Desired outcome
A fire and rescue service that has the trust of the community in keeping them, and its employees safe because of its competent drivers. It is a service where drivers have been taught to drive safely by suitably trained and qualified instructors and assessors, in line with the requirements of their roles, and in accordance with the relevant legislation and regulations.
A service that has an inclusive learning culture which considers the value of internal and external feedback, inspection outcomes, and internal and external assurance activities. It reviews and regularly evaluates what it does to provide a better service to the public, while identifying and managing organisational risk.
Activity
Service Delivery
Business Area(s)
Response
- Date approved
- Date issued
- next review
- Reference number
- FSD-RSP04
What is required to meet the fire standard
A fire and rescue service must:
- Have a strategic approach to ensure that it can continue to deliver an emergency response in line with the risks outlined in its Community Risk Management Plan.
- Comply with legislation and regulations that apply to emergency response driving.
- Give Due regard to relevant National Guidance to support instructor and driver training including the NFCC Emergency Response Driver and Instructor Framework.
- Ensure that records of driver competency and revalidation training are kept and maintained.
- Ensure that their driver training provision is periodically independently quality assured.
- Deliver inclusive and accessible training, recognising that every workforce, community and group has different and diverse needs.
- Support the national Driver Training Advisory Group (DTAG) through regional structures.
- Provide appropriate representation at relevant national meetings, events and conferences.
- Ensure that both managers who are responsible for emergency response driving and those working as driving instructors, contribute to the continual improvement of driver training standards. They do this by communicating and sharing learning and experiences with the NFCC network of fire and rescue service driving instructors and centres through engagement with the relevant forums.
Expected benefits of achieving the fire standard
- Improved road safety for the public and employees evidenced by:
- reduction in the number of collisions when responding;
- reduction in injuries; and
- reduction in corporate liability and associated costs.
- Improved driving standards through adoption of the national ERDT framework.
- Compliance with related legislation and regulations, and Due regard to guidance which supports:
- interoperability through collaboration of blue light resources; and
- opportunity for intra-service driver training provision.
- More efficient transfer of appropriately trained and competent personnel between services.
Legal requirements or mandatory duties
It is recognised that fire and rescue services must comply with a broad list of legislation to undertake their duties. This Fire Standard reflects only the most appropriate legislation to this topic and should not be regarded as exhaustive. Much of the legislation that relates to this Fire Standard can be found on the webpage that describes legislation which applies to all Fire Standards.
Linked qualifications, accreditations or fire standards
Guidance and supporting information
Glossary of terms
Due regard
Having due regard means that you have made yourself fully aware of – and understood – what is required, and that you have put this knowledge into practice, seeking legal or specialist advice where appropriate.
Emergency Response Driving Fire Standard and HMICFRS Characteristics of Good
The following shows how the Emergency Response Driving Fire Standard relates to HMICFRS Characteristics of Good from the 2025-27 inspection round.
4. How effective is the FRS at responding to fires and other emergencies?
4.2. The FRS has developed a response strategy that is based on a thorough assessment of risk to the community. The FRS has an appropriate range of resources (people and equipment) available to respond to personal, property and environmental risk in line with its risk management plan. The FRS understands and actively manages the resources and capabilities available for deployment. The FRS is able to handle calls in a timely manner to ensure public safety. The FRS is able to manage the fair deployment (and temporary redeployment) of resources to meet operational need.
4.5. The FRS can mobilise sufficient resources to respond to local and crossborder incidents.
4.6. The FRS uses learning from emergencies (local and national) to improve its operational response and to challenge existing policies, processes and procedures.
Related Updates
You Said, We did
If you have taken part in a consultation, you may be interested to read our post-consultation “You said, we did” report to see how your feedback has shaped this Fire Standard.
Updates to this standard
Last Update:
9 October 2025
Desired Outcome
A fire and rescue service that has the trust of the community in keeping them, and its employees safe because of its competent drivers. It is a service where drivers have been taught to drive safely by suitably trained and qualified instructors and assessors, in line with the requirements of their roles, and in accordance with the relevant legislation and regulations.
A service that has an inclusive learning culture which considers the value of internal and external feedback, inspection outcomes, internal and external assurance activities. It reviews and regularly evaluates what it does to provide a better service to the public, while identifying and managing organisational risk.
What is required to meet the Fire Standard
A fire and rescue service must:
1. Have a strategic approach to ensure that it can continue to deliver an emergency response in line with the risks outlined in its Community Risk Management Plan
2. Comply with legislation and regulations that apply to emergency response driving.
3. Give due regard to relevant National Guidance to support instructor and driver training including the NFCC Emergency Response Driver and Instructor Framework.
4. Ensure that records of driver competency and revalidation training are kept and maintained
6. Deliver inclusive and accessible training, recognising that every workforce, community and group has different and diverse needs
Points which have moved from what a fire and rescue service SHOULD do, to what they MUST do:
7. Support the national Driver Training Advisory Group (DTAG) through regional structures (moved from what a fire and rescue service SHOULD do section to what they MUST do)
8. Provide appropriate representation at relevant national meetings, events and conferences
9. Ensure that both managers who are responsible for emergency response driving and those working as driving instructors, contribute to the continual improvement of driver training standards. They do this by communicating and sharing learning and experiences with the NFCC network of fire and rescue service driving instructors and centres through engagement with the relevant forums
Expected Benefits of Achieving the Fire Standard
1. Improved road safety for the public and employees evidenced by:
c) Reduction in corporate liability and associated costs
2. Improved driving standards through adoption of the national ERDT framework
Linked Qualifications, Accreditations, or Fire Standards
Community Risk Management Planning
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Note Please contact the Fire Standards team within the NFCC for any queries or support with regards to this Fire Standard [email protected]