Fire service seeks broader staff base

A government consultation is seeking to improve the representation of ethnic minorities and women in the fire service.

Last month the Department for Communities and Local Government invited comments on the draft Fire and rescue service equality and diversity strategy 2008-2018, a framework document setting out how the service plans to “meet the challenges of the coming years”.

Noting that just 2.8% of the service’s staff in operational roles were women and 3.0% were from black and minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds as of March 2006, the introduction to the document accepts that current workforce composition targets – 15% of staff being women and 7% from BME communities by 2009 – “are plainly not achievable”.

It therefore proposes a range of priorities and activities in areas from leadership to workplace culture, employment practices to public awareness, over the next 10 years.

A key element of the strategy – published just days after the London Fire Brigade set up a graduate training scheme aimed at attracting women and BME people to management positions (see last month’s Workplace Report) – is the establishment of targets for recruitment, retention and progression by 2013. It says: “Our intention is to make a visible change to the style of recruitment and the people joining the service, which will build momentum and support change under the wider strategy, especially on leadership and culture.”

The consultation document and draft strategy are available at www.communities.gov.uk/publications/fire/frsdiversitystrategy. Responses must be submitted by 6 February.