option appraisal calculations. These are shown in the Table 4.

Table 4: Annualisation of current working hours

Positive hours over 8 weeks (from table 2)

Number of 8 week cycles per year

(365 ÷ 56)

Total number of positive hours worked

192 X 6.52 = 1,251(rounded down)

Average hours per week Number of weeks per year (365 ÷ 7)

24 X 52.14 = 1,251(rounded down)

21. Table 5 shows the annualisation of the potential hours workable under the National

Schemes of Conditions of Service.

Table 5: Annualisation of SOCOS working hours

Positive hours over 8 weeks

(35 x 8)


(365 ÷ 56)


280 X 6.52 = 1,825 (rounded down)

Average hours per week Number of weeks per year (365 ÷ 7)

35 X 52.14 = 1,825 (rounded up)

22. Table 6 shows the annualisation of 42 positive hours per week, i.e. with no standby

hours. This working arrangement falls outside of the National Schemes of Conditions of

Service. Eliminating standby hours brings the number of positive hours worked on day-

crewed stations in line with wholetime shift firefighters who also work an average 42 hour

week over a similar 8 week cycle. It must be recognised that shift firefighters are

guaranteed rest periods outside of these hours, whilst day-crewed firefighters switch to

on call arrangements at during the nights over their 96 hour duty, so remain close to the

station in order to attend operational incidents that occur during these times.

Table 6: Annualisation of 42 hour week

Positive hours over 8 weeks



336 X 6.52 = 2,190

Average hours per week Number of weeks per

year

42 X 52.14 = 2,190


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23. A proportion of a day-crewed shift is to provide on-call cover for which firefighters are

provided with an additional allowance5. Firefighters also receive a supplementary

payment (known as ‘turn-out fees’) and hourly pay if they are required to perform

firefighting duties during an on-call period. This fee is paid as a retrospective claim, and is

administratively burdensome for the Authority. Turnout fees do not apply when firefighters

are called during the standby hours explained in paragraph 15.

Leave entitlement

24. Currently firefighters are entitled to 42 days annual leave per year. This is comprised of

twenty five days of annual leave, five ‘scale B’ days, three long service days (after five

years service), eight public holidays and one Christmas concessionary day.

25. The 25 days of annual leave is divided into three blocks, one of 14 days, one of six days

and one of five days. These blocks cannot be separated which means that some of the

leave days are taken when firefighters are rostered to be on a rota day (i.e. would be off

duty anyway). This anomaly was allowed for when the number of leave days for this duty

system was agreed. If the block booking system was not in use, it is possible to reduce

the annual leave allowance by the nine rota days taken as annual leave, without affecting

the hours worked by firefighters.

26. The following tables show how annual leave is used on rota days.

Table 7: 14 day annual leave block

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

D D D D R R R R D D D D R R

27. During the 14 day annual leave, six will always be non-working days, and therefore the

14 day annual leave represent eight shifts absent not 14.

28. During the six day annual leave, two will always be non-working days; therefore the six

day annual leave represent four shifts absent not six, as shown below.

Table 8: Six day annual leave

29. During the five day annual leave, one will always be a non-working day; therefore the five

day annual leave represents four shifts absent not five.

5 On-call allowance for a day-crewed firefighter is £1,438 per annum. For crew managers this rises to

£1,595 and for watch managers £1,783.

1 2 3 4 5 6

D D D D R R


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Table 9: Five day annual leave

1 2 3 4 5

D D D D R

30. The remaining leave days can all be taken as single days, or be booked in blocks of up to

four days in a row.

31. In summary, for firefighters working the day-crewed duty system, 42 days of annual leave

account for 33 rostered duty periods. The balance is used up when they are not

scheduled to be on duty.


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Base Option: Existing arrangements

Description

32. All technical appendices to the Safety Plan have a base option, against which any

proposals can be compared. The following section evaluates the impact of making no

changes to the existing day-crewed systems, so stations would carry on working the

current patterns with no changes to watch structures. The evaluation is in the form of a

SWOT analysis, summarising strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats

associated with the current day-crewed system.


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SWOT Analysis

Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats

Existing system has the

benefit of staff familiarity

Gives a stable workforce

which makes placing special

appliances at these stations a

sensible move, as skills do

not need regular refreshment

due to new entrants to the

station

Provides experienced

firefighters during on-call

periods

Good value for money

compared with wholetime shift

fire stations

Limits the flexibility in contractual offers which can be made to firefighters.

Firefighters at day-crewed stations are permitted to go home for lunch breaks, leading to longer attendance times to any incidents that occur during this time

The system is not self-sufficient and creates the need for detachments from other stations to cover absences.

There is contractual weakness regarding night time on-call cover for the full-time fire engine – although it has never surfaced as a problem to date

Current duty system does not ensure firefighters are covering at stations rather than from home during periods of high activity.

Day-crewed housing stock is deteriorating; repair and maintenance costs are increasing

Recruitment into the system is needed to maintain current establishment levels

Potential to increase positive hours on station, leading to positive impact on attendance times during busiest periods and at weekends

Makes no contribution to the overall requirement for the Service to generate £10m of savings in the next three years, which may force the removal of other fire engines from the fleet


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Current Costs

33. The current budgeted cost of the day-crewed system across the nine stations is

£5,961,919 for the financial year ending 31 March 2014. This includes wages,

retaining and turnout fees associated with the on call element of the system,

allowances and employer costs (National Insurance and pension contributions).

