Posted By Marilyn Martin Sounds like a case for Trading Standards! No grounds for any prosecution based on a telephone call such as this. It would be worth alerting the Essex fire service that this kind of thing is happening as it gives them a bad reputation.

Posted By Ken Taylor Try joining the FireNet Forum on http://www.globalcrisisc...er.com/BBSFire/index.php and pitching your question there, Geoff. The replies might be interesting.

Posted By John Donaldson I have been involved with the Essex Fire Service over many years and it is beyond belief that any Fire Service Officer would make such a call. I have recived calls purporting to come from the Fire Service but when challenging the caller they either hang up or say I have misheard them. Other than report such calls there is little one can do about them.

Posted By Robert M Edwards I am glad you got to the bottom of this. I am involved in advising a client who was called year on year to advertise with a Fire authority in their yearly diary. Each year he was told he was speaking to the (area)Fire chief. It turned out he was talking to a marketing company who again had been allowed a free reign in marketing. The Fire Authorities need to be very careful in their business dealings as they can not pass off in law their agent's harrassment of businesses!

Posted By Ken Taylor You could try CACFOA, Geoff on http://www.fire-uk.org/main.htm

Posted By Phil Johnson (Essex Fire) I feel it is appropriate to respond to Mr Burts forum topic “ Fire Authorities – Bullying tactics” and provide an accurate insight into how the Essex County Fire and Rescue Service (ECFRS) Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) awareness program has developed. This project was initiated after an approach from Firesmart who supply an on-line FRA method. After thoroughly reviewing the product the EFA agreed to enter into a partnership to inform local and surrounding businesses of the need to carry out FRAs. This has been achieved by a circular letter plus a follow up telephone call. A Private / Public partnership of this nature is a bold step for a Fire Service, but in this case, it enabled the ECFRS to inform many thousands of businesses of their legal obligations at no cost to the Service or the taxpayer. The campaign was structured so that employers would be informed of their statutory duties and information given on a number of different options to complete FRAs. It is estimated that the project has already resulted in approximately 800 – 1000 businesses initiating the FRA process by various means. In this respect the campaign is a great success. Regrettably, we have had a small amount of negative feedback including the complaint aired by Mr Burt. Any complaint to the Fire Service is taken extremely seriously and is subject to a full investigation. In this case it is accepted that the Call Centre Operative’s approach and technique was inappropriate and we have taken steps to minimise any reoccurrence. We have, of course, written to Mr Burt’s client and offered our sincere apologies. I hope the above clarifies our position and assures you that the Essex County Fire and Rescue Service has and always will be committed to serving the public and business community to the highest professional standards. In conclusion, I would like to stress that this has never been a case of the Fire Authority employing bullying tactics, but rather a case of an individual call centre operative misinterpreting their brief. If any one wishes to discuss this project in more detail please feel free to contact me on 01376 347206 Assistant Divisional Officer Phil Johnson

Posted By Laurie I think Essex Fire Authority are on questionable ground here. Do we now look to our local constabulary to recommend a single security company, or an NHS trust to recomend a first aid trainer? Public sector bodies, particularly those which have enforcement powers, must be absolutely impartial Laurie

Posted By Dave Wilson Thought that public bodies were there to serve the 'public' not the commercial sector. Always the same when this type of thing happens someone can sling the mud. " got a box at Twickenham fancy some of your firefighters going to the game on us of course!!" may be OK with 'commercial sector' V 'customer or prospective customer' but public body? Agree that more public/private partenship is required but thought that was supposed to be to improve the public service at source, not to give a commercial edge to a company in the private sector.

Posted By Dave Wilson Rob, Totally agree.