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The role of research in improving fire safety

Thankfully, the number of people in Wales suffering injury and death in home fires has decreased over time. The chart below shows this trend for accidental dwelling fires between 1999 and 2006 (Source: WAG, Social Justice and Community Safety Statistics, from FRS data).

This trend has largely been driven by the greater emphasis of the Fire & Rescue Services in providing advice to communities on how they can reduce their fire risks and through installing thousands of smoke alarms in homes across Wales. However, there is still more that can be done to prevent further injuries and deaths - and evidence from research can help to support the direction, targeting and content of further fire safety initiatives.

Furthermore, research (in the form of rigorous evaluation) can inform which initiatives and interventions work best in achieving stated desired outcomes. This could yet become more critical still, as economic conditions bring increased pressure to secure the best value from limited resources.

Anyone with an interest in reducing the incidence and severity of accidental domestic fires will want to find answers in the following areas:

Who? Targeting – who are most at risk/vulnerable?

Where? Targeting – where can these people be reached and are some harder to reach than others?

What?The ‘intervention’ – what’s going to work and is this the same for everybody?

How? Execution of interventions & messages - language, tone, delivery method, communications channel

When? When to deliver interventions - to reflect the prioritisation based upon relative differences in risk amongst population

Why?Why are some interventions more effective than others? This cannot truly be answered without conducting an evaluation of each.

We don’t have all the answers to all of these questions - but research can significantly add to our understanding in each and every one of these areas.

Research at Firebrake

It is therefore a key objective for Firebrake to promote evidence-based practice in fire prevention and fire safety activity in Wales. We do this through leading and conducting primary research, as well as through the dissemination of information from other relevant fire safety research, from Wales and throughout the UK and beyond.

Firebrake’s research capacity has recently been extended, following the appointment of Richard Hall to the post of ‘Policy and Research Co-ordinator’ . Richard joined the team in February 2009, bringing considerable research knowledge and experience to the organisation. Before joining us, his most recent role was as Research Manager, for the UK’s largest privately owned student accommodation provider.

The 3 Welsh Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs) already employ their own methods to target their community fire safety interventions in their respective regions. Firebrake support this by carrying out research across the whole of Wales, which puts us in the unique position of being able to offer a Wales-wide perspective on fire safety research.

Evidence from recent research has clearly shown the benefits that can be achieved through closer collaboration between the FRSs and those community organisations that work for/with those people most at risk of fire. Firebrake will conduct research into how these partnerships can be most effective and who the best partners are for reaching vulnerable and/or hard to reach communities. The type of research will be a key focus for Firebrake and you can see an example of research that we've already conducted with the 22 Care & Repair Agencies in Wales by clicking here

Relevant Research

Wales

Fires in the Home 2008. Results from the Living in Wales Surveys. WAG, September '09 (PDF, 185KB)
Fire Statistics Monitor Wales (Q4 2008). WAG, Sept '09 (PDF, 186KB)
Deliberate Fires, 2007. Wales wide statistics/trends in deliberate fires from Welsh FRS reports (2000 - 2007). WAG, August '09 (PDF, 279kb)
Fire Statistics Monitor Wales (Q3 2008). WAG, Jul '09 (PDF, 188KB)
Statistical Bulletin - Fire Statistics Wales, 2007 WAG, June '09 (PDF, 261KB)
Statistical Bulletin - Grassland Fires 2007 WAG, June '09 (PDF, 363KB)
Fire Statistics Monitor Wales (Q2 2008). WAG, May ’09 (PDF, 183KB)

England

Fire Statistics - United Kingdom, 2007 CLG, August 2009 (PDF, 1.54MB)
Fire Kills Annual Report 08-09. CLG, July 09 (PDF, 2.38MB)
Public Perceptions of the Fire & Rescue Service and Home Fire Safety Issues - Regional Graphical Report Prepared by Opinion Research Services for the South East Fire Improvement Partnership, June 09 (PDF, 1.19MB)
Fire Statistics Monitor (covering period up to 30th June 2008). CLG, May ’09 (PDF, 481KB)
Final Evaluation of the Home Fire Risk Check Grant and Fire Prevention Grant Programmes”. CLG, March 2009 (PDF, 966KB)
Understanding people's attitudes towards fire risk - Final report to Communities and Local Government - Fire Research Series. CLG, August 2008

International

The Risks, Perceptions and Experiences of Fire Among Older People Heimdall Consulting Ltd, May 2007 (PDF, 1.55MB)
NZFS (New Zealand Fire Service) Research Among People with Physical and Sensory Disabilities UMR Research, February 2007 (PDF, 1.58MB)
New Zealand Fire Service Fire Knowledge Research, Qualitative Research Report. TNS, Aug 2006 (PDF, 976KB)
Accidental Fire Fatalities in Residential Structures: Who’s at Risk? Australasian Fire Authorities Council, October 2005 (PDF, 1.54MB)
Hospitsalisation for non-fatal injury as a result of unintentional domestic fire incidents: New Zealand 1996-2000 University of Otago, December 2002 (PDF, 205KB)
Vulnerability and the Translation of Safety Knowledge Victoria University of Wellington, February 2002 (PDF, 577KB)
Improving the Fire Safety Knowledge & Practices of Vulnerable Groups New Zealand Council for Education Research, June 2000 (PDF, 951KB)
Fire Fatalities: Who’s at Risk? Research Report Department of Emergency Services, Australia, October 1998 (PDF, 1.63MB)