A Selection of Poetry

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Subject:	Re: FW: FW: (555)Some questions before input re consultation 'Safer Together'
Date:	Mon, 23 Sep 2019 08:17:39 +0100
From:	David Halpin This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
To:	Safer Together Programme

(I am sorry.  I omitted to include John Hart, Leader of DCC, in this.  I was very heartened when he listened to me regarding two potentially lethal pot holes in this parish on the Bovey-Widecombe road, which I filled with fast setting concrete 2 months ago.  The Highway Authority has been negligent in this important matter.  I cited later an anecdote in which a near fatal accident below Haytor was suffered by a welcome cyclist from Germany.  Britain has a good chance of running well, rather than limping with morale in tow.)

Dear Anonymous at 'Safer Together' (Orwell lives)   Safer Together Programme Service Delivery Operating Model Consultation Costs - add etc.

(Copied to BBC Spotlight SW Correspondents, Andy Brere and Ben Woolvin, both used to deciphering public pronouncements and 'consultations'.

Also to John Hart, Conservative Leader of DCC )

I cut to the chase.  I thought I received a response during office hours from you after I sent this at 4.06pm on the 20th in reply to yours of 2.43 pm of the same day.  But it is not in my Inbox.

CONTEXT

One stimulus to this procedure is'austerity' and the need for increased efficiency/economy in the D&SFS.  Austerity was the policy arising from the predicted banking crash of 2008 (just as the £200 million crash of Thomson's Holiday's could be predicted and which should be subject to police investigation).  The public bale-out of the banks costUS £540 billion. The coalition government - Con and Libdem, set this going to recover the UK economy.  It has failed in that the National Debt stands at its highest at c. 86%, except for those post war years when we were bankrupted in the fight to free Europe from Nazi domination.  Years in which we still managed to found a unique NHS with a budget then of £3 billion.  (Now c.£120 billion with at least 15% of 'administration costs' added to by all three main parties.)

THE CHARGE

You seek first to minimise the role of Mr Andy Smith and to conceal the gross deceit outlined by me below.  Is this still your summary of his duties to the Fire Authority?
"commissioned to facilitate 4 focus groups and options appraisal workshop, produce findings report'"  Perhaps the last phrase does not apply.

Whatever I call for this, and I believe the firemen you commission, would join me in this -

ONE  Please reveal his qualifications statim.  I was not appointed as a Consultant in Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery at Torbay  and the Princess Elizabeth Orthopaedic Hospital (bulldozed by political direction in the '90s) without evidence of my MB BS FRCS qualifications, and without references as to my skills and probity.
TWO  That the closing date of yesterday. the 23rd, of this flawed consultation be extended until you provide these details and reveal to the public the deceit I have exposed.
THREE  That the chairman of the Fire Authority, Ms Sara Randall-Johnson resign given that she must have overseen and agreed this farrago.

yours sincerely

David Halpin FRCS  01364 661115

ps  I am asking the webmaster of my web site    https://dhalpin.infoaction.org.uk/   to post this correspondence for ease of access to all the interested parties.  I am interestested as a retired surgeon, primarily, in the wordSAFER

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Copied to sara.randalljohnson     https://democracy.devon.gov.uk/mgOutsideBodyDetails.aspx?ID=195)

Thank you, but your hope that the replies are helpful is not borne out.  I will make my points where necessary against several. In italics made bold and underlined.

Meanwhile I note that the consultation in this most complex 'Safer Together Proposals' is due to close in two days - the 22nd September.  It is not just and fair that this should happen before there is clarity, indeed the truth.  I recognised from the start that the template for this 'consultation' was much like the various ones set up for the closure of the Community Hospitals.  They were an undoubted sham.  As a senior orthopaedic and trauma surgeon, of deep experience, and concerned about the adequacy and efficiency of OUR NHS, I spent some thousands of hours in analysis, writing to the Clinical Commissioning Groups - South Devon and NEW CCG (re catastrophic closures in North Devon), attending meetings, writing to the local papers etc.

https://dhalpin.infoaction.org.uk/37-articles/nhs

The overwhelming evidence was against closure, but 'Healthwatch' Torbay cobbled together a summary re Ashburton, which did not include one word of my well founded advice - based on 40 years of conscientious service.  The resulting deterioration in the medical services in Devon is plain and myriad in extent.  

