Today the Fire Standards Board reach a milestone with the launch of two Standards. With their publication the initial suite of Standards is complete.

The Digital and Cyber Fire Standard and the Procurement and Commercial Fire Standard are now published on the Fire Standards Board’s website following consultations with both the fire and rescue sector and wider stakeholders. These standards, like the other standards, help to drive continuous improvement and service delivery across England’s fire and rescue services (FRSs).

In a world where all organisations need to continually monitor and develop their digital services and cyber security processes, the Digital and Cyber Fire Standard sets out a series of recommendations and procedures that will help services deliver excellence to the public by using information and communications technology (ICT) safely, effectively and efficiently. In so doing, FRSs will be able to deliver better prevention, protection and response services, which will in turn contribute to the safety of communities.

The Procurement and Commercial Fire Standard sets out the importance of procurement and commercial best practice within FRSs. Implementation by FRSs of this Standard will help to ensure that contracts and relationships with suppliers realise value for money (VFM) and result in delivery of high-quality public goods and services that support the environment and the diversity, safety and wellbeing of its people and communities.

Commenting on the publication of these Fire Standards, the Chair of the Fire Standards Board, Suzanne McCarthy, said:

“The Board has always been intent on ensuring that Fire Standards are focused on achieving positive outcomes, are consistently applied nationally, and are underpinned by national guidance tools and supporting information.

“Through consultation with FRS subject matter experts and wider stakeholders we have now published a suite of nineteen meaningful standards that together will support improvement and help reinforce the professionalism of the service. The initial suite of Fire Standards establishes what “good” looks like and continue to be increasingly referenced within the HMICFRS’s inspection framework and inspections.”

As with all Fire Standards, there is a corresponding Implementation Tool. The tool is designed to support services in assessing how well they meet the Standards and to build an action plan to identify and address any gaps.

The Fire Standards Board will be continuing their engagement programme with services to help the Fire Standards Board better understand the impacts and benefits of the Standards.