Inspection of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service North Service Delivery Area

31. This report is the third in a series of SDA inspections. As expected, there was a degree of crossover of issues raised by Service personnel, and in the comments made by the three inspection teams deployed by HMFSI during each of the SDA inspections. This report has acknowledged the consistency of findings from the East and West SDAs but sought where possible to avoid simply reiterating the points put forward in the previous reports’ text. To add context and depth to the discussion points, we took a deeper dive into several topical areas that have been consistently raised by SFRS personnel during our other SDA inspections, and which subsequently formed talking points with Service managers following the previous report publications.

32. For this approach we spoke directly with a number of managers within the Service who have responsibility for the delivery of training strategy outcomes, process outcomes and/or the provision of physical appliances, equipment and PPE. These specific interview sessions allowed an opportunity for the ‘right of reply’ to those who have responsibility within the Service for the delivery of outcomes and outputs in advance of this report’s finalisation and publication. We feel that this approach has allowed a balanced view to be reflected within the report’s narrative. These topical subjects have been termed In Focus, and cover the areas of:

• HFSV’s Risk Critical Information
  
  
• Assets
  
  
• On Call Recruitment
  
  
• Training and Organisational Development.