ITEM CM7
COMMUNITY SAFETY SCRUTINY COMMITTEE - 27 OCTOBER 2008
FIRE SERVICE COMMAND AND CONTROL ROOM – THE FiReControl AND FireLink PROJECTS
Report by Assistant Chief Officer Colin Thomas (Oxfordshire’s Senior User for the FiReControl and FireLink Projects and Joint Regional Project Board Member)
Purpose/Background
· Regular update for Community Safety Scrutiny Committee. · General assessment – unwelcome delays in both projects are increasing the risks of us being unable to adequately support them.
Project Timescale
· FireLink main radio installation (known as Phase B) timescales are in a state of flux. We have been informed of a proposed 2 month slip (although we have never had a confirmed installation date). o Current expectation is that Phase B will commence in spring 2009. o The delivery of FiReControl deliverables continues to show delays but the formal planned date for Oxfordshire’s cut-over to the Regional Control Centre (RCC) remains unchanged (Jan 2011). o The dates given in the national project plan are becoming increasingly unrealistic and are probably being driven more by contractual penalty clauses than pragmatism.
Local Authority Controlled Company (LACC) Activity
· LACC board continues to meet monthly. · We await the formal issue of the terms and conditions for staff including those who transfer to the RCC: o LACC is aiming to issue this in Dec 08. o Allow staff to consider their options based on realistic information. o Would allow us to conduct an informal preference exercise which would better inform the RCC of our staff intentions (without obligation).
FiReControl Activity
Data Conversion and Migration Toolkit
· It now appears that we will not receive the Data Conversion and Migration Toolkit (DCMT1) until December 2008 or January 2009. o Our Data Manager attended a CLG seminar to go over the results of the matching of our Gazetteer against the National Land and Property Gazetteer (NLPG) which will be the basis of the RCC Gazetteer; § Useful meeting which identified work we can do now to better prepare for DCMT1 use. § Will use identified resource to start this work as soon as possible. o Concerned that late arrival of DCMT1 is compressing the time available for this work – accuracy and completeness of data will be essential for effective RCC mobilisation of our resources. · The data mapping study report, received as a result of work carried out by a specialist contractor during August, has proved to be a very good piece of work and has proved useful giving pointers to how to proceed. o Subsidiary projects will be required to action the recommendations.
Early Station End Equipment (ESEE)
· We have started work on our programme of enabling works for the installation of Early Station End Equipment. o At the time of writing 2 stations have been completed. o Some practical adjustments have been made to the plan as we gain experience but we are confident of finishing the work within the planned time and budget. · Any changes to the FireLink Phase B rollout could impact on the start date for ESEE installation which is currently set as May 2009.
Early Mobile Data Terminal Deployment (MDT)
· We await further information on any programme to deploy MDTs early to those Fire & Rescue Services (FRS) without them. This could be impacted to changes in FireLink timescales.
Firelink Activity
· The FireLink programme has proposed a 2 month delay. The project is also indicating that one possibility is that they fit MDTs during Phase B. o The additional time to fit the MDTs could extend our fit programme and is entirely unacceptable to us – we want to stay with the 1 day per vehicle timing to avoid undue effect on provision of fire cover. o Should the 2 month delay be agreed we are seeking assurance that the new dates given will be firm and that the project will adhere to them. o Our Phase B planning will need to be revisited with an impact on our training department, our vehicle servicing and the provision of resources to manage the programme. o Any or all of these may have cost/resource implications that we have yet to quantify. · We still await basic information to allow us to actively support the FireLink/Airwave service such as: o How equipment can be ordered (in accordance with the Oxfordshire County Council policy) post Phase B installation. o Detailed cost information for maintenance. o Policy on how the equipment will be used. o We cannot be sure that there will not be further delay due to identified technical issues with some of the mobile equipment. · Despite these problems we still regard the completion of the FireLink installation as a priority and we will endeavour to support it.
COLIN THOMAS Assistant Chief Fire Officer - FiReControl & FireLink Senior User
Tel: (01865) 855296
October 2008
|