SFRS hosts 13th Annual Performance Review

 

The APR allows the Scottish Government to formally assess the SFRS's performance during 2025-26 against established priorities.

 

The areas the Service was measured against include prevention and protection; response; innovation and modernisation; climate change; and effective governance and performance.

 

Questions were also asked around personnel and partnership working.

 

The SFRS responded to more than 78,000 incidents across Scotland during 2025-26.

 

During the review, Chief Officer Stevens and members of the SFRS Board provided evidence to show the value of prevention work.

 

This included the fact that more than 20,000 Home Fire Safety Visits were carried out during 25/26 and that more than 58,000 children and young people and been engaged with.

 

SFRS Chief Officer Stuart Stevens said: "Prevention is at the heart of everything we do as a Service.

 

"We know the prevention and partnership work our crews carry out is making a real difference to communities across Scotland.

 

"Over the past 10 years, we've seen a 47% reduction in fire-related casualties and a 27% reduction in fire fatalities.

 

"To be clear, one fatality is one too many, but this progress is testament to the hard work, dedication and professionalism of our crews."

 

The Service was also asked about its response to major incidents including significant wildfires at Dava and Carrbridge.

 

Learnings from these major incidents and the need for further investment in wildfire prevention and response was also discussed.

 

Chief Officer Stevens commented: "Tackling wildfires is a partnership endeavour and requires a partnership approach.

 

"We know a collective approach is required in this area and that is why we have recently written to Local Resilience Partnership groups across the country to establish what further support they need.

 

"We have made significant progress in regards to responding to the threat of wildfire and this includes the procurement of new Personal Protective Equipment and specialist resources, which are located where we know they are needed most.

 

"However, we realise more needs to be done and that we all need to work together to tackle the growing threat of wildfires."

 

The APR also demonstrated the importance of adapting to meet Scotland's changing risks and touched on the ongoing work of the Service Delivery Review.

 

Chief Officer Stevens said: "Our Service Delivery Review is working to ensure our resources – staff, stations and appliances – are matched to operational risk and demand across Scotland.

 

"However, we want to ensure the benefits are realised while maintaining operational resilience and public confidence.

 

"We know that is incumbent on us as an organisation to evidence and track the benefits of the SDR and we are fully focussed on that.

 

"It is an ongoing process and one which we will continue to consult on with our people, representative bodies and stakeholders."

 

Cabinet Secretary for Jusitce Neil Gray said: “I greatly value the responsibility of holding what is now the thirteenth Annual Performance Review of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

 

"Each year the Annual Performance Review provides an opportunity for us to both reflect on performance and also to give our thanks for all that SFRS have done within the reporting year.

 

“The Review and Annual Report document allows Government and the public to look at the Service’s performance and the work that has been done over the past year.

 

"We will consider performance against the Scottish Government Fire and Rescue Framework for Scotland, which sets out Scottish Ministers’ ambitions and priorities for SFRS, and the strategic priorities that represent our high-level ambition for what we want from a world leading, modern, skilled and dynamic fire and rescue service.”