Expenditure on premises, utilities, vehicles etc is excluded from this figure.

Housing & Housing Allowance

34. Historically the day-crewed system has had associated housing or financial

allowances6 to guarantee that local crewing and response times can be maintained.

Day-crewed firefighters therefore are a mixture of tenants with the Authority acting as

landlord, and occupants of private housing within an accepted distance of their fire

station.

35. The Authority currently has 57 houses at eight of the nine day-crewed fire stations7, 44

of which were occupied as at 31 August 2013. The varied locations of the stations

mean that some stations lend themselves well to firefighters occupying private

housing, others less so. In 2011 the Authority decided that, as a principle, it would

move away from providing day-crewed housing for new entrants to the duty system.

The rationale for this decision is outside the scope of this review, but its implications for

future service delivery cannot be ignored. As a landlord, the Authority has confirmed

as part of the Review that remaining tenancies will be managed sensitively without

evictions or notices to quit being served on staff.

Activity on day-crewed stations

36. Datasets regarding incidents in areas and mobilisations by day-crewed vehicles have

been prepared for the review, in consultation with firefighters at stations in a series of

visits. The analysis of activity for day-crewed stations and vehicles are provided as

appendixes at the end of this document. Activity is defined as the incidents that have

occurred in the geographical area served by the station, and the individual

mobilisations undertaken by the fire engine at the station in its own area or anywhere

else. The two sets of analysis are distinct from each other as incidents may occur that

are dealt with by fire engines from other areas. Additionally, the number of specialist

appliances located at day-crewed stations means that they respond to incidents across

the County. The analysis shows in detail the nature of the incidents and the times of

day and days of the week when they occur. Standby moves when fire engines are

directed to other stations to provide cover in other areas are also included. This

information will be used to assess the suitability of the crewing models in the context of

optimising the times when firefighters are on positive hours at the fire station and

therefore can respond more quickly to a greater number of emergencies.

6 Housing Allowances is £3,363 per annum for 2013-14

7 All day-crewed housing has been disposed of at Herne Bay fire station


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37. Incidents are broadly categorised into life threatening and non-life threatening. It has

only been possible to make this distinction since the revision to the Authority’s incident

recording system in April 2009. This is important contextual information, as it shows

that current on-station times do not always match the demand patterns in various

locations. On-station times also do not reflect seasonal variations in risk due to

economic factors, such as tourism bringing large numbers of visitors to an area. The

review explored the opportunity to match local crewing to local demand in individual

areas, rather than a one size fits all approach across Kent and Medway.

38. The following charts show the combined incident profiles for the day-crewed station

grounds for the period from April 2009 to December 2012, analysed by life or non life

threatening categories by time of day. All incidents combined, analysed by what day of

the week they occurred between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2012 are also

shown.

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

Hour of day

Non Life-threatening incidents by time of day Day-crewed station grounds


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39. The individual data analyses of incidents and mobilisations for each station have been

published as separate documents. These will be used to inform local negotiation on

establishing the best fit of positive hours working against demand. Links to each of the

documents are listed overleaf.

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

Hour of the day

Life-threatening incidents by time of day Day-crewed station grounds

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Inci

de

nts

Incidents on station ground by day of week Day-crewed station grounds


Page 18 of 51

type

Link

Deal

Incidents attended on station ground Jan 2006-Dec 2012

http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Deal-incidents.pdf

Mobilisations anywhere in the County Jan 2006 – Dec 2012

http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Deal-mobilisations.pdf

Faversham


http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Faversham-incidents.pdf


http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Faversham-mobilisations.pdf

Herne Bay


http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Herne-Bay-incidents.pdf


http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Herne-Bay-mobilisations.pdf

Larkfield


http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Larkfield-incidents.pdf


http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Larkfield-mobilisations.pdf

Sevenoaks


http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Sevenoaks -incidents.pdf


http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Sevenoaks-mobilisations.pdf

Sheppey


http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Sheppey-incidents.pdf


http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Sheppey-mobilisations.pdf

http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Deal-incidents.pdf

http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Deal-mobilisations.pdf

http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Faversham-incidents.pdf

http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Faversham-mobilisations.pdf

http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Herne-Bay-incidents.pdf

http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Herne-Bay-mobilisations.pdf

http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Larkfield-incidents.pdf

http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Larkfield-mobilisations.pdf

http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Sevenoaks%20-incidents.pdf

http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Sevenoaks-mobilisations.pdf

http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Sheppey-incidents.pdf

http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Sheppey-mobilisations.pdf


Page 19 of 51

Sittingbourne


http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Sittingbourne-incidents.pdf


http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Sittingbourne-mobilisations.pdf

Tonbridge


http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Tonbridge-incidents.pdf


http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Tonbridge-mobilisations.pdf

Whitstable


http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Whitstable-incidents.pdf


http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Whitstable-mobilisations.pdf

http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Sittingbourne-incidents.pdf

http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Sittingbourne-mobilisations.pdf

http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Tonbridge-incidents.pdf

http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Tonbridge-mobilisations.pdf

http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Whitstable-incidents.pdf

http://www.kent.fire-uk.org/pdf/pp_sp2014_qu_Whitstable-mobilisations.pdf


Page 20 of 51

Scope for change

40. There are a number of reasons for wanting to change how the day-crewed system

operates. The data on activity presented above is one, and the following section sets

out further the business case. However, there is no specific link between aligning

positive hours to demand and other proposals around crewing. The former could be

achieved without the latter. However, the review considers a system referred to as

‘self-rostering’ as a much more efficient way of working for the Authority, has benefits

for firefighters working on day-crewed stations, and can also contribute towards the

requirement for the Authority to save £10m over the coming three years. Furthermore,

if self-rostering is adopted and proves successful at day-crewed stations, the same

principles could be applied to whole-time shift stations in the future.

