The primary duties of the Fire Authority are:
- To provide a Fire Service and to ensure its efficiency
- To provide the efficient training of members of the Service
- To ensure that efficient mobilising and communications arrangements exist
- To make arrangements to obtain information needed for firefighting purposes
- To make arrangements to ensure that the steps are taken to mitigate damage to property through firefighting
- To make arrangements to provide fire safety advice
- To make arrangements to give mutual assistance to other Fire Services
- To ensure that adequate water supplies are available for firefighting purposes
Other legislation requires organisations to consult the Fire Authority on issues of public safety.
For example, the Community Safety (Crime and Disorder) Act 1998 requires the police, local authorities, fire and rescue authorities, probation services and health services to work together to protect their local communities from crime and to help people feel safer.