I ask that the closing date for this consultation be postponed until the consultees, Joe Public, are properly informed and without jargon.  Most council/income etc tax payers would probably say 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it.' I will instruct a barrister if there is no extension.  We pretend to live in a democracy.

David Halpin FRCS

SEE BELOW   

Dear David,

 

Thank you for your email regarding our Safer Together Proposals, with follow-up questions. We have responses as below which we hope are helpful.

a.      Given that he/ASV Ltd is "commissioned to facilitate 4 focus groups and options appraisal workshop, produce findings report'"what subject did he read  at LJMU?

We are not in a position to share personal information about people we have employed directly or indirectly. Plain nonsense.  Anyone pretending some special skill in the service of a PUBLIC body should cite his/her qualifications including university degrees/subject read.  Mr Andy Wright is to furnish us with these details.

     b. What was his degree?  It is not stated on Linked In.  And that is your sufficient response?  Try a telphone call to him.

 

As above, we are not in a position to share personal information.  As above

     c.   Will  c1. the professional firefighters  c2. those others who have contributed to the consultation have sight of this man's 'findings report' before any conclusions are made by the Fire Authority and likely errors then made good?

 

For clarity the ‘findings report’ detailed above was in reference to the focus groups and options appraisal workshops. These were one of many inputs into developing the proposals that are currently being consulted on (reference p15 of the consultation document).

Will  c1. the professional firefighters  c2. those others who have contributed to the consultation have sight of this man's 'findings report' before any conclusions are made by the Fire Authority and likely errors then made good?

 

In terms of the collation and analysis of the consultation feedback, this is being carried out independently by a specialist company and this feedback analysis will be available in a report.

 

2.  In the last parish, the Torquay Station was responsible for marking the position of the nearest hydrant.  There were quite long intervals and that concerned us.  We realised that prompt location of the hydrant, especially in the dark or in wet weather, might well save lives, injury and/or property - less of a write off.  (I have seen burned corpses from a fire (nylon curtains - smoking - the extinct Exminster Mental Hospital) and even now recall the odour.

 

From the Hydrant Manager:

 

While I have heard many first-hand accounts of incidents from fire fighters, I can only imagine with sympathy the tragic and traumatic events you experienced. My current team of Hydrant Technicians are all also retained firefighters who are able to see things from both sides.

New question - How many Hydrant Technicians, total salary cost, mileage costs.  What use a painted yellow hydrant cover in snow?

a. Are the local stations still responsible for the marking?  They are after all the most likely responsible persons to know the location without recourse to overlays etc.

 

Local stations haven’t been responsible for marking hydrants for nearly 20 years. Centralising the hydrant inspection/maintenance function did/does not prevent local crews maintaining topographical knowledge, and I have been told of drill-night exercises involving hydrant topography. Additionally, factors such as ‘attribute mobilising’ (ensuring that appliances equipped with necessary resources are sent for the type of incident involved), ‘standby’ attendance (crews sent from another station to ensure that cover is maintained when ‘home’ appliances are working elsewhere); mobilisation based on nearest appliance rather than according to defined station grounds, mutual arrangements with neighbouring Fire and Rescue Services for cross-border attendance (with whom we exchange our electronic hydrant data), and cross-station working can mean that an incident may be attended by crews from well outside the local area.

How many hydrants are there?  Total in Devon and Somerset?  In say our local areas - Bovey Tracey, Ashburton? 

 

b.  If the marking has been obscured by weeds, ivy etc is there even then some difficulty/potential delay in locating the water using the on-board information?

I cannot say that this could never happen, but the additional location information provided by the electronic data provides crews a good idea of whereabouts to look for the hydrant, and sometimes it can be faster to look for one thing (a cover in the road at a position depicted on a map) than locate the marker before looking for the hydrant. Our hydrant Technicians have cleared vegetation from many markers this spring/summer, a good percentage of which will have since regrown. Noted The level of pre-determined attendance (number and type of fire appliances mobilised to incidents) will provide sufficient water (if not fully extinguish a fire) for ‘first attack’, enabling a supplementary water supply (not always from a fire hydrant) to be established.

I know of hydrants, marked by plaques on walls that have been totally obscured by ivy over years.  What is the capacity for water in the smaller appliances being suggested?
 

