Case studies

The Greater Manchester High Rise and Building Safety Task Force was set up in 2018. It provides a formal structure for joint working on fire risk in high-rise residential buildings between Greater Manchester’s 10 councils and Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS).

Liverpool City Council and Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS) have an informal structure for joint working on fire risk to high-rise residential buildings, based on effective communication and information sharing. Liverpool has over 200 blocks over 18 metres high, including purpose-built student and private residential blocks.

Nottingham’s Joint Audit and Inspection Team (JAIT) was established in the autumn of 2019. The idea arose from an informal conversation between two senior colleagues from Nottingham City Council and Nottingham Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) about building safety.

The national Joint Inspection Team (JIT) was set up to assist councils in taking enforcement action against private landlords that were slow to remediate high-rise residential blocks with Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) cladding.

Working together At Camden Council, initial information gathering, basic risk assessment and prioritising is done by one full-time principal environmental health officer (EHO), supported by their manager. Higher-risk buildings stay with the principal EHO for follow-up and enforcement, while lower risk buildings are monitored by the team of EHOs.

Applying Behavioural Insights to fire safety

Junior Fire Fit is an innovative Sportivate project which has multiple benefits, combining fire education and the promotion of healthy living and fitness.

Ground-breaking data analysis is enabling Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) to pinpoint precisely which residents are most at risk of fire and falls and in need of intervention.

Cornwall’s tri-service officer project, which has now been picked up by Durham and Darlington Fire And Rescue Service, is a forerunner of the closer working relationship that is likely to develop between fire and police.

The new Furness Peninsula Blue Light Hub will accommodate not only the fire and rescue service, police and ambulance, but also other Cumbria County Council departments.