Area 1: Aligning positive hours to demand

41. There are some areas within the system which we want to address that should

improve how quickly we get to incidents. The most important one is the times that

firefighters are on station. Activity between 18:00 to 20:00 is generally higher and this

corresponded with the time when staff have already gone home and are working on

call. This makes attendance times longer when we are busiest, which does not make

sense. Although not all the stations follow this activity pattern, the majority do, and so

we want to move the on-station times so that staff are on station when demand is at its

highest.

42. The options detailed later in this document look to change the number of positive

hours firefighters are actually on station, ensuring that they are there when activity or

perceived risk requires it. With this in mind the Authority is also proposing to rename

the duty system to ‘Demand Crewing’.

43. Currently all day-crewed staff end their positive hours at 18:00 hrs. In some instances

it may not be demand that drives the on-station hours, but the relative risk of an area

and its isolation. An example is Deal, where demand is relatively low, but sadly a

number of serious house fires have occurred here in recent years resulting in

casualties and some fatalities.

Potential Working Hours

44. In theoretical crewing models, each individual is contracted to work either 1,825

positive hours per year working a 35 positive hour week, staying within the current

National Schemes of Conditions of Service or 2,190 based on a 42 positive hour

working week, the same number as shift firefighters(Tables 4 and 5). A distinct area of

the review focussed on calculating the working hours necessary to keep a fire engine

available on positive hours cover by crewing the fire engine with four personnel.


Page 21 of 51

45. It is recognised that there will be an initial impact on watch managers implementing

new ways of working. Staff engagement, sharing emerging best practices and support

from group and central management should be an important element in the transition

to any new self-rostering model.

Area 2: Self-rostering

46. Self-rostering is a method of providing enough firefighters to crew a fire engine based

on a principle of local management arrangements. As long as certain criteria are met,

the hours that an individual firefighter works will be primarily managed through local

discussion with their colleagues, rather than central imposition. It allows staff flexibility

around the days they work each week within agreed parameters and managed through

the existing workforce planning system. The concept of self rostering is that it can be

managed locally by the supervisory managers with the watch manager having overall

responsibility.

47. There are a number of fire and rescue authorities using different forms of self-rostering

to crew fire engines. These include Mid & West Wales, Lancashire, Leicestershire,

Nottinghamshire, and Merseyside. The models used in these areas have all been

examined as part of this review, by way of site research, conversation or exchange of

documentation. The findings are summarised as:

One of the Authorities was specifically selected for research as they employ the

same workforce planning system as this Authority.

One Authority has successfully implemented self-rostering on their day-crewed

stations, giving the watch manager autonomy to roster staff for work as long as

certain criteria are met. This has allowed them to reduce their workforce but has

given their staff the flexibility around when they work.

Other Authorities have taken the opportunity to look at start and finish times with

their crews staying some stations until 22:00 as this was when demand was

higher, although as stated earlier changing positive hours and a self rostering

duty are not dependant on one another.

Among other criteria, to ensure the safety and welfare of crews, Authorities have

limited the number of continuous days any crew member can work to a maximum

of five continuous days.

Rostered training days have been introduced, enabling the whole station to train

together, rather than just ‘on duty’ staff. This allows for efficient specialist training

to take place without any detriment to service delivery.


Page 22 of 51

Resilience – Working Principles

48. Resilience is the means by which self-sufficient crewing will be achieved at day-crewed

fire stations. This section explains the mechanism of how resilience operates in

conjunction with self-rostering. There are two types of distinct shifts associated with the

concept of resilience in the self rostering model;

Banked Shifts

49. Banked Shifts are the hours (converted to shifts) shown in Tables 10 -13 that are in

excess of those required for crewing a fire engine. These shifts originate from the

annualisation of a 42 or 35 positive hour working week as shown at the top of each

table. They have therefore already been paid for by the Authority and so are held as a

balance ‘banked’, to be used up when staff attend prearranged station-based or

external training, medicals or other abstractions when not rostered for crewing duty. In

this sense, the concept of watch based training will be superseded by section based

training. This creates opportunities to take training, regular medical testing and other

activities to the station, producing large scale efficiencies compared against current

practices.

Resilience shifts

50. Resilience shifts refer to a number of days during the year when staff will be required

to be within a five minute response of their base station for the first positive hour of the

working day, in order to respond to any last minute crewing issues that arise. For the

rest of the duty period the resilience crew member will be expected to remain fit for

duty, but with a longer one hour response time to their base station if required.

51. In the event of a crewing shortfall that is remedied by the nominated resilience crew

member, the positive, standby and on-call hours they complete is deducted from their

balance of both banked shifts and resilience shifts. If the crew member is not required

at any time during their resilience period, their time is only deducted from the balance

of resilience shifts against their name.