 

c.  I suggested that a yellow band be made perpendicular to the hydrant, ON THE ROAD/LANE.  Has this been considered given that you are assessing current and all risks?

 

In view of difficulties in establishing and maintaining ‘traditional’ hydrant signage, we have explored a number of alternatives. Technicians may paint kerbstones or the roadway, but depending upon surface and/or conditions the paint may quickly fade. We have considered blue reflective studs on the highway (variation of motorway lane demarcation studs), but these were deemed cost and logistically prohibitive as these would need to be set securely into the road by Highways personnel (at the expense of the Fire and Rescue Service) rather than stuck with the provided tar-fixative; due to concerns that they would unstick and shift position or flip up causing damage to third-party property (wear and displacement I have observed from use of such studs in temporary lane marking has validated this concern). We have also considered various thermoplastic markings. Recent trial of one material was looking promising, but our Technician noted the mark had disappeared from view when he drove past the location last week. We have already adopted a range of hydrant post/plate types to ensure that as many hydrants as possible can be marked up, and will continue to explore other alternatives.  Good - and futher improvements likely.  Hydrant locations are obviously important to you.

d. If there is snow cover the usual 'flat' marking will be obscured.  Chimney fires are more likely in cold weather?  Will the on-board information be sufficient in those circumstances?

Notwithstanding fire spread, it takes only a small amount of water to extinguish most chimney fires, and hydrants are seldom used to tackle such incidents.  And chimney fires over thatch, as with our last house, or over shingle roofs as with our present house?

e. All in all, do Headquarter's chiefs recognise that local knowledge, (as with London taxi drivers) trump IT, overlays etc in regard to rapid connection to the hydrant?

Please see response at ‘a’. Availability of local knowledge at incidents is no longer a certainty.  How could it be made more of a certainty?

 

3. The fire hydrant covers have been painted yellow in the parish of Ilsington in the last few weeks.  Was that done by SWW or by your local firefighting staff or by others?

Hydrants at Ilsington have recently been subject to inspection(does this include opening them?) and maintenance by one of our Hydrant Technicians, and will have been painted by him.

 

We hope this helps. If of interest and you would like to provide further feedback, our consultation remains open until midnight 22 September, and can be completed online at www.dsfire.gov.uk or paper copies are also available upon request to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by calling 01392 872 200 (Not 24/7). Within the consultation web area (link above) the ‘Supporting Documents’ folder has a range of information if helpful.

 

If you have any questions please do contact us - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

You have avoided mention of these words from me.
I note, but with no surprise, that there is a Consultation Institute, and that ASV Ltd is an associate member.

https://uk.linkedin.com/in/andy-wright-53436110  Quote - Andy Wright  Director ASV

https://www.consultationinstitute.org/associate/andy-wright/   He appears to be the lynch pin, in a most circular way, of the said institute.

Incestuous would be an inappropriate adjective.  Deceitful would be accurate.  With one stroke the Fire Authority has made this consultation a sham, as was done with our Community Hospitals. 

 

With best wishes

 

The Safer Together Programme Team

 

 

	Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service Service Headquarters The Knowle Clyst St George Exeter, EX3 0NW www.dsfire.gov.uk

 

 

From:David Halpin [This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.]
Sent: 11 September 2019 21:52
To: Safer Together Programme <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Subject: Re: FW: (555)Some questions before input re consultation 'Safer Together'

 

11-09-19  

Many thanks.  Thank you for tabulating Safer Together Programme Service Delivery Operating Model Consultation Costs.  I take it that mileage of headquarter's vehicles and that for private cars are small enough not to be useful to record?

I note, but with no surprise, that there is a Consultation Institute, and that ASV Ltd is an associate member.

https://uk.linkedin.com/in/andy-wright-53436110  Quote - Andy Wright  Director ASV

https://www.consultationinstitute.org/associate/andy-wright/   He appears to be the lynch pin, in a most circular way, of the said institute.

He studied at Liverpool John Moores University.  My questions in bold.

