West Yorkshire Fire Callsigns

The request was refused by West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Dear West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service,

I would like to request your call signs for your fire and rescue service.

Yours faithfully,
M.Pritchard

Information, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service

Thank you for contacting West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Your enquiry will be reviewed by the relevant department during office
hours (Monday to Friday 09:00 – 17:00 hours).

If you have a fire or other rescue emergency, always dial 999 immediately.

Information relating to ‘frequently asked questions’ can be found on our
website under FAQs.

 

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Information, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service

Our ref: IM20181227-01

 

27^th December 2018

 

Dear M.Pritchard

 

Re: Freedom of Information Act 2000 - Request for Information

 

Thank you for your email dated 22^nd December 2018, which was received by
West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service on 27^th December 2018, requesting
the following information:

 

“I would like to request your call signs for your fire and rescue
service.”

 

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service acknowledges receipt of your
request and confirms that it will respond to you with the information it
holds, unless the information is covered by one of the exemptions in the
Act. We will respond to you as soon as possible, and in any event within
the 20 working days required by the Freedom of Information Act 2000, in
the manner requested. Accordingly, we will respond with the information
that you have requested by 25^th January 2019.

 

In some circumstances a fee may be payable and if that is the case, I will
let you know. A fees notice will be issued to you, and you will be
required to pay before we will proceed to deal with your request.

 

Exemptions under the Act

Although you may request any information we hold, there are a few
exemptions under the Act that mean that we may not be able to disclose the
information you need. If we decide that we cannot release the information
requested, we will explain which exemption is relevant in this case.

 

If you have any queries, or wish to discuss any aspect of your request,
please do not hesitate to contact us on 01274 473787, quoting the
reference number provided above.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Information Management Team

Corporate Services

 

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service

Oakroyd Hall | Bradford Road | Birkenshaw | West Yorkshire | BD11 2DY

 

T: 01274 473787

 

The information that you supplied with your Request for Information will
be entered into a filing system and will only be accessed by authorised
persons of West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service. The information will be
retained and will be used for the purpose of (a) processing your request
for information; (b) helping us to make decisions about how we handle
requests for information, and (c) informing the public from time to time
of the types of requests we have received and how we have responded.

 

In the case of (c) no information about you would be disclosed to the
public.

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Information, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service

Our ref: IM20181227-01

 

24 January 2019

 

Dear Mr Pritchard,

 

Freedom of Information Act 2000

 

Thank you for your request for information dated 27 December 2018, which
was received by the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service on the same
day.

 

Your request is as follows:

‘’I would like to request your call signs for your fire and rescue
service.’’

 

West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service response:

 

West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service have now completed its search for the
information you requested and can now confirm as follows:-

 

Call signs are not published on our website or released externally by West
Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service in response to a freedom of information
request. Below I have provided the reasoning of why calls signs aren’t
routinely released externally.

 

Call Signs

Call signs are used to identify and direct officers and vehicles at
incidents. In the wrong hands call signs could be misused to impersonate
an officer and interfere with emergency response management.

We do not think that disclosure of call signs would cause an imminent or
direct threat, but we believe there is a real risk that detailed call sign
information could be used maliciously to impede or interfere with our
emergency response and cause real harm.

 

Exemption

We have decided to withhold the call signs under the Section 24 (1)
National Security and Section 38 Health and Safety exemptions. The reasons
for our decision are explained further below:

 

·        The misuse of call signs is a real risk. Major incidents involve
large numbers of staff from different agencies who do not all know each
other by sight or name and this factor increases the reliance on call
signs.

 

·        Fire and Rescue Services are part of the Critical National
Infrastructure and therefore we have a duty to protect our assets and
provide appropriate security to ensure resilience and be able to deploy
our resources accordingly.

 

·        The Information Commissioner (ICO) guidance states that “national
security” can be interpreted widely, and need not be a direct or immediate
threat. We therefore believe that national security can be considered in
this case.

 

·        Security risks and criminal or terrorist actions continually
develop, exploiting available opportunities. Knowledge of call signs could
facilitate further types of attack or threat.

 

When applying these exemptions we must consider whether the public
interest favours disclosing or withholding this information.

There is an overriding public interest in safeguarding security, reducing
the threat from criminal or terrorist activity, and preventing potential
danger to the health and safety of the public and of our employees.

We are not aware of any public interest in call signs. The call signs are
used only by employees for emergency response management. We have been
unable to identify any way in which knowledge of the call signs would
contribute to openness, inform public debate, or evidence proper use of
public funds.

 

Your right to seek a Review

 

If you are dissatisfied in any way with the handling of your request, you
have the right to request a review. You should do this as soon as possible
or in any case within two months of the date of issue of this email. In
the event that you require a review to be undertaken, you can do so by
writing to the Information Management Officer, Corporate Services at:

 

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service

Oakroyd Hall

Birkenshaw

West Yorkshire

BD11 2DY

Telephone: 01274 473787

E-mail: [1][West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service request email]

 

If you are not satisfied with the assistance that you get from the West
Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service or if we have not been able to resolve
your complaint and feel that a formal complaint needs to be made then this
should be addressed to the office of the Information Commissioner. This is
the organisation that ensures compliance with the Freedom of Information
Act 2000 and that deals with formal complaints. They can be contacted at:

 

Information Commissioner

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Telephone: 01625 545745

Web: [2]www.ico.org.uk

 

If you require further advice about the information we have sent or wish
to discuss any aspect of your request, please do not hesitate to contact
us on 01274 473787, quoting the reference number provided above.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

T Amber

Information Management Assistant

Corporate Services

 

Most of the information that we provide in response to Freedom of
Information Act 2000 or Environmental Information Regulations 2004
requests will be subject to copyright protection. In most cases the
copyright will be owned by West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service. The
copyright in other information may be owned by another person or
organisation, as indicated on the information itself.

 

You are free to use any information supplied for your own non-commercial
research or private study purposes. The information may also be used for
any other purpose allowed by a limitation or exception in copyright law,
such as news reporting. However, any other type of re-use, for example by
publishing the information in analogue or digital form, including on the
internet, will require the permission of the copyright owner.

 

For information where the copyright is owned by the West Yorkshire Fire
and Rescue Service details of the conditions on re-use is under the terms
of the Open Government Licence.

 

For information where the copyright is owned by another person or
organisation you must apply to the copyright owner to obtain their
permission.

 

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References

Visible links
1. mailto:[West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service request email]
2. http://www.ico.org.uk/