52. Balances of banked shifts and resilience shifts should be agreed at the start of each

leave year. Although not expected, in the event of staff overrunning their allocated

number of banked shifts, any additional hours worked due to training or resilience

arrangements will be paid as flat rate additional pay. At the end of the leave year, any

banked shifts left in the balance of individuals will be written off prior to ‘resetting’ the

arrangements at the beginning of the next year.

53. Tables 10 to 13 at the end of the option appraisals demonstrate the relationship

between the number of staff on a self-rostered section and provides examples of the

numbers of firefighters required to crew a day-crewed fire engine, from a base position

of the annual number of positive hours they would be contracted to work. The tables


Page 23 of 51

quantify the options considered during the review and show the interdependencies

between the following variable elements of each, namely;

The number of firefighters employed at a station

The number of annual positive hours they work in a week (35 or 42)

The length of each daily period of positive hour working

54. Explained simply, the tables show different numbers of firefighters in the system,

different lengths of positive hours in a shift, and the number of banked shifts generated

by each option. The elements of the relationship are simply defined as:

The greater the number of staff working the same length of positive hour shift, the

more banked shifts are generated;

The shorter the positive hour shift applied to a fixed number of staff, the greater

the number of banked shifts generated

The smaller the number of staff on a section, the greater the number of resilience

shifts per person per year are required to be scheduled

Area 3: Reduce crew numbers

55. The Authority has proposed the formal removal of the ridership factor8 (although in

practice it has not been used for several years). It is now looking to crew fire engines

in day-crewed areas with four firefighters. This, combined with proposals for self

rostering, makes it possible to reduce the number of firefighters at each day-crewed

station, with no impact on the service which members of the public receive. One of the

mechanisms which can achieve this is to amalgamate the existing two watches at day-

crewed stations into one.

56. The Review has examined extending the duration of positive hours on station up to a

maximum of 12 hours per shift. The rationale for not extending the research beyond

this duration is rooted in statutory requirements around suitable break periods and the

National Schemes of Conditions of Service that outline a 42 hour working week

applicable to positive hours. The Authority has also already implemented 12 hour shift

working at its Control Centre and gained useful knowledge and experience in shifts of

this duration as part of that project.

57. The Review did not examine reduction of sections to below ten firefighters. Early

calculations identified that the hours an individual would need to work to maintain

8 Currently for each position available on an appliance riding at standard crewing (five), we

employ 1.42 staff, this is to cover sickness, training etc.


Page 24 of 51

constant availability of the fire engine over a working week would exceed the

constraints explained in the previous paragraph.

Area 4: Split shift options

58. The concept of splitting shifts worked by firefighters has been considered as there may

be advantages or benefits for staff as well as the Authority. Splitting shifts is a generic

concept that can be applied to both the current day-crewed system or any new

proposals made by the review team in the options appraisals contained in this review.

An evaluation of splitting shifts can be found in the options appraisal section of this

document. A split shift ensures positive cover for the duty period, but not necessarily

by the same firefighter, nor for a continuous period.

59. The forms of shifts that were considered are:

60. Each shift consisting of an agreed period of positive hours at the fire station covering

the day followed by on-call hours covering the evening across a 24 hour period. (24

hour period simply split between positive hours and an on call element)

61. A single 24 hour duty of positive and on call hours as above, allowing enough flexibility

for firefighters to interchange for short periods, to be managed locally as short term

periods of exchanged duties.

62. Separation of the positive hour and on call elements of working – for example the

nominated driver for the positive hour period finishes duty at the end of a positive hour

shift and is replaced by another firefighter for the subsequent on call duty period.

63. Splitting the positive and on call hours of a 24 hour period into smaller units, e.g. 6

hour periods to be populated by firefighters under a self rostering system.

Area 5: Consolidated Pay

64. Currently firefighters working the day-crewed system are paid through a claim based

method for each period of activity they undertake whilst in their on-call duty period.

These claims are then processed by employees in our finance team. The 2013/14

budget contains an allowance of £241k in respect of turnout and attendance fees. The

intention is to consolidate this element of pay into a single payment thereby

modernising the arrangements for pay and removing the need to process claims.

Consideration is being given to consolidated pay which reflects the variable levels of

activity for each station.

65. Pay consolidation is a complex area that requires a fair balance between a suitable

remuneration for the disturbances and work that are undertaken by day-crewed staff,


Page 25 of 51

against generally decreasing incident rates and demand reduction initiatives such as

recent changes in the way we respond to calls from automatic fire alarms. Extending

positive hours and matching them to demand rates will also reduce the number of

turnout fees that are claimed, although in the short term prior to any pay consolidation

this may be offset by claims for turnout and attendance made for incidents attended

during times that are currently deemed as ‘standby hours’ for which claims are not

made under the base option explained earlier.

66. It is likely that local rates of consolidated pay will need to be arranged for individual

stations, or that banding of pay rates will be set at certain levels of activity. Whatever

methodology is determined, full negotiation with representative bodies will be

necessary to agree suitable levels of pay, along with implementation timescales.


Page 26 of 51

Option 1a: Increase and align positive hours of day-crewed

stations to demand and risk profile of the area

Description

67. This option involves a simple increase and re–alignment of the number of hours that

firefighters at day-crewed stations work positive hours on station. The increased hours

during which turn-in times are faster is expected to improve response times during

busy periods extending beyond 18:00, and at weekends during the daytime. This

option is a generic principle underpinned by the calculations of hours in other areas in

this document. The parameters of increase from the current nine hours period is

unspecified, but incorporates a maximum of twelve positive hours per 24 hour period.