1.  a. Given that he/ASV Ltd is "commissioned to facilitate 4 focus groups and options appraisal workshop, produce findings report'"what subject did he read  at LJMU?

     b. What was his degree?  It is not stated on Linked In.

     c.   Will  c1. the professional firefighters  c2. those others who have contributed to the consultation have sight of this man's 'findings report' before any conclusions are made by the Fire Authority and likely errors then made good?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

I will start writing my response re this consultation immediately but I would like some more information re fire hydrants, and answers to the questions above.  We lived in an old house with a long thatch in a South Devon parish.  It was below the road so could have been set alight easily by cigarette ends.  We had particular concern in that very dry summer of 1976.  We now live in a Colt ie wooden bungalow which has Western Red Cedar shingles.  These burn almost like candles as your firemen will know.

2.  In the last parish, the Torquay Station was responsible for marking the position of the nearest hydrant.  There were quite long intervals and that concerned us.  We realised that prompt location of the hydrant, especially in the dark or in wet weather, might well save lives, injury and/or property - less of a write off.  (I have seen burned corpses from a fire (nylon curtains - smoking - the extinct Exminster Mental Hospital) and even now recall the odour.

a. Are the local stations still responsible for the marking?  They are after all the most likely responsible persons to know the location without recourse to overlays etc.
 
b.  If the marking has been obscured by weeds, ivy etc is there even then some difficulty/potential delay in locating the water using the on-board information?

c.  I suggested that a yellow band be made perpendicular to the hydrant, ON THE ROAD/LANE.  Has this been considered given that you are assessing current and all risks?

d. If there is snow cover the usual 'flat' marking will be obscured.  Chimney fires are more likely in cold weather?  Will the on-board information be sufficient in those circumstances?

e. All in all, do Headquarter's chiefs recognise that local knowledge, (as with London taxi drivers) trump IT, overlays etc in regard to rapid connection to the hydrant?

3. The fire hydrant covers have been painted yellow in the parish of Ilsington in the last few weeks.  Was that done by SWW or by your local firefighting staff or by others?

I am sorry to trouble you further, but I know as a doctor and surgeon that there must be the right outcome from this consultation.  The South Devon CCG consultation re Ashburton and Bovey Tracey Community Hospitals was, to be accurate, a sham.

I have noted that the morale of the local stations is high and the persons fully committed to the need for the greatest safety in response to 999 for fires, floods, suicide etc etc 
As an example of their commitment, the BT men came up to the entrance of our property with the large appliance.  I was concerned that it would not be able to get through an S bend.  It was proved possible.  I was able to advise as to the competence, within your service, of a young man/firefighter who had suffered a below knee amputation.

yours faithfully

David Halpin MB BS FRCS

ps  I attach a pdf of this correspondence in case it is of use.

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On 11/09/2019 6:35 pm, Safer Together Programme wrote:

Dear David,

 

Thank you very much for your email regarding our Safer Together proposals and queries relating to our proposals.

 

If helpful, we will address them in turn.

 

1.     What is the projected cost of this consultation?

 

We have attached a breakdown of the cost of the consultation to date. 

Please be aware that the costs do not include staff time, as it is being supported by many staff across the Service and in many cases on an ad-hoc basis during the period of the consultation, not as their main role. The figures also include independent review of the consultation feedback and earlier independent pre-engagement.

2.  What is the total, rounded cost of salaries and wages of the people working at Clyst St Mary?

 

Our head-office at Clyst St Mary is made up of a number of support functions but not all – there are some based at other locations. In addition, operational staff are also based at SHQ.

We wonder if we could clarify your question – are you interested in the cost of support functions across the Service?

 

If not, in terms of identifying the cost of staff just based at SHQ it would be take a significant amount of effort to investigate the accounts from each function, identify their location, and then which category they are within, and if the interest is in all support staff, if would exclude those based elsewhere. The work involved may also exceed the FOI limit.

 

3.  Is the authority employing, either directly or under contract, Change Consultants?  (I am familiar with this category from our NHS.)

 

In relation to these proposals and the Safer Together Programme of work overall, the answer is no. We are also not aware of any Change consultants being employed within SHQ.

4.  As regards 'risk', what is the policy and the reality of marking fire hydrant locations?  Obvious in say the US but less so in the UK I believe.

