Impact of Severe Weather Conditions
UPDATED: 10 JAN 2010 - Weather from the Met Office
At present there are no specific severe weather warnings out for the Northwest and, in the light of the latest predictions, it may well be that none are required for whatever snow occurs today and tomorrow.
Summary for today/tonight:
Cumbria: Dry and bright for most of the day with some sunshine. Freshening wind adding significant windchill but temperatures at low levels getting a little above freezing so a slight thaw of lying snow. Overnight cloudier with some intermittent mainly light sleet/snow. Amounts mostly very small away from the Pennine areas where a few centimetres of fresh snow are possible. Temperatures overnight at low levels liable to hover close to freezing (some places dipping just below, others staying above).
Lancashire: Dry and bright for a time but some intermittent, often light sleet/snow edging up from the south later this afternoon. Amounts generally very small but a few centimetres possible in Pennine areas towards the border with Yorkshire. Freshening wind will add significant windchill and may cause drifting of snow on higher level routes. Temperatures here also slightly above freezing so a very slow thaw of lying snow at low levels. Further intermittent sleet/snow overnight with temperatures at low levels hovering close to freezing but no doubt some places staying just above.
Merseyside/Greater Manchester/Cheshire: Dry for the rest of the morning. Some intermittent and mostly light sleet/snow or even rain developing during the course of the afternoon and into the night but away from Pennine areas (a few centimetres possible here) amounts should be very small. Temperatures at low levels already a little above freezing so a slow thaw of lying snow will continue. Freshening winds will add significant windchill and may cause drifting of snow on higher level routes. Overnight temperatures at low levels liable to be close to freezing with some places staying just above.
One other point to emphasise: where precipitation is more liquid than solid and falls onto compacted snow or icy surfaces it will make them even more treacherous.
Monday:
Cloudy and cold with some patchy light rain/sleet/snow. Winds tending to ease. Temperatures at low levels staying slightly above freezing so continued slow thawing of lying snow.
Rest of the week:
Mainly cloudy with some further mostly light rain/sleet/snow possible at times. Amounts of fresh snow look likely at this stage to be small and with temperatures at low levels getting above freezing (at least by day) the slow thaw is expected to continue. Night time temperatures will be problematic - close to freezing, perhaps going below at times, staying above at others. What this all means is that the ice risk will always be present.
Travel
It is expected that there will be increased traffic congestion on Monday and those who can, are encouraged to use public transport. The majority of public transport is running, albeit with amended services. More information can be found at GMPTE.com. If you are using your own transport then you are advised to check local media for traffic delays and to allow extra travel time.
Again your attention is drawn to Safety Critical Memo 1.2010 Severe Weather Warning - Snow which includes tips on driving in this type of weather.
Training and Development
Yesterday it was communicated that courses would still be running at the Fire Service College (FSC). Following a number of queries this training has been confirmed as taking place. Those attending the FSC are asked to follow the travel advice above, ensuring that they allow additional time and take extra care.
The situation will continue to be monitored and further updates issued should weather conditions deteriorate.
UPDATED: 06 JAN 2010 - Last night and this morning has continued in the same vein as yesterday, business as usual. We had the night watch (Green watch) all on duty by 18:30, full fire cover within the first hour of change of watch and today’s day watch (White watch) all on duty within the first 30 minutes of change of watch. As has probably happened across the Service, Control Room staff have in fact helped by coming into work early so that their colleagues had additional travelling time.
This means that, as usual, we have over 60 front line, plus special appliances available to attend emergency incidents, and our control room is fully operational. Operationally, yesterday and last night, we were actually quieter than normal and where there has been a need for us to respond we have done so in good time and importantly, safely.
The conditions seem to be moderately improving access and driving conditions, although you might find it useful to read Safety Critical Memo 1.2010 Severe Weather Warning - Snow which includes tips on driving in this type of weather.
Again, we foresee no reason why we should not be able to maintain our current position although it is acknowledged that weather conditions are still impacting on the ability of some staff to safely make their way to and from their place of work. As the situation is normal the Operations Room has closed and local managers are expected to manage their staff and, where necessary, refer issues through their normal line management route.
Please continue to check BigRed for updates.
UPDATE: 05 JAN 2010 - As you can appreciate that the unprecedented weather conditions we are currently facing have provided some challenges for us to maintain our high standard of service. Despite these conditions the vast majority of our staff have attended work as normal, albeit in some instances being a little delayed. To be clear, we currently have over 60 front line, plus special appliances available to attend emergency incidents, and our control room is fully operational.
Our expectation is that we should be able to maintain this position although it is acknowledged that weather conditions are impacting on the ability of some staff to safely make their way to and from their Stations. This may impact on the number of Operational Staff available to crew fire appliances. Local managers will continue to be required to manage their staff in order that at least one fire appliance is fully crewed at each Station and that facilities are made available to staff who are unable to travel home.
Support Staff
Currently support staff who have made the journey into work are to liaise with their line managers as to when to leave the workplace to ensure that critical functions are maintained.
If staff have been recognised as critical to the organisational and are in doubt as to whether, once home, they can return to work then local arrangements in terms of accommodation should be made. This might be a local fire station or lodgings and reasonable recompense will be available.
Tomorrows outlook
Information from our partner agencies indicate we should expect that major routes and public transport links will be in operation tomorrow and therefore staff should be able to attend work. However, local conditions may mean that this is not achievable and where this is the case staff should liaise with their line manager to either use leave available to them or work remotely.
Future updates
With the cold weather due to remain over the next week it is important that we keep you updated on working and travel conditions and for that reason we are using;
These updates will be based on the Operations Room meetings and will be provided on BigRed and our website at:
If you are at home you can access BigRed from home. The staff link can also be found at the foot of the homepage entitled ‘Staff Login’ - simply insert your username and password that you use to access your PC whilst at work.
Operations Room
The Principal Officer has decided to open the Operations Room to act as a focal point for Business Continuity purposes. Regular meetings are taking place throughout the day and information will be circulated as and when deemed necessary.
The Operations Room is available during normal office hours for advice and information for Borough Lead Officers, Department Lead Officers and Business Continuity Lead Officers.
HR Support
If you need to contact a member of the HR Department then do so by accessing this information from BigRed (Secure staff login)
Central Crewing
Central Crewing are currently receiving a large number of telephone calls with general queries. Please do not contact Central Crewing unless you have an urgent enquiry that may affect crewing levels i.e. Sickness.
Training and Development
The following will apply for Wednesday 6th January
All corporate training and development programmed for the Training and Development Centre (TDC) and at all satellite training sites in the boroughs has been postponed. This includes Step Up programmes. Students programmed on courses should return to their normal roster line.
The TDC will be closed and no TDC staff will be available on site; however AM Sean Booth and GM Ted O’Brien will be available by mobile telephone if access to TDC is required. The situation for the rest of the week will be reviewed on Wednesday 6th January.