2024-25 Quarter 1 Fire Services Outcomes Framework Progress Report

The Fire Services Outcomes Framework Progress Report is prepared and published in accordance with the Fire Services Implementation Monitor’s (FSIM) functions under section 141 of the Fire Rescue Victoria Act 1958. It includes current results, comparisons to historical data, and commentary from FSIM on select results from the Country Fire Authority’s (CFA) and Fire Rescue Victoria’s (FRV) respective outcomes frameworks for the first quarter of the 2024-25 financial year.

FSIM publishes these quarterly reports on its website on the Fire Services Implementation Monitor publications page.

In this quarter, CFA reported on 22 indicators (see Appendix A) and FRV reported on 23 measures (see Appendix B).

FSIM has reported on select results based on the following criteria:

• Demonstrates a notable achievement:
  • CFA: Increase in the number of community members engaging with CFA (indicator 1.2.1).
  • FRV: No. of sessions of FireEd and risk reduction programs delivered to the community (measure 1.1.2a).
• Continuing off-track trend over repeated quarters:
  • CFA: Decrease average time spent suppressing structure fires (time spent on scene of incident) (indicator 2.2.3).
  • FRV: Percentage of response to structure fire incidents within 7.7 minutes (target 90 per cent) (measure 2.1.3a).
• Significant change from the previous quarter (positive or negative):
  • CFA: Decrease in the number of house fires (indicator 2.1.1) – reflecting a negative change.
  • FRV: Increase in support and maintenance of firefighters’ physical and psychological health (measure 3.1.1) – reflecting a positive change.
  • CFA: Increase in hazard reporting (indicator 3.1.1) – reflecting a positive change.

Issues impacting data quality and data availability

FRV is working to fully transition to reporting using AIRS data. FRV reported on 6 measures this quarter using AIRS data and reported on 2 other measures using Triple Zero Victoria Computer Aided Dispatch data. See Appendix B for the list of measures reported this quarter using AIRS data. This represents an important step towards more reliable reporting, following the December 2022 cyber-attack.

In this quarter, FRV used Uptick as an alternative to FireCode to report on 1 measure. FRV advises that FireCode will not be reinstated following the cyber-attack. Instead, FRV will continue to use Uptick as an alternative to FireCode.

The data quality for measures that are reported as a rolling 12-month average is still impacted by industrial action in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 financial years. Therefore, FRV advises that the Q1, 2024-25 result for ‘Measure 1.2.3: Number of properties with six or more false alarms on different days (rolling 12 months)’, cannot be compared with previous quarters.

FSIM will continue to monitor FRV's progress to restore AIRS for reporting on the 2 outstanding measures.

CFA: Increase in the number of community members engaging with CFA

CFA has consistently exceeded the baseline for the number of community members it engages each quarter. This quarter’s result exceeds the baseline by 17 per cent (Figure 1 below).

CFA delivers various initiatives focused on community education and fire safety to reduce the risk of fire, fire related injuries and other consequences. CFA reports ongoing collaboration with local councils, health services, schools, and early learning centres to provide essential fire safety education to the community.

FRV: Number of sessions of FireEd and risk reduction programs delivered to the community

FRV delivered 207 FireEd and risk reduction programs this quarter, including Senior’s Fire Safety, FireCAP and Fit2Drive programs. This is a 48 per cent increase compared to the previous quarter’s result (Figure 2 below).

FRV’s FireEd program delivers home fire safety education to primary school children, with the goal of promoting fire risk reduction practices for the future. The program is designed to support long-term reductions in house fires, property damage, and loss of life. FRV expects an increase in the number of sessions delivered as schools become more familiar with the program.

CFA: Decrease average time spent suppressing structure fires (time spent on scene of incident)

CFA has not met the baseline for this indicator since Q2, 2022-23 (Figure 3 below).

CFA recorded a result of 58 minutes and 55 seconds this quarter. This is 6 minutes and 13 seconds higher than the quarterly baseline of 52 minutes and 42 seconds.

While CFA did not meet its quarterly baseline, FSIM notes this quarter’s result is the lowest recorded result since Q1, 2023-24. It is also 5 minutes and 67 seconds below the yearly baseline of 64 minutes and 22 seconds.

CFA advises that structure fire suppression time can be affected by various factors, including the fire’s progression upon arrival, the type of structure, response times from support services like utilities, and the presence of hazardous materials.

FRV: Percentage of response to structure fire incidents within 7.7 minutes (target 90 per cent)

For the sixteenth consecutive quarter, FRV did not meet its target for responding to 90 per cent of structure fire incidents within 7.7 minutes. FRV reported a result of 87.42 per cent this quarter (Figure 4 below).

FRV attributes its challenges in meeting response targets to three main factors, including location accessibility, limited resource coverage, and turnout times. FRV advises that as part of its service planning efforts, it is working towards a sustainable approach to service delivery, including the need for additional stations and response units to improve geographic and resource coverage. FRV further advises that it plans to conduct an analysis of station layout and turnout protocols to identify further improvements.

CFA: Decrease in the number of house fires

CFA reported 234 house fires this quarter. This marks an 18 per cent increase from the previous quarter and is a negative change (Figure 5 below).

CFA advises that house fires can be caused by a range of factors that may not directly relate to CFA-specific activities, such as environmental conditions, socio-demographic variables, construction types, and building materials, influence the prevalence of house fires.

While fire prevention initiatives are important, CFA notes that their effects may take time to materialise and may not always align with short-term quarterly results.

FRV: Increase in support and maintenance of firefighters’ physical and psychological health

FRV reported a significant increase in the measure of injuries and near misses per 1000 FTE this quarter. This quarter’s result is also the highest recorded result to date (Figure 6 below).

FRV advises that this was due to a surge in reports, including ‘non-injury’ psychological exposure reports, following the 7th alarm Derrimut factory fire in July 2024. FRV notes that the increase in reports represents a positive trend because it enables proactive peer support and other interventions, as needed.

Despite the significant increase in injuries and near misses this quarter, FSIM notes that there was only a slight corresponding increase in the Lost Time Injury Severity rate measure this quarter.

CFA: Increase in hazard reporting

CFA recorded a result of 103 hazards reported this quarter. This represents a significant increase of 30 per cent over the quarterly baseline of 79 and a 23 per cent increase compared to the previous quarter.

FSIM notes that this quarter’s result is the highest on record and marks the first time CFA has met its quarterly baseline result since Q3, 2022-23.

CFA advised that this quarter’s result could be attributed to its efforts to raise staff and volunteers' awareness of the importance of hazard reporting.

Definitions

This is FRV’s outcomes progress report for Q1 2024-25. This progress report includes results against FRV’s quarterly outcome metrics.