68. The option does not provide for any changes in number of staff at stations or the 96

hour duty period currently in use.

Indicative costings

69. This option leaves the same numbers of staff at day-crewed stations. In altering the

positive hours when people work to when demand is greatest across the late afternoon

to early evening, some financial gains may be realised by a reduction in turnout fees.

At some stations however, this may be offset by later starting times in the mornings, if

calls are not covered by standby hours. However, these issues may eventually be

resolved under a consolidated pay agreement. Any net savings or expense resulting

from the changes will be insignificant in the context of the savings required by the

Authority. Further analysis of this detail may be completed at a later stage or during

the consultation process.

70. Effectively, this option offers little difference in budgetary terms as the base option of

£5.96m


Page 27 of 51

SWOT Analysis


Ensures staff are available on station during the station’s most active periods

Easy to manage and audit as little change from current arrangements

Has served the Authority well

for over 40 years



Built in resilience utilising the ridership factor


which facilitates placement of

specialist equipment at these

stations



periods

Total positive hours worked may exceed limits of National Schemes of Conditions of Service

Extended shift times may require additional meal breaks

Firefighters at day-crewed stations are permitted to go home for meal breaks, increasing attendance times during busy periods

Limits the flexibility in contractual offer which can be offered to firefighters, and this may limit the number of potential applicants for posts on day-crewed stations

Through recent retirements at several of the day-crewed stations, recruitment would be needed to increase numbers.

The system is not self-sufficient and creates the need for detachments from other stations to cover absences.

There is contractual weakness regarding night time on-call cover for the full-time fire engine – although it has not surfaced as a problem to date

Makes little contribution to the overall requirement for the Service to generate £10m of savings in the next three years, which may force the removal of other fire engines

Lack of staff engagement and resistance to proposals due to longer working days


Page 28 of 51

Remaining day-crewed housing stock is deteriorating, repair and maintenance costs are increasing


Page 29 of 51

Option 1b: Increase and align positive hours of day-crewed

stations to demand and risk profile of the area and reduce

workforce to six per watch.

Description

71. Like Option 1a, this option involves increasing and re–aligning the number of hours

that firefighters at day-crewed stations work positive hours on station. The increased

hours during which turnout times are faster is expected to improve response times

during busy periods extending beyond 18:00 and at weekends during the daytime. In

addition, one firefighter post would be removed from both watches on each day-

crewed station.

72. Staff would carry on working their current continuous 96 hour duty patterns.

Indicative costings

73. Reducing watch strength to six on each of the nine day-crewed stations will result in

cost savings of approximately £694,800 per annum in base wages, national insurance,

pension costs and retaining fees. Additional savings from housing and other

allowances will also be generated.


Page 30 of 51

SWOT Analysis


Ensures staff are available on station during the stations most active periods

Easy to manage and audit as little change from current arrangements

Has served the Authority well

for over 40 years



Built in resilience utilising the ridership factor.


which facilitates placement of

specialist equipment at these

stations



periods

Results in financial savings through a reduction of 18 firefighter posts

Reduction in establishment numbers complements current and future retirement profiles



Firefighters at day-crewed stations are permitted to go home for meal breaks, leading to longer attendance times

Limits the flexibility in contractual offers which can be made to firefighters.

The system is not self-sufficient and creates the need for higher numbers of detachments from other stations to cover absences.

There is contractual weakness regarding night time on-call cover for the full-time fire engine – although it has not surfaced as a problem to date.

Remaining day-crewed. housing stock is deteriorating, repair and maintenance costs are increasing.

Resilience around staff absence and maintaining specialist knowledge is reduced.



Page 31 of 51

Option 2: Apply self-rostering to day-crewed stations with 13

staff

Description

74. This option involves merging watches on day-crewed stations to a self rostered single

section, as discussed under Area 2 – options for change. The option will also reduce

the number of firefighters to 13, consisting of one watch manager, two crew managers,

and ten firefighters. In addition to the general explanations of the self rostering concept

earlier in this document, example parameters and guidance for self rostering are

attached at Appendix 1. They are not finite, and will be subject to consultation,

negotiation and agreement.

75. Like Options 1a and 1b, this option involves increasing and re–aligning the number of

hours that firefighters at day-crewed stations work positive hours on station. The

increased hours during which turnout times are faster is expected to improve response

times during busy periods extending beyond 18:00 and at weekends during the

daytime.

76. Through self rostering and local management it is expected that this option will provide

self-sufficiency for day-crewed stations. This means that firefighters will always have

the necessary skills to keep special appliances available at all times.

77. With an expectation of self-sufficiency at day-crewed stations, it is anticipated that day-

crewed firefighters will not be used for detached duties to make up shortfalls at other

fire stations. As there will be no need to move firefighters into and out of day-crewed

fire stations, there are tangible benefits for the availability of specialist equipment

placed at day-crewed fire stations.

Indicative costings

78. Implementation of merging watches strength into a single section of 13 on each of the

nine day-crewed stations will result in cost savings of approximately £432,000 per

annum in base wages, national insurance, pension costs and retaining fees. Additional

savings from housing and other allowances will also be generated.


Page 32 of 51

SWOT Analysis



Built-in resilience utilising Banked shifts and principle of self sufficiency.



periods.

