Response Time Targets Exceeded By Humberside Firefighters

Humberside Fire and Rescue Service responded to 13,678 incidents in the last year. It has continued to exceed response time targets, too.

Its annual performance was discussed by the Humberside Fire Authority at its July meeting. The fire service has seen an increase in external fires it has responded to in recent months, which its deputy chief fire officer linked to climate change.

In 2024/25, the service responded to 13,678 incidents, marginally down on the previous year’s figure of 13,708. Its first fire engine arrived within required times to 97.77 per cent of incidents, above a 90 per cent target.

There was also a 90 per cent success rate for second engine attendance within five minutes of the first. The data also reveals the fire service attended 504 road traffic collisions last year. It also rescued 1,544 people from a range of incidents.

There were 316 accidental dwelling fires the service attended in 2024/25, down 21 on the year before. Unfortunately, six people died in such cases, one more than in 2023/24. Arson fires increased by four per cent, with around 2,000 in total. However, most continue to be secondary arson fires, typically small outdoor fires not involving property or people.

The fire service continued to take significant proactive action to prevent fires. This included:

• 10,000 home fire safety visits, and installing 6,380 smoke and sensory alarms.
• Through school visits, engagement with more than 51,000 children.
• Issuing 15 enforcement notices over fire safety, eight prohibition notices and 12 alteration notices.

The service was also rated ‘outstanding’ in two areas, including ‘preventing
fires and other risks’, in its inspection last year by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS). The performance report does show a significant increase in fire service staff absence days due to mental health reasons.

There were 2,761 duty days lost to this in 2024/25, compared to 2,031 the year before. Full time duty staff overall average absence days rose to almost 12 days per person, up from approximately eight.

At the fire authority meeting, deputy chief fire officer Niall McKiniry noted it was the second-highest reason for absence across all staff groups.

“To really get to the bottom of are more people struggling or are more people reporting, it’s a difficult one.

“What I can say is we are putting in more support,”

Commenting on the report, a Humberside Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said:

“As an emergency service we met our response time targets and attended thousands of incidents, while also carrying out a wide range of prevention work and supporting vulnerable people through home fire safety visits.

“There has been a rise in sickness absence, especially around mental health and we are continuing to support staff wellbeing. We also see this as a sign that our staff feel more comfortable asking for help, which is incredibly important to us.”

The fire service has 1,042 employees, and for the first time, disciplinary information was included in the performance report. There were 19 disciplinaries, with seven dismissals.

Concern was raised by Cllr Shane McMurray (Labour – Hull City Council) on the high proportion of dismissals. Fire service officers agreed to update the fire authority in future with informal disciplinary meeting figures.

The fire authority also heard about the fire service’s workforce plan, and a challenge it had with firefighters able to leave sooner than the time to train a replacement.

“At present, firefighters are required to provide just four weeks notice to go. And it takes 12 weeks to train [a new firefighter]."

That's according to assistant chief fire officer, Matt Sutcliffe, who added about the notice period:

“We’re making changes for new entrants.” 

The fire service has confirmed new entrants from this year must give three months’ notice to leave.