Fire and Rescue StatisticsStatistics User Engagement Day, 25 November 2013

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Session outline

• Introductions: your organisation, your role, any particular areas of interest

• National fire and rescue data sources • Fire and rescue incident and casualty statistics

publications • DCLG fire statistics publications -

developments and innovation

• “When will your next statistics be published?”

• Discussion and your feedback

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National fire and rescue data sources (1)

Managed by DCLG Fire Statistics Team:

1. Fire and Rescue Incident Recording System Large data base Numerous outputs listed a couple of slides further on

2. Non-financial returns annual returns to DCLG- staffing numbers & leavers - injuries to firefighters- fire prevention and education activity - fire safety audits

Published as ‘Fire and Rescue Operational Statistics’

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National fire and rescue data sources (2)

Managed by others:

3. CIPFA stats (expenditure on what + numbers of fire stations & appliances)

4. Financial returns to DCLG (budget, expenditure, revenue, capital, and pension fund)

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Fire and rescue incident and casualtystatistics publications (1)

Publications

1. Fire Statistics Monitor (biannual) Headline incident and casualty data by fire and rescue authority areas, England. GB data in supporting data tables where agreed by devolved administrations.

2. Fire Incidents Response Times (annual) – annual average response times & numbers of incidents by time bands (minute intervals) by fire and rescue authority area

3. Fire Statistics Great Britain (annual) – detailed analyses of locations and causes of fires, and analysis of the operation of smoke alarms.

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Fire and rescue incident and casualtystatistics publications (2)

Supplementary analyses (one-offs)www.gov.uk/government/collections/fire-statistics-

supplementary-analyses• The effect of alcohol or drugs on casualty rates in

accidental dwelling fires, England, 2011-12• Analysis of fires in buildings of timber framed

construction, England, 2009 to 2012

For full details of all questions and categories:www.gov.uk/government/publications/incident-recording-system-for-fire-and-rescue-authorities

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Developments (1)Non-financial annual returns

Returns reduced from over 100 tables to 23:www.gov.uk/government/consultations/reducing-annual-returns-and-fires-of-special-interest-data-from-fire-and-rescue-authorities

‘Fire and Rescue Operational Statistics’www.gov.uk/government/collections/fire-and-rescue-authorities-operational-statistics

- All data published except disclosive staffing numbers by equality and diversity strands (available on request)

- New tables with geographical filters: #15 (audits of buildings), #16 (injuries to firefighters). #17 (staffing by seniority), #18 (vehicle incidents)

- New time series tables (#s19-23)

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Developments (2)Fire Statistics Monitor

• Expansion to 39 spreadsheet reference tables (previously 23 tables) in response to user requests & regularly requested data.

• Overhaul of commentary:- Previously long standard text. ‘Elevator

commentary’- Reordered and with much of detail in new

summary tables- Reviewed footnotes and notes sections

• Two presentational experiments (Summer 2013):

1. Bullet points and charts accompanying reference tables

2. Bubble and brick diagrams…

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Developments (3)Bubble diagrams

Fire fatalities, England, 2012-13(p)

pp 4 & 5 , Fire Statistics Monitor, www.gov.uk/government/collections/fire-

statistics-monitor

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Developments (4)Brick diagram

(page 10 Fire Statistics Monitor)

Incidents attended by local authority fire and rescue services, England, 2012-13

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Publications are the visible final step of production process

Publications: commentary, charts, visualisation

Tabulation

Data base and data set management

Quality assurance

Data collection

Definitions

Any further significant development of publications to be considered alongside facilitating access to record-level data and Open Data agenda.

Use

r in

put

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New ‘CLIP’ Fire group

New Fire CLIP (Central and Local government Information Partnership) group

In a nutshell… To ensure that data collections carried out by Central Government is relevant, realistic and its burden is proportionate.

- Gateway for new or significant changes, ensuring benefit and burden are considered- Ensure that data collections are reviewed

The ‘Single data list’www.gov.uk/government/policies/making-local-councils-more-transparent-and-accountable-to-local-people/supporting-pages/single-data-list

Led by ACFO Neil Odin, Hampshire Fire and Rescue, on behalf of the Chief Fire Officers Association

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“When will your next statistics be published?”

Producers of official statistics are required to publish their forward schedule. Exact dates are fixed at least one month in advance of publication.

Two places where you can find the latest on timing of next editions:

1. The Department’s web pages:www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-communities-and-local-government/about/statistics (Scroll down to section ‘Forthcoming publications’)

2. The UK Statistics Authority Publication Hub:www.statistics.gov.uk/hub/people-places/fire-and-rescue/fire-and-rescue-services/index.html

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Almost time for open discussion.Publications are spread around the room.

Some praise on two of them..

Fire Incidents Response Times (new publication - Summer 2012)

Shortlisted for Royal Statistical Society Excellence in Official Statistics Awards. Awarding panel’s comments were:

“engaging and informative”, “good use of contextual data to give a rounded picture of

the statistics being reported on”, and“what a good statistical bulletin should be”.

Fire Statistics Great Britain“It is comfortably the best of the 4 publications I reviewed. Context and interpretation provided by the commentary were excellent throughout.” October 2013 - internal statistics publications peer review programme

Plenty experts assembled today to suggest subsequent development

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Please take a couple of minutes to write feedback and suggestions onto post-its, then discussion

1. Do the new data visualisations work? Any suggestions for improvement or alternatives?

2. Do our publications meet your requirements in terms of: i) data quality, ii) format, and iii) timing?

3. How could we improve our publications further?

4. What other developments to fire and rescue data and statistics would be helpful to you?

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Thank you for your attention and input!

To get in touch:

i) 0303 444 2818, gavin.sayer@communities.gsi.gov.uk

ii) More contact details are on front and at rear of every publication

iii) fire and rescue statistics feedback form:www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-statistics

The page also links to all our fire statistics publications.