Results in financial savings through a reduction of nine watch manager posts


Improvements in availability of special appliances.





Initially management & audit process becomes more onerous, more time consuming for supervisory managers and Group.

Ownership by staff of self rostering system

More flexible for staff

Integration of personnel

Banked shifts being used in station training events attended by all station personnel

Creates opportunity for centralised services such as medicals etc. to be completed en masse at local stations.


Difficulties in change management

May create inconsistent working practices between stations.

Open to abuse if not managed effectively


Page 33 of 51


staff

Description

79. This option involves merging the current two watches on day-crewed stations to a self

rostered single section, reducing the number of staff to 12, consisting of one watch

manager, two crew managers, and nine firefighters. Example parameters and

guidance for self rostering are appended to this document. They are not finite, and will

be subject to consultation and negotiation.

80. Like Options 1a and 1b, this option involves increasing and re–aligning the number of

hours that crews at day-crewed stations work positive hours on station. The increased

hours during which turnout times are faster is expected to improve response times

during busy periods extending beyond 18:00 and at weekends during the daytime.

81. Through self rostering and local management it is expected that this option will provide

self sufficiency for the day-crewed stations. This means that staff will always have the

necessary skills to keep the special appliances available at all times.

82. With an expectation of self-sufficiency at day-crewed stations, it is anticipated that day-





Indicative costings


nine day-crewed stations will result in cost savings of approximately £779,400 per




Page 34 of 51

SWOT Analysis



Built in resilience utilising banked shifts and principle of self sufficiency.



periods.

Results in financial savings through a reduction of nine firefighter and nine watch manager posts


Improvements in availability of special appliances.









Banked shifts being used in station training events attended by all station personnel

Creates opportunity for centralised services such as medicals etc. to be completed en masse at local stations.




Open to abuse if not managed properly


Page 35 of 51


staff

Description

84. This option involves merging watches on day-crewed stations to a self-rostered single

section, reducing the number of staff to 11, consisting of one watch manager, two crew

managers, and eight firefighters. Example parameters and guidance for self rostering

are appended to this document. They are not finite, and will be subject to consultation

and negotiation.

85. Like the others, this option involves increasing and re–aligning the number of hours

that crews at day-crewed stations work positive hours on station. The increased hours

during which turnout times are faster is expected to improve response times during

busy periods extending beyond 18:00 and at weekends during the daytime.

86. With an expectation of self sufficiency at day-crewed stations it is anticipated that day-





Indicative costings


nine day-crewed stations will result in cost savings of approximately £1,126,800 per




Page 36 of 51

SWOT Analysis





periods.

Results in financial savings through a reduction of 18 firefighter and nine watch manager posts





Remaining day-crewed housing stock is deteriorating, repair and maintenance costs are increasing.

Banked shifts available to cover absences and specialist knowledge is reduced





Possibility of some banked days being used in station training events attended by all station personnel



External factors such as sickness may threaten delivery of self sufficiency




Page 37 of 51


staff

Description

88. This option involves merging watches on day-crewed stations to a self rostered single

section, reducing the number of staff to 10, consisting of one watch manager, two crew

managers, and seven firefighters. Example parameters and guidance for self rostering

are appended to this document. They are not finite, and will be subject to consultation

and negotiation.

89. Like the others, this option involves increasing and re–aligning the number of hours

that crews at day-crewed stations work positive hours on station. The increased hours

during which turnout times are faster is expected to improve response times during

busy periods extending beyond 18:00 and at weekends during the daytime.

90. With an expectation of self-sufficiency at day-crewed stations it is anticipated that day-


fire stations.

Indicative costings


nine day-crewed stations will result in cost savings of approximately £1, 474,200 per




Page 38 of 51

SWOT Analysis





periods.

Results in financial savings through a reduction of 27 firefighter and nine watch manager posts






Banked shifts to cover absences and specialist knowledge is minimal – other support will be needed

Initial management & audit process becomes more onerous, more time consuming for supervisory managers and Group

Numbers of banked shifts are insufficient to provide benefits






External factors such as sickness may threaten delivery of self sufficiency




Page 39 of 51

Option 6: Implement split-shift arrangements on day-crewed

fire stations.

Description

92. Options for using split shifts are outlined earlier in the document. They consist of;

A single unit 24 hour shift consisting of positive hour and on call on-call

elements

Single 24 hour shifts as above, allowing local arrangements for firefighters to

cover one another by mutual agreement under a principle of exchanged duty

Separated positive hour and on call elements so a position can be crewed by

two different personnel in a 24 hour period

Smaller units of six hours cover that are interchangeable between any

suitably qualified firefighters


Page 40 of 51

SWOT Analysis – Single 24 hour duty periods


Simple management of large units of time

Applicable across any crewing option

Fits well with current workforce planning systems and day-crewed practices

Inflexibility – firefighters requiring short periods of leave needing to take whole 24 hour periods off

Potential to explore greater integration of wholetime and part-time firefighters

Crewing deficiencies caused by rigid structure threatens concept of self sufficiency


Page 41 of 51

SWOT Analysis – Single 24 hour units with exchange facility under local arrangements


Simple management of large units of time


Fits well with current workforce planning systems and day-crewed practices

Very flexible for staff to arrange short periods of absence when required by arranging cover locally

Staff ‘riding’ for one another creates some workload regarding workforce planning system

