Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service's Fire Plan 2025-2029

Closes 10 Mar 2025

Consultation

1. PRIORITY ONE: Help make our communities safer and more resilient

Why do we think this is important?

Actively preventing emergencies reduces the risk to our communities and firefighters, and is more effective than responding to incidents after they happen.

GMFRS has a responsibility to assess fire and rescue related risks in the city-region and develop effective Prevention and Protection activities to help keep the people of Greater Manchester safe.

By engaging and working in collaboration with our residents, businesses and partners, we can more effectively keep our communities safe, particularly those most at risk. Our programmes of work include education, campaigns, and interventions such as home fire safety assessments. We also work to ensure that individuals and organisations responsible for protecting the public from fire are effectively fulfilling their duties.

The Grenfell Tower fire and other incidents have demonstrated the high levels of risk within the built environment resulting from substandard construction. It is vital that our residents are safe, and feel safe, in their homes.

As well as the danger to life and the risk of injury, fires can be economically devastating for businesses. GMFRS has a significant role in enabling the region’s growth by providing businesses with support and advice to make them more resilient to fires.

As part of Greater Manchester’s approach to a “one public service” model, GMFRS is committed to supporting wider city-region priorities including Live Well, which continues to develop, youth engagement, and the improvement of housing standards, as part of Housing First. The new Housing First Unit will increase housing supply and help prevent homelessness. It will also drive up housing standards through the UK’s first Good Landlord Charter, and the new right for residents to request a Property Check, followed up by enforcement action where necessary.

GMFRS is also committed to reducing deaths on our roads and in our waterways. The Service plays a leading role in the Greater Manchester Water Safety Strategic Partnership and is a key part of the Safer Roads Greater Manchester (SRGM) Partnership. SRGM has created the Vision Zero Strategy, supporting safe and accessible journeys on Greater Manchester’s roads and across the Bee Network.

Working to improve the health, prospects, and living conditions of the people of Greater Manchester will help make our communities more resilient to the risks we face.

To what extent do you agree it should be a priority for Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service to help make our communities safer and more resilient?

Commitments to our communities, partners, and staff under Priority One

GMFRS will:

  1. Engage effectively with all communities and our partners, working together to solve problems and deliver joint responses to local risks.
  2. Support the delivery of ‘Live Well’ to help improve the health and well-being of our communities and create better opportunities for everyone.
  3. Adapt our home fire safety assessments to support the delivery of new property checks as part of the work of the city-region's Housing First Unit.
  4. Play a leading role in the Greater Manchester Water Safety Strategic Partnership to help create a future without drowning.
  5. Work with the Safer Roads Greater Manchester Partnership to deliver ‘Vision Zero’, our shared vision for zero deaths and serious injuries on our roads and across the Bee Network.
  6. Enhance our youth engagement schemes and ensure they help deliver the city-region’s wider commitments, including offering young people opportunities to help develop their skills and achieve their aspirations, and support the reduction of offending and serious violence.
  7. Collect and analyse information, including from partner agencies and communities, to effectively deliver targeted campaigns, education, and interventions to those most at risk.
  8. Strengthen our partnership approach to improving the safety of flats and apartments, in line with new legislation and the findings from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, while actively supporting the remediation of buildings.
  9. Provide advice and instruction to the premises we inspect and regulate, to help ensure our communities are safe in the buildings they live, work in, and visit.
  10. Robustly enforce fire safety regulations, prosecuting where necessary, to ensure those responsible for protecting the public from fire are effectively fulfilling their duties.
  11. Enhance the skills, qualifications, and resources of our staff to further improve how we keep our communities and built environment safe.
2. PRIORITY TWO: Deliver a first-class emergency response

To what extent do you agree it should be a priority for Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service to deliver a first-class emergency response?

Why do we think this is important?

An effective response to emergencies saves lives, reduces injuries, and limits damage to property, the economy, and the environment. It will always be one of our main priorities.

It is essential we understand and adapt to the changing risks Greater Manchester faces, so we are ready when an emergency occurs. To respond to an incident safely and effectively, we need to do so quickly, in the right numbers, and with the appropriate skills, equipment, and knowledge. Often emergencies demand a multi-agency response, so we need to work seamlessly with other blue light services, partners, and the Greater Manchester Resilience Forum.