 

Policy is that, subject to availability of a suitable location, the position of fire hydrants will be shown by a marker post and/or plate installed directly in line with the fire hydrant. The legal basis/responsibility for marker installation under the Fire and Rescue Services Act (at the expense of the Service) is as follows: A water undertaker must cause the location of every fire hydrant provided by it to be clearly indicated by a notice or distinguishing mark./ A water undertaker may place such a notice or mark on a wall or fence adjoining a highway or public place.Increased objections from house-holders etc. in respect of markers installed on their ‘private’ property, and the trend towards open plan developments and household installation of off-road parking, has made strict compliance more difficult. Markers may also be installed/replaced by our Technicians in the course of routine inspections, or as and when we are contacted with details of damaged/removed markers in the interim. In addition to on-site physical markers, fire hydrant locations are available to crews as part of ‘mobile data’ provision; by way of an overlay to mapping and inclusion of supplementary details, including address and location/surround details to aid location. For example: Outside no. 1, Footway/Concrete or West of Church Farm, Verge/Grass (unmaintained).

 

5.  What separate and independent committee will analyse all the input from this consultation?

 

We have commissioned an external independent social research organisation (Opinion Research Services) to carry out the full analysis and evaluation of the consultation findings. They will produce a report of the consultation findings which will  be presented to the Fire Authority in November 2019.

 

6.  Will the public be able to question deductions and possible changes in policy once the input is collated and summarised?

 

No, the consultation findings report will be presented to the Fire Authority for them to make a decision. The consultation process is the opportunity for the public to consider the proposed options and put forward their views

7.  You quote Greenstreet Burman.  **  I find this -  https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/03281935/officers  Currently there are only two active officers - one an 'Human Factors And Ergonomics Consultant' and the other a psychologist.  Are you still receiving expert advice from this company?

Greenstreet-Berman where contracted by Department for Communities and Local Government to update the algorithm in 2014. We didn’t deal with them directly as the work was commissioned and carried out at national level

 

We hope this address your queries. We welcome all feedback and we would very much like to hear your views as part of this consultation process. You can respond in a number of ways either by completing a consultation document which is available on our website, this can be found by accessing the link: www.dsfire.gov.uk or by completing a paper version- available upon request to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by calling 01392 872 200 (Not 24/7). If helpful we have a range of information on our website, including within ‘Supporting Documents’. Our consultation closes on 22 September.

 

With best wishes

The Safer Together Programme Team

 

 

	Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service Service Headquarters The Knowle Clyst St George Exeter, EX3 0NW www.dsfire.gov.uk

 

 

From:David Halpin [This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.]
Sent: 27 August 2019 17:24
To: Safer Together Programme This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Subject: (555)Some questions before input re consultation 'Safer Together'

 

Dear DSF&RService,

We have a very direct interest in the Fire Service, and of course in the wider sense.  We live in a Colt wooden bungalow with a cedar shingle roof.  As you will know, the shingles burn like candles.  Previously we had an old house with a long thatch below the road at Combe-in-Teignhead.  Before contributing to 'Safer Together' I wish for answers to these questions.  I do not cite the FOI Statute given that a public body is bound to reply within 20 days. 

1.  What is the projected cost of this consultation?
2.  What is the total, rounded cost of salaries and wages of the people working at Clyst St Mary?
3.  Is the authority employing, either directly or under contract, Change Consultants?  (I am familiar with this category from our NHS.)
4.  As regards 'risk', what is the policy and the reality of marking fire hydrant locations?  Obvious in say the US but less so in the UK I believe.
5.  What separate and independent committee will analyse all the input from this consultation?
6.  Will the public be able to question deductions and possible changes in policy once the input is collated and summarised?
7.  You quote Greenstreet Burman.  **  I find this -  https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/03281935/officers  Currently there are only two active officers - one an 'Human Factors And Ergonomics Consultant' and the other a psychologist.  Are you still receiving expert advice from this company?

I thank you in anticipation.

yours sincerely

David Halpin MB BS FRCS   

**  https://www.dprte.co.uk/exhibitor/greenstreet/     for

1 April 2020,

Farnborough International Exhibition Centre

Greenstreet Berman Ltd

We are an independent consultancy specialising in Human Factors/Ergonomics, Safety Culture and Behavioural Psychology. We provide assessment, design, advisory, research and training services to the MOD and defence contractors and across many other sectors including Transport, Energy and petro-chemicals, to enhance operational and human capability, personnel wellbeing and system safety.