To consider any apologies for absence.

Apologies received from Councillors Sam Gorst, Ed Lamb, Jeanie Bell, Doreen Knight and Co-opted Member, Mr Anthony Boyle. Councillor Jan Grace attended as a substitute for Councillor Jeanie Bell.

To consider declarations of interest in relation to any item on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest in relation to any item on the agenda.

That’s To consider the minutes of the last meeting held on 25^th February 2025.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the last meeting held on 25^th February 2025 be agreed as an accurate record.

To consider the report relating to MFRS’ Operational Response to Flood (CFO/96/25).

Group Manager, Chris Barrett, delivered a presentation on Flood Rescue, explaining that flooding could be categorised into different events including fluvial, pluvial and coastal. It was advised that fluvial flooding happened when rivers overflowed due to heavy rainfall or snowmelt and Merseyside wasn’t affected by this. Pluvial flooding was a sudden and intense flood cause by heavy rainfall in a short period, often in urban areas or near dry riverbeds. Members were advised that this was something Merseyside could suffer from in the future. Merseyside had been affected by coastal flooding in the past and it was likely to happen again in the future. This was when ocean water surged onto land due to storms or high tides.

It was noted that global warming could lead to flooding due to melting ice and rising sea levels, more extreme weather such as storms, changing rainfall patterns and warming oceans.

Members were shown some images of recent flooding events in 2024/25 that affected the country which were mainly due to rivers bursting. This wasn’t an area of great concern for Merseyside, however, it could affect the area in the future so being aware was vital. A video was also shown to Members to demonstrate how quickly flooding could occur, along with pictures from local floods that MFRS attended.

Councillor Jan Grace commented on how dirty the water was during a flood. Chris explained that the overflowing drainage resulted in raw sewage entering people's homes and businesses. It usually took around six months for residents to return to their homes.

Members were reassured that all MFRS staff were trained to a minimum standard of still water rescue to give them the skills to respond to water and flood incidents with appropriate PPE. Furthermore, the Search and Rescue Team (SRT) provided a specialist response and could work in and around moving water using specialist rescue equipment and techniques. It was noted that there were 80 trained SRT staff at Aintree and Kirkdale Fire Stations. Councillor Dave Hanratty queried how a national emergency, with some staff being deployed, would affect the Service’s local team. Chris Barrett reassured Members that this would not be an issue, as the retained recall to duty system allowed for the deployment of 15 additional staff to provide coverage.

Chris advised Members that the UK Fire Service played a crucial role in responding to flooding nationally, working alongside other emergency services such as the police, ambulance and local authorities. It was acknowledged that the Service had two ‘Type B’ flood teams registered on the Flood Rescue National Asset Register which were made up from specialist trained SRT staff. The ‘Type B’ team was a powered boat where all team members were trained Swift Water Technicians and Rescue Boat Operators. It was noted that the Service had been deployed nationally to a number of areas.

It was explained that the Service also helped with flood response internationally, with six staff members being deployed to Malawi in 2023, with 358 rescues taking place.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

To consider the report relating to the changes in Operational Response further to the emergence of Alternative Fuels and Energy Systems (CFO/95/25).

Officer, John O’Boyle, took the Members through his presentation acknowledging that alternative fuels were energy sources used to power vehicles and machinery that differed from traditional fossil fuels like petrol and diesel, including electricity biofuels, hydrogen and natural gas. Other alternative fuels were propane, methanol, synthetic fuels and ammonia. John explained that the biggest challenge would be determining which technology would prevail – whether it would be lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles.

Members were informed of the work John had carried out, including a review of current Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), the revision of eLearning modules, the development of a training package for operational crews, and support in creating command assessments for Crew, Watch, and Station Managers.

It was acknowledged that there had been a rise in e-bike and e-scooter-related domestic fires, resulting in three fatalities since 2023. Members were reassured that the Authority was actively engaged in national efforts to educate the public and promote safety.

It was noted that as part of Home Fire Safety Checks, prevention staff were having conversations with the public to raise awareness of this. As part of a national campaign from the NFCC, the prevention team included questions in their checks to identify households with e-bikes or e-scooters, aiming to pinpoint areas of potential risk.

In order to keep firefighters safe, training had taken place at the Training and Development Academy (TDA), including an electric vehicle event in an underground structure and a session plan had been devised. Fire blankets had been made available to operational crews, and EV Battery Isolators were now part of the SRT and Operational Equipment Team.  There has been a demonstration of an Ultra High-Pressure Lance to Senior Officers, which showed benefits for dealing with fires. The Deputy Chief Fire Officer advised that the system injected small particulates into the water jet and allowed it to act like a drill to pierce through the casing material to reach the battery. This approach aimed to cool the battery and interrupt the chemical reaction; however, it is difficult to identify which individual battery cell, out of possibly thousands, was in thermal runaway.

John O’Boyle highlighted the development of other vehicles across the region including the deployment of hydrogen-powered buses across the Liverpool City Region and hybrid electric buses throughout Merseyside.

John O’Boyle stated the critical need to educate the public about the dangers of discarding lithium-ion batteries in household waste bins. He also informed Members that efforts were underway to advocate for standardised regulations concerning lithium-ion batteries, aiming to enhance safety and ensure consistent practices across the sector.

It was noted that the NFCC were expected to provide a position statement on Fire Safety Risks in Energy Technology on behalf of the sector. This would first be needed to be reviewed by the sector with the aim of achieving an agreed position. Councillor Dave Hanratty advised that he met with the Electrical Safety First Campaign and expressed his support for their campaign. He proposed that the entire  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

To consider the Scrutiny Forward Work Plan 20245-25 (CFO/94/25).

Monitoring Officer, Ria Groves introduced the report, noting that Members were aware that the Scrutiny Forward Work Plan (SFWP) was a standard item on the Scrutiny Committee, and this was the final meeting of this municipal year. Members noted that the Forward Work Plan was on page 25 of the agenda and all items highlighted in blue had been scrutinised throughout the year. Ria Groves advised that there were three outstanding items yet to cover and she proposed that these be carried forward into the next year. It was acknowledged that Ria had a list of areas that Members had wished to propose for the next Scrutiny Forward Work Plan such at attendance times and staff survey.

It was reported that a Scrutiny Workshop would be arranged for July for Scrutiny Members to discuss items to put forward for the next SFWP.  This would then be put forward to the Committee for sign off at the beginning of the next municipal year.

RESOLVED that;

a)    the current progress of the Scrutiny Forward Work Plan 2024-2025 to date be noted; and

b)    the outstanding items on the Scrutiny Forward Work Plan be reviewed.

Close

Date of next meeting Tuesday, 22 July 2025.