Complements ownership of vehicle availability and concept of self sufficiency



Page 42 of 51

SWOT Analysis – Split Positive and On Call shifts


Smaller units allow more flexible working for staff


Fits well with current workforce planning system

Increased workload in terms of scheduling workforce and monitoring hours worked



Page 43 of 51

SWOT Analysis – Smaller six hour split shifts




Considerable increase in scheduling and monitoring of crewing rotas

Increased frequency of personnel changes creating problems with day to day business, management of resilience and when fire engines are not at station -attending incidents or elsewhere




Workforce planning system would require considerable enhancement and subsequent training


Page 44 of 51

Summary tables of working hours

Table 10: Calculations for working hours – based on a consecutive 24 hour duty period and 42 positive hours

Option 2: Crew of 13 Option 3: Crew of 12 Units

12 hrs +ve 12 hrs OC






A Number of hours completed per year1 2,190 2,190 2,190 2,190 2,190 2,190 Hours per person

B Total shifts per year (A/hours per shift2) 182.5 199 219 182.5 199 219 Shifts

C Total number of shifts at each location per year (before leave & anticipated absence)

2,372.5 2,587 2,847 2,190 2,388 2628 Shifts provided per crew per year

D Number of days allocated to leave 33 33 33 33 33 33 Days

E Total number of shifts per person minus leave (B – D)

149.5 166 186 149.5 166 186 Shifts per person

F Total number of leave associated absences per crew of X

2 (D x X

2)

429 429 429 396 396 396 Shifts

G Total number of shifts required to maintain a crew of 4 all year (4 x 365)

1,460 1,460 1,460 1,460 1,460 1,460 Shifts

H ‘Extra’ banked3 shifts per year (C – F – G) 483.5 698 958 334 532 772 Shifts

I Number of ‘extra’ banked shifts per person (H/ X

1)

37.19 53:69 73.69 27.83 44.33 64.33 Shifts per person

1 Based on an average of 42 positive hours per week multiplied by 52.14 (365/7)

2 Defined by option number

3 Banked shifts are those shifts which are over and above the amount required to provide 365 days cover with a crew of four


Page 45 of 51


Option 4: Move to a crew of 11 Option 5: Move to a crew of 10 Units







A Number of hours completed per year1 2190 2190 2190 2190 2190 2190 Hours per person

B Total shifts per year (A/hours per shift2) 182.5 199 219 182.5 199 219 Shifts


2007 2189 2409 1825 1990 2190 Shifts provided per crew per year

D Number of days allocated to leave 33 33 33 33 33 33 Days


149.5 166 186 149.5 166 189 Shifts per person


2 (D x X

2)

363 363 363 330 330 330 Shifts


1460 1460 1460 1460 1460 1460 Shifts

H ‘Extra’ banked3 shifts per year (C – F – G) 184 366 586 35 200 400 Shifts


1)

16.72 33.27 53.27 3.5 20 40 Shifts per person


Page 46 of 51









A Number of hours completed per year1

1825 1825 1825 1825 1825 1825 Hours per person

B Total shifts per year (A/hours per shift2)

152 166 182.5 152 166 182.5 Shifts


1976 2158 2372.5 1824 1992 2190 Shifts provided per crew per year

D Number of days allocated to leave 33 33 33 33 33 33

Days


119 133 149.5 119 133 149.5 Shifts per person


2 (D x X

2)

429 429 429 396 396 396 Shifts


1460 1460 1460 1460 1460 1460 Shifts

H ‘Extra’ banked3 shifts per year (C – F – G)

87 269 483.5 -32 136 334 Shifts


1)

6.7 20.7 37.19 -2.66 11.33 27.83 Shifts per person


Page 47 of 51









A Number of hours completed per year1

1825 1825 1825 1825 1825 1825 Hours per person

B Total shifts per year (A/hours per shift2)

152 166 182.5 152 166 182.5 Shifts


1672 1826 2007.5 1520 1660 1825 Shifts provided per crew per year

D Number of days allocated to leave 33 33 33 33 33 33

Days


119 133 149.5 119 133 149.5 Shifts per person


2 (D x X

2)

363 363 363 330 330 330 Shifts


1460 1460 1460 1460 1460 1460 Shifts

H ‘Extra’ banked3 shifts per year (C – F – G)

-151 3 184.5 -230 -90 35 Shifts


1)

-13.72 0.27 16.77 -23 -9 3.5 Shifts per person

1 Based on an average of 35 positive hours per week multiplied by 52.14 (365/7) 2 Defined by option number 3 Banked shifts are those shifts which are over and above the amount required to provide 365 days cover with a crew of four


Page 48 of 51

Evaluation

Cost

93. The review highlights that reductions in day-crewed station establishments will deliver

the biggest financial savings to the Authority. The table below summarises projected

budget savings from the options appraisal. Option 1a - remaining in the current

position and adjusting positive hours is not considered viable in the current context of

seeking significant budget reductions.

Table 14: Indicative savings

Option 1a Option 1b Option 2 Option 3 Option 4 Option 5

Savings Negligible £695K £432K £779K £1.12M £1.47M

94. Tables 10 - 13 calculate that the banked shifts generated by the different crewing

models serve as the primary indicators of whether a self rostering system has the

capacity to keep a fire engine crewed at four, maintain self-sufficiency and generate

sufficient banked shifts to cover sickness, training and other forms of staff abstraction.

On this basis Option 5 – self rostering with 10 personnel is not considered viable.

