Priority Message

Steve Healey is the Deputy Chief Fire Officer of Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service and is one of the co-chairs for the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) On-Call Strategic Board. Steve returns to the podcast to provide an update on the national work that has taken place since his last appearance back in September 2024.

If you found this episode of Priority Message helpful, please give the podcast a 5 Star review and recommend to your colleagues.

If you haven't already, members can download the FRSA App from the Apple or Google store and fully interact with fellow members and local and national officials.

You will have exclusive access to a library of resources, engage in private and secure forums, direct messaging service plus regular local and national updates, all as part of your membership of the FRSA.

If you would like to contact the Podcast you can do so via [email protected] we would welcome your feedback and suggested content for future episodes.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Claire Johnson, LGA Senior Pensions Adviser, joins Tristan to provide an update on the progress of the Matthews Remedy pension cases. The FRSA strongly recommends that listeners share the contents of this podcast to anyone who was/is a Retained/On-Call Firefighter between the dates of 07 April 2000 and 05 April 2006 inclusive, as they are likely to be eligible to join (or extend membership of) the Modified Pension Scheme. It is no exaggeration to say that this could change someone's life.

The website referred to in this podcast which individuals can use to find the relevant contact details for their former Fire and Rescue Authority is: https://fpsmember.org/contact/

If you would like access to the template that individuals can use to contact their former Fire and Rescue Authority to check whether they may be eligible for the Matthews remedy, email [email protected].

If you found this episode of Priority Message helpful, please give the podcast a 5 Star review and recommend to your colleagues. 

If you haven't already, members can download the FRSA App from the Apple or Google store and fully interact with fellow members and local and national officials.

You will have exclusive access to a library of resources, engage in private and secure forums, direct messaging service plus regular local and national updates, all as part of your membership of the FRSA.

If you would like to contact the Podcast you can do so via [email protected] we would welcome your feedback and suggested content for future episodes.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode host Alice Elliott is joined by FRSA Secretary for Kent, Dylan McEvoy and Committee member Nicki Jackson to discuss the proposals for Kent Fire and Rescue Service which include a change to wholetime shifts and the closure of On-Call Fire Stations.

Dylan, Nicki and Alice discuss their initial thoughts on the proposal and their plans to oppose the station closures and compulsory redundancies.

If you found this episode of Priority Message helpful, please give the podcast a 5 Star review and recommend to your colleagues. 

If you haven't already, members can download the FRSA App from the Apple or Google store and fully interact with fellow members and local and national officials.

You will have exclusive access to a library of resources, engage in private and secure forums, direct messaging service plus regular local and national updates, all as part of your membership of the FRSA.

If you would like to contact the Podcast you can do so via [email protected] we would welcome your feedback and suggested content for future episodes.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Tristan is joined by FRSA President, Mark Palmer to discuss the National Employers pay offer for 2026/27 and the implications should the offer is rejected.

There is also a short update on our campaign to oppose the cuts in Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service and the Compensation Framework for the Matthews 2 options exercise.

If you found this episode of Priority Message helpful, please give the podcast a 5 Star review and recommend to your colleagues. 

If you haven't already, members can download the FRSA App from the Apple or Google store and fully interact with fellow members and local and national officials.

You will have exclusive access to a library of resources, engage in private and secure forums, direct messaging service plus regular local and national updates, all as part of your membership of the FRSA.

If you would like to contact the Podcast you can do so via [email protected] we would welcome your feedback and suggested content for future episodes.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Tristan is joined by FRSA President, Mark Palmer and Dorset and Wiltshire Branch Chair, Andy Elliott to discuss the decision by Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Authority to go out to consultation with a proposal to close eight On-Call Fire Stations in the service.

Andy, Mark and Tristan discuss their initial thoughts on the proposal and the action that the FRSA will take to oppose the closures, while simultaneously looking to formulate alternative proposals that meet the same objectives without removing frontline services.

To find out more about these proposals and what action the FRSA is taking to challenge these cuts, visit our dedicated facebook page.

If you found this episode of Priority Message helpful, please give the podcast a 5 Star review and recommend to your colleagues. 

If you haven't already, members can download the FRSA App from the Apple or Google store and fully interact with fellow members and local and national officials.

You will have exclusive access to a library of resources, engage in private and secure forums, direct messaging service plus regular local and national updates, all as part of your membership of the FRSA.

If you would like to contact the Podcast you can do so via [email protected] we would welcome your feedback and suggested content for future episodes.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we welcome back Claire Johnson, Senior Pensions Adviser for the LGA to Priority Message, the Podcast from the FRSA. 

This edition of the podcast will also be available via our YouTube channel.

Claire provides listeners with an update which incorporates the responses from a government consultation process that seeks to overcome some unintended consequences of current legislation. This may sound complicated, but Claire breaks down the relevant points to a level that is easy to understand.

