Somerset residents are being asked for their help in shaping the future of the fire service to best respond and manage risk.

The Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service is undertaking its regular strategic review of the risks that the two counties might face in the future and what the future landscape might look like in terms of infrastructure as well as societal trends.

As part of this process, the fire service wants to hear from people and partners across Devon and Somerset.

Feedback will give the service an understanding of what residents feel are local risks that need to be considered as well as perceptions of the fire and rescue service and its role.

The survey asks questions around which statutory and non-statutory duties that the fire service currently undertake are important, that risks and hazards exist in your area, and whether those risks and hazards are likely to change over the next five years.

Feedback from the survey will feed into the new Community Risk Management Plan – covering April 2022 until 2027 – which will outline the risks in the communities and how the fire service plans to manage those risks to make people safer.

Darren Peters, area manager at Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, said: "I am here to ask for your help in developing our next community risk management plan for 2022-27.

"It is our assessment of the communities and risks across Devon and Somerset and then the plan as to how we aim to reduce those risks wherever possible by preventing fires and other emergencies from happening, or helping businesses to achieve their legal fire safety responsibility.

"Unfortunately, emergencies will continue to happen and the community risk management plan will also ensure we have the fire station, fire engines and firefighters in the right place to respond to those emergencies.

"We are asking for information from communities, staff and other agencies and we hope you can contribute, and the information will help formulate the plan and then will be available for public consultation this autumn."

A fire service spokesman said: "The information we gather, alongside our incident data, will help us develop our CRMP.

"Once the draft plan is published, we will check that information has been accurately represented in the plan during a period of consultation and this will be towards the end of the year."

Residents can have their say on the survey which is available online at https://wh.snapsurveys.com/s.asp?k=161702405731 before May 20, 2021.

By Daniel Clark - Local Democracy Reporter

Photo: Graham Richardson