Option 1b – reducing watches to six members cannot be considered capable of

meeting the aspiration of the review, to achieve crewing self-sufficiency for individual

day-crewed stations, as the inflexibilities of the two watch system create barriers to a

more fluid way of working.

Suitability – Service Delivery

95. All the options examine extending positive hours to match demand to improve service

delivery, performance standards and levels of public safety. The more positive hours

that can be spent on station the greater the improvement, however the historical cost /

benefit balance of an on-call element remains integral to the good value for money that

the day-crewed system has always and will continue to provide.

96. Options regarding split shift working present various strengths and weaknesses.

Generally the greater the frequency of staff changes the more likely the interruptions

and difficulties generated in managing operational activity and day to day business.

Larger units of duty times whilst simplifying certain issues creates an undesirable

inflexibility for firefighters working the day-crewed system. On balance the single 24

hour shift with allowances for local flexibility around cover is considered the best option

to deal with the key issues of self sufficiency and operational effectiveness.


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97. Although out of scope as part of this review, SWOT analysis of the split shift options all

reveal the opportunity to assess current levels of ‘mixed crewing’ which integrates

wholetime and part-time firefighters crewing the same fire engines, and explore further

potential in this area. Organisational policy regarding mixed crewing is already in place

to underpin further research in this area.

Feasibility

98. The research into other fire services, existing Schemes of Conditions of Service,

calculation and engagement with staff indicate that self rostering is a viable and

realistic proposition in this Authority as a replacement for the two watch system

currently employed.

Acceptability

99. During visits to staff the options around staff reductions and self–rostering have been

generally well received by firefighters on day-crewed stations who are well informed

regarding the financial pressures facing the Authority. They have also engaged

constructively in ideas for locally managed flexible crewing.

100. The Authority in pursuance of its aims to maximise public protection levels in the most

financially efficient way also views self-rostered sections with fewer firefighters on day-

crewed stations as meeting its needs.

101. The public will see either no difference or improved response times during evenings

and at weekends, so should readily accept the proposals of this Review.

102. The issue of acceptability between the Authority, firefighters and their representative

bodies becomes more complex around the exact details of positive hours and staff

reductions. Calculations in this document indicate the levels of banked shifts achieved

by different numbers of staff working different lengths of positive hour shifts. A clear

relationship can be seen between the two elements – the fewer staff, the shorter the

shifts need to be to generate banked shifts.

103. A further point of acceptability where differences are likely is whether the day-crewed

firefighters remain within the parameters of the National Schemes of Conditions of

Service regarding the issue of 42 or 35 positive hours per week over an eight week

cycle. This will be an important factor in setting a balance between positive hours,

numbers of staff, levels of banked hours and resilience arrangements.


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Recommendations

104. At this stage the Review team make the following recommendations:

105. To increase the number of positive hours worked on station at day-crewed stations

and align the hours to match demand most effectively. Reflect this realignment by

changing the name of the system to ‘Demand Crewing’. (Change Area 1 and Options

1a and 1b refer)

106. Move to a self-rostered system across the nine day-crewed stations, using fixed 24

hour duty periods consisting of positive hours and on call elements, incorporating

banked and resilience arrangements, and local flexibilities for firefighters to provide

self sufficiency in appliance crewing. (Options 2 to 5 refer)

107. To establish agreement on the positive, standby and on call hours, and numbers of

staff per station, progressing towards a consolidated pay agreement. (Options 1b to 5

and tables 10 to 13 refer)

108. To agree an implementation plan that can commence in three ‘Phase 1’ stations from

April 2014. (Change Area 5 refers)

109. Scoping a further phase of project work examining integration of part time and

wholetime workers (Option 6 and evaluation refers)


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Appendix 1 – Example criteria for self-rostering

110. The following are detailed examples of the type of criteria that will be developed to

apply for any new self rostering system, subject to negotiation and agreement

a. Firefighters will be required to work a minimum of two days per week, 16 days

per eight weeks, and 37 over a sixteen week period; these will include some

weekend days (these periods will be defined).

b. Firefighters will only be allowed to work a maximum of five days in a row and

managers must ensure that all staff have two complete periods of twenty four

hours free from any duty each week.

c. Each person will be required to work 35 weekend days per 365 days (currently

personnel complete 55) ensuring a minimum of five every eight weeks, and 11

over a sixteen week period (these periods will be defined).

d. No person will be granted more than 21 consecutive days (3 weeks) on annual

leave; any period greater than this may be requested through Group Manager

for decision but will not be accepted as the norm, exceptional circumstances

only.

e. Annual leave allocated will be booked in the normal way as per Service Orders,

but PH days and leave not booked on the leave list will not be constrained by

the 28 day rule; (this provides managers a greater level of flexibility to manage

staff and their leave)

f. Each day 4 suitably personnel will be rostered to work, how this is achieved

must be a fair process managed by the supervisory officers on station. In

addition to this there must be a nominated resilience person who will be

required to cover any shortfall (sickness emergency leave etc)

g. Where emergency leave/sickness etc. is required it will be the responsibility of

the Line manager to arrange cover for the duration of this unforeseen absence.

h. All rotas must be established at least 8 weeks (56 days) in advance.

i. One day per month (except July, August) will be allocated as a training day

where all station personnel will be required to attend even if they are not

rostered for work. These days will be taken from individual’s balance of banked

shifts.

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