High Speed Driving

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Dear Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service,

Can you advise how many drivers you have that are permitted to use Blue Light warning devices fitted to a vehicle while the vehicle is in motion.

Can you advise at what level these Drivers are trained to? (Eg is it an internal award or recognized by an external awarding body) What is the total contact time duration of this course.

Are these courses compliant with Section 19 of the Road Safety Act 2006.

Has there been an impact assessment on the introduction of Section 19 conducted in the last 3 years, if please provide the report.

If section 19 of the Road Safety Act 2006 was to be enacted what, if any, impact would it have on the service.

Yours faithfully,

Norma Barrow

Emily Bray, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service

Dear Norma

Thank you for your Freedom of Information request, please find the
information requested below:

Can you advise how many drivers you have that are permitted to use Blue
Light warning devices fitted to a vehicle while the vehicle is in motion
Currently 241 fire appliance drivers and 24 responding officers.

Can you advise at what level these Drivers are trained to?
High Speed Driver Training Standards. Following the Joint Emergency
Services, High Speed Driver Training Group Code of Practice. Driving
Instructors are trained to RoSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of
Accidents) or through training courses adhering to the code of practice
and delivered externally. The students are trained on an internal training
course to the code of practice standards.

What is the total contact time duration of this course –
ERDT Initial Course 2:1 ratio - 5 days, 1:1 ratio – 4 days and Refresher
course 1:1 ratio 1 day, frequency - three years.

Are these courses compliant with Section 19 of the Road Safety Act 2006 –
The course follow and adhere to the HSDT Code of Practice. Section 19 is
not yet currently enacted within the Road Safety Act 2006. We believe as a
Service that Section 19 will be enacted in the near future and within our
region we are working with partners to ensure we are section 19 compliant.

Has there been an impact assessment on the introduction of Section 19
conducted in the last 3 years, if please provide the report – No, however
we worked with the region 5 years ago to change what the Service was doing
to come into line with what was expected to be introduced to section 19.
This involved increasing the length of the ERDT Initial course from 3 to 5
days and ensuring internal quality assurance was in place.

If section 19 of the Road Safety Act 2006 was to be enacted what, if any,
impact would it have on the service –
It is considered that it would have limited impact as Shropshire Fire and
Rescue Service is already following best practice and the possible section
19 guidelines. However, it could possibly lead to longer course lengths
i.e. moving from 5 days to 8 for initial courses.

Regards

Emily Bray
Planning and Programmes Officer
Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service

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