CRP Definition of Risk Project

Project vision

“To deliver the UK Fire and Rescue Service a risk framework with an approach that supports the consistent identification, understanding and assessment of risk.”

The NFCC Community Risk Programme aims to reduce community risk and vulnerability by delivering a set of national tools and guidance to improve risk management planning.

Independent research commissioned by the NFCC and recent fire and rescue service inspections revealed that there is a need to coalesce around an agreed definition of risk. A critical gap identified by the CRP, supported by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) findings, was that variation in approach across the UK made it difficult to benchmark aspects of the community risk management planning process nationally. One area this was prevalent in was the risk identification and assessment approaches adopted to determine the level of risk present. A critical success factor for this project will be to bring greater consistency to this area of work undertaken by FRSs.

A key starting point for this project was the development and delivery of a national definition of risk together with accompanying documentation. 

This project has now completed its first phase and has produced:

Upon completion of phase 1, it was recognised that there is a need to develop the detail behind the key components of the strategic framework to make these products more useable. This will include a methodology (or methodologies) which will allow a consistent evidence-based approach to assessing community risk. These methodologies will be developed to enable fire and rescue services of all sizes and governance arrangements to make use of them when carrying out their own local risk management planning work.

We are now entering phase 2 – Developing National Risk Methodologies and Frameworks, which will commence in January 2021. 

Phase 2 will explore the details behind the components of the strategic risk assessment framework developed in phase 1 primarily in regard to:

The development of each risk methodology and framework will be supported by Working Groups comprised of UK FRS subject-matter experts for the respective hazardous event. The project will also engage with SPOCs in UK FRSs in the development of risk methodologies and frameworks.

Phase 2 of this project will be complete once all risk methodologies and risk frameworks have been developed.

Phase 3 of this project involves the implementation of the project’s products in the UK FRS, and the development of a digital tool to further support UK FRSs in applying and implementing the methodologies produced.

Project Board

Project Executive – Ian Hayton, Chief Fire Officer, Cleveland Fire and Rescue Service.

Project Manager – Hannah Begum, National Fire Chiefs Council.

Dr Rowena Hill – Subject-matter expert for risk, Principal Lecturer in External Engagement and Partnerships – Nottingham Trent University.

Dan Quin – Interim Chief Fire Officer, Surrey Fire and Rescue Service. Road Traffic Collissions Workstream Lead for the DOR Project.

Mark Loynd – Group Commander, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

Ged Devereux – Strategic Health Lead, NFCC Prevention Committee / Public Health Practitioner, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service.

Mark Cottell – Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, representative of the NFCC Protection Committee.

Jason Evans and Garry Davies – Area Managers, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service.

Indicative project timeline

Quarterly Updates

The Community Risk Programme publishes quarterly briefings to engage and inform stakeholders of progress and developments. Quarterly Briefings can be found here: NFCC CRP Quarterly Briefings

Contact us

If you would like to get in touch with the Definition of Risk project team, please email: CommunityRiskProgramme@nationalfirechiefs.org.uk