As part of Greater Manchester’s approach to a “one public service” model, GMFRS is committed to supporting partners across Greater Manchester to improve outcomes for communities.

Commitments to our communities, partners, and staff under Priority Two

GMFRS will:

  1. Analyse current and emerging threats, and implement approaches to reduce the risks to our communities.
  2. Provide a response to emergencies that is fast, effective, and as safe as possible.
  3. Continually review our frontline assets and how they are deployed, to ensure we have the right resources, in the right place, and in the right numbers.
  4. When appropriate, provide operational support to other fire and rescue services, emergency responders, and local partners.
  5. Ensure our operational training programme is delivered continuously, and to the highest quality, adapting to new and emerging risks.
  6. Commit to the planning and delivery of multi-agency training and exercising to ensure an effective and integrated response to large scale threats.
  7. Research and invest in state-of-the-art equipment, vehicles, personal protective equipment, and technology, to ensure we keep our communities and firefighters safe.
  8. Work to ensure we are resilient and prepared to respond to the increasing threat of incidents caused by the climate emergency.
  9. Continually improve our operational policies and procedures, ensuring they build on lessons learned and national best practice.
  10. Ensure the health, fitness and safety of our operational workforce.
  11. Explore opportunities to provide a wider response to medical emergencies.
  12. Monitor and identify improvements to our 999 Control function.
3. PRIORITY THREE: Ensure Service excellence, inclusivity, and sustainability

To what extent do you agree it should be a priority for Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service to ensure Service excellence, inclusivity, and sustainability?

Why do we think this is important?

We are funded by the public. It is vital we deliver an excellent service that provides value and is inclusive and sustainable over the long term.

Our people are our most valuable resource. A successful public service reflects and listens to the communities it serves and engages effectively with its workforce. It has the right people, with the right skills, and creates a culture that is supportive, inclusive, and guided by inspiring leadership.

In addition to being transparent and assessing the impact of our work, it is important we find new ways to improve outcomes for our communities. This is key to ensuring our efforts are sustainable and deliver value. As part of Greater Manchester’s approach to a “one public service” model, GMFRS is committed to supporting wider regional priorities. This includes the MBacc, our city-region’s plan to improve technical education by opening clear pathways from school to high-quality jobs.

It is also essential we use our resources responsibly. The climate emergency is increasing incidents of flooding, wildfires, and storms. This places further demands on fire cover, and heightens the risks faced by our communities and firefighters. As an ethical organisation, we must prioritise sustainable delivery to help reduce costs, and reduce the threat to our staff and the people we serve.

Commitments to our communities, partners, and staff under Priority Three

GMFRS will:

  1. Provide transparency and best value for our communities to ensure people understand and benefit from how we are spending their money.
  2. Embed sustainable and innovative practices that will help reduce our impact on the environment.
  3. Work to attract, recruit, and retain a workforce that is more representative of the people of Greater Manchester.
  4. Develop fair and effective pathways into the Service for young people through the MBacc, and through our own youth engagement programmes.
  5. Provide effective and equitable development opportunities for all staff, removing barriers to provide pathways that are inclusive and progressive, increasing the number of women and other underrepresented groups in leadership roles.
  6. Ensure the culture of the Service is one of respect, inclusivity, and empowerment, so our staff feel supported and valued for the work they do.
  7. Deliver effective engagement with staff and representative bodies to ensure everyone has a voice and feedback is acted on.
  8. Implement effective processes to enhance and manage the health, safety, and wellbeing of our workforce.
  9. Modernise our fire stations and facilities to ensure they are fit for purpose and reflect the needs of our workforce and the public.
  10. Drive excellence and excellent leadership through continuous learning, identifying and implementing best practices, and evaluating the quality and impact of our services.
  11. Research and incorporate new digital technologies to enhance the way we work.
  12. Engage with the Government and other national bodies to ensure GMFRS has the right resources and the right legislation to keep our communities safe.
4. Do you have any other comments about the Fire Plan?