Four year plan set out by Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service
Recruitment was highlighted as a priority for the service.
Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service has launched its plan outlining its priorities for the next four years.
The service’s Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP) has been published following a six-week public consultation earlier this year, and the strategic document helps the organisation understand and manage issues that could impact the organisation and the community.
The CRMP identifies and assesses all foreseeable fire and rescue-related risks, in order for the service to prioritise its staff and resources to carry out its important response, prevention and protection work.
Speaking of the challenges they hope to tackle head on, Cumbria Fire service's Mark Clement said: "The first thing the public suggested was being more innovative when we use technology.
"Now when we deliver road traffic awareness training we are exploring the use of VR headsets to make the training more realistic and engage with kids more.
"We also have to look at how the fire risk in Carlisle, with a large urban population and night time economy, is significantly different to a small rural village in the middle of the lake district. We need to understand that risk and make sure we have our fire fighters in the right places.
"Certainly within Cumbria with the population and demographic changes we've seen in the last few years. That's the increasing elderly population and younger people leaving, it's much harder to fill the roles of on-call firefighters too."
Rick Ogden, Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service’s Chief Fire Officer, said: "We are pleased to publish our CRMP which sets out how Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service will continue to deliver the best possible service for the people of Cumbria over the next four years.
"I’d like to thank all those who worked so hard on the plan, and all the members of the public who took the time to give us your views.”
David Allen, Cumbria’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, said: "It’s crucial that Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service is in a position to provide the best service possible to residents and visitors in the county.
"As Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, the CRMP aids me in holding Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service to account as the priorities that are set throughout this plan, following public consultation, must be met.
"As the CRMP is built around the findings of a public consultation and I act as the voice of the public in respect of the governance of Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service, I want to assure residents that I will be ensuring that your needs and priorities are met."