Getting to know local communities, service users and
employees
We analyse local and national data to find out which groups in
our communities are most at risk of fire and road traffic
collisions.
We collect and monitor our workforce data, and conduct periodic
surveys and focus groups to seek the views of our staff.
Local communities
We produce detailed community
profiles about the people and places of Kent and
Medway at a county and local level which include statistical
data on characteristics such as gender, age, race, religion, and
disability.
We get to know our communities through initiatives such as open
days at our fire stations, safety education programmes for young people,
attendance at community events and visits to individual households
to offer safety
advice.
We formally consult with the public, partners and staff,
including representatives of diversity groups, on all of our major
decisions through our annual consultation process.
As well as looking at communities on a geographical
basis we also research the needs of different groups including
those with protected characteristics.
This approach helps us to understand how to engage with these
groups and meet their needs.
Service users
We use incident data, debriefs and surveys to identify who uses
our services, which groups of people are most or least likely to
use them in the future, and to get feedback about how satisfied
they are with the Service they receive. All of this information is
published on our website as part of the Corporate Plan.
Staff
In addition to monitoring the composition of our workforce
through analysis of data (age, gender etc), we seek the views
of our staff through regular meetings, staff surveys, focus groups
and diversity support groups.
Partnerships
We have a number of partnerships with other local authorities,
agencies and community groups. Working with these partners helps us
to engage with communities and meet their diverse needs.
Analysing and understanding data
We have a team of analysts which use the data gathered in order
to profile community risks and ensure that we continue to provide
the services that people need. This analysis identifies emerging
trends so that we can continue to develop our services for the
future.