Example 13

Statements of intent: Examples of reporting practice.

New Zealand Fire Service Commission (Whakaratonga Iwi), Statement of Intent 2008/2011, page 32

Financial and non-Financial Measures

Main non-financial measures

As part of its overall evaluation processes the Commission continually reviews and updates its strategic approach to fire risk management and the resulting measures of performance. Some of the national goals listed below may evolve over time as part of that process. The targets included in the following national goals have an improvement component included when compared to the pervious five-year average.

Fire-related

Achieve and maintain the estimated total number of fires in New Zealand to less than 2,300 per 100,000 population.1
Achieve and maintain the number of fires in structures to less than 130 per 100,000 population.
Achieve and maintain the number of vegetation fires to less than 120 per 100,000 population.
Achieve and maintain an avoidable residential structure fire fatality rate of less than 0.5 per 100,000 population.
Achieve and maintain the number of life threatening and moderate injuries to the public from fire incidents to less than 4.5 per 100,000 population.
Maintain the estimated dollar value of damage from fires in residential structures below $54m per annum.2
Maintain the estimated dollar value of damage from fires in non-residential structures below $50m per annum.2
Response times for fire incidents inside fire districts will be monitored for performance against the national service delivery guidelines of:
  • 7 minutes 30 seconds 90% of the time for career stations
  • 10 minutes 90% of the time for volunteer stations.
Contain ninety-five percent of all wildfires within two hours of being reported.
Ensure annual area burnt by wildfires is 5% less than the previous 10-year average 75th percentile.

1: The Fire Service has incident data on the number of fires it attends, but independent surveys show this number is between 9% and 25% of all unwanted fires people have in houses and between 19% and 44% of outside fires. The Commission estimates the total number of all fires in New Zealand each year by taking the annual number of fires attended by the Fire Service and dividing it by the by 5-year average percentage attended by the Fire Service. The effect of this calculation is to up-rate the Fire Service incident data as if it attended 100% of all fires.

2: The Fire Service estimates dollar value lost by using its own estimate of area damaged and the standard industry quantity survey tables for construction cost by building type.

The following national goals measure the impact fire safety programmes have on changing the level of fire safety knowledge and behaviour of the public. Also included is the level of preparedness of fire authorities and the work of the NRFA to encourage fire authorities to merge into enlarged fire authorities. These goals contribute to fire-related goals above.

Improve the fire safety knowledge and behaviour of the public: projections developed for 2011:
  • 98% of people will believe a fire can become unsurvivable in five minutes or less
  • 85% of people recall a fire safety message
  • 96% of homes will have at least one smoke alarm installed
Improve rural fire planning: 100% of fire authorities will meet their legal obligations for adopting and reviewing their fire plans. The readiness and response parts of the fire plan will be reviewed every two years and the risk reduction and recovery parts of the fire plan every five years.
Reduce the number of fire authorities from 89 to 60 by 2013.*

* The achievement of this national goal will only be achieved in consultation with fire authorities and with the agreement of fire authorities.

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