The Fire and Rescue National Resilience Team
The National Resilience programme is an essential part of government arrangements to protect the national infrastructure in the event of catastrophic incidents. The Fire and Rescue National Resilience Team (NRAT) contributes to the National Resilience programme through the work of its experienced regionally-based national coordinators and deputy co-ordinators and a business centre hub at the national Fire Service College in Gloucestershire.
The Government has invested more than £200 million in vehicles, equipment, training and procedures to provide the response capability, including equipment to deal with mass decontamination, urban search and rescue, high-volume pumping and command and control.
A core function of the NRAT is to assure that all the national resilience assets issued to the Fire and Rescue Service in England and Wales and sufficient numbers of suitably trained personnel are capable of responding to major incidents within prescribed timeframes. To fulfil this function, initial training and the facility for the maintenance of skills was required to an identified and accredited level, and the CQI was identified as the best provider to meet these needs.
Delegate feedback has consistently indicated high levels of satisfaction with the CQI’s course content and method of delivery. The CQI trainers demonstrate an exceptional level of subject knowledge and are able to adjust the course content and focus to meet the changing needs of the NRAT assurance process. Individual Fire and Rescue Services that have so far undergone this process have provided 100% positive feedback on assurance teams applying the methodology and communication skills learnt on these courses.
The NRAT continually adapts as the national picture changes and is clear that any future audit training and personal auditor development will involve the CQI.