This episode attempts to answer some of the outstanding questions members still have, however, if any questions remain after listening to the podcast, please contact FRSA HQ for further assistance via [email protected] 

If you found this episode of Priority Message helpful, please give the podcast a 5 Star review and recommend to your colleagues. 

If you haven't already, members can download the FRSA App from the Apple or Google store and fully interact with fellow members and local and national officials.

You will have exclusive access to a library of resources, engage in private and secure forums, direct messaging service plus regular local and national updates, all as part of your membership of the FRSA.

If you would like to contact the Podcast you can do so via [email protected] we would welcome your feedback and suggested content for future episodes.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Tristan is joined by local On-Call Firefighter and Fire Co-Responder, Gavin Brooks and FRSA President, Mark Palmer to discuss the proposal by South Western Ambulance Service Foundation Trust (SWASFT) to phase out Fire Co-Responders in the South West region over a 12 month period and replace them with Community Volunteers.

This episode makes reference to three national reports that make comment on the work and value of Co-Responding in the Fire and Rescue Service, namely:

Sir George Bain's report from 2002 - The Future of the Fire Service

From January 2017 - Broadening Responsibilities: Consideration of the Potential to Broaden the Role of Fire Service Employees

From November 2017 - Emergency Medical Response by Fire and Rescue Services

If you found this episode of Priority Message helpful, please give the podcast a 5 Star review and recommend to your colleagues. 

If you haven't already, you can download the FRSA App from the Apple or Google store and fully interact with fellow members and local and national officials. You will have exclusive access to a library of resources, engage in private and secure forums, direct messaging service plus regular local and national updates, all as part of your membership of the FRSA.

If you would like to contact the Podcast you can do so via [email protected] we would welcome your feedback and suggested content for future episodes.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Tristan is joined by new NFCC Chair, Phil Garrigan, the former Chief Fire Officer of Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service who has taken up the of NFCC Chair for the next four years.

If you found this episode of Priority Message helpful, please give the podcast a 5 Star review and recommend to your colleagues. 

If you haven't already, you can download the FRSA App from the Apple or Google store and fully interact with fellow members and local and national officials. You will have exclusive access to a library of resources, engage in private and secure forums, direct messaging service plus regular local and national updates, all as part of your membership of the FRSA.

If you would like to contact the Podcast you can do so via [email protected] we would welcome your feedback and suggested content for future episodes.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Tristan Ashby is joined by Dr Steve Sadler to discuss his ongoing research and how he has worked with services across the UK.

Want to read more about Steve's work, research, evidence, and data to drive smarter decision making, then you can find re-enkindle's website here - https://www.fireserviceresearch.co.uk and/or connect with Steve here - www.linkedin.com/in/dr-steve-sadler-31497b27b

Interested in finding out more about the On-call orientated availability and rostering system mentioned a number of times on the podcast - Here's a link to FireServiceRota's flexible, powerful, planning software. Used by several services across europe and UKFRSs with outstanding On-call availability to optimize On-call firefighters' availability - https://www.fireservicerota.com 

Interested in using the latest software to drive On-call Availability, Recruitment and Skills (OARS) decision making? You can watch a video https://www.fireserviceresearch.co.uk/latest-blog/oars-on-call-availability-recruitment-and-skills-planning then contact contact Steve directly at [email protected], or contact here - https://www.orhltd.com/orh-launches-oars-to-help-fire-and-rescue-services-tackle-on-call-challenges/ 

Lastly, for leaders who are readers here's a link to dozens of FREE articles, research, and studies all related to the On-call workforce: https://www.fireserviceresearch.co.uk/how-we-serve-you 

The Swedish firefighter report referred to in this episode, Sharing is Caring, can be accessed here.

If you would like to contact the Podcast you can do so via [email protected] we would welcome your feedback and suggested content for future episodes.

Not currently a member of the FRSA? You can join via our website https://www.frsa.org.uk/join-frsa/

Our socials can be found here - https://linktr.ee/frsa.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode Tristan Ashby is joined by FRSA Chair for Warwickshire, Conor Edwards who provides a further update on the proposals from Warwickshire FRS Senior Leadership Team of CFO Ben Brook and ACFOs Sally Waldron and Rob Allen, which would see dozens of On-Call firefighters made redundant and a large reduction in the number of appliances available during the day and night, all at an additional cost of £2.6m over a three year period.

All of the comments made by Conor Edwards have been evidenced and are publicly available via our website - www.frsa.org.uk/warwickshire

The podcast was recorded on 25 October 2024 before news broke that Warwickshire CFO Ben Brook had taken the CFO role at West Midlands FRS.

If you would like to contact the Podcast you can do so via [email protected] we would welcome your feedback and suggested content for future episodes.

Not currently a member of the FRSA? You can join via our website https://www.frsa.org.uk/join-frsa/

Our socials can be found here - https://linktr.ee/frsa.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.