ESSEX County Fire and Rescue Service (ECFRS) is launching its biggest ever public consultation to ask the people of Essex believe should and shouldn’t be changed about the service.

ESSEX County Fire and Rescue Service (ECFRS) is launching its biggest ever public consultation to ask the people of Essex believe should and shouldn’t be changed about the service.

The service is asking the public to help them make the right decisions when it comes to delivering multi-million pound savings.

A survey - which can be found at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ECFRS_Transformation - asks people to comment on all aspects of the service.

Chief fire officer, David Johnson, said: “We are having to look at everything we do in a very challenging way and question why we do absolutely everything and ask ourselves whether or not there is a different, more efficient and effective way.

“While my responsibility will remain keeping our communities safe and protecting the safety of our workforce, I wholeheartedly believe that in a year or two we will be looking at a transformed organisation.

“That’s not necessarily a bad thing because this is something all good organisations do at some time in their development but it will take us beyond where we may ordinarily choose to go – extraordinary times require extraordinary action.

“Senior officers do not hold the monopoly on good ideas and we that there are people throughout the county who have a few brilliant ideas about how we might do things differently.

“This is the time to get all of those ideas on the table. We are looking at total transformation and that means total engagement from the everyone, whoever you are and wherever you live.”

The public consultation is running alongside an internal consultation which has asked staff to contribute their own ideas for efficiency savings.

ECFRS is conducting a no holds barred, completely comprehensive fire cover review looking at all aspects of the service.

A spokesman said: “The views and suggestions made in the public survey and the internal consultation will help shape the future of Essex County Fire and Rescue and ensure that the service is fully future-proofed.

“Participation does not mean that ECFRS will definitely act on your opinions but these will be considered as part of decision-making.

“Our intention is to gather the widest and most diverse input to the work we are carrying out on future-proofing the service and its operations on your behalf.”

COULD Essex fire service be more efficient? If so, how? Comment on this story or send us your thoughts by e-mail to editor@saffronwalden-reporter.co.uk