Purpose and background
This independent quarterly report provides observations on CFA and FRV quarterly performance against the measures set out in their respective outcomes frameworks. The report also assesses the progress of CFA and FRV towards their outcomes-based fire services performance indicators, where possible.
The Victorian Government has embarked on a 10-year reform agenda to enhance fire services in Victoria, releasing its Year Two to Five Fire Services Reform Implementation Plan (Year Two to Five Plan) in 2021. The Year Two to Five Plan outlines a shared course of action for fire services agencies over four years to implement the vision set out in the 2017 Fire Services Statement (Fire Services Statement).
Fire Services Implementation Monitor (FSIM)
FSIM was appointed in 2020 in accordance with the Fire Rescue Victoria Act 1958 (the Act). FSIM’s functions under the Act are to assess the effectiveness of agencies in delivering against Implementation Plan actions and provide independent assurance to government and the community on the progress made towards modern fire services providing for a safer Victoria. FSIM is required to prepare and publish quarterly reports on CFA and FRV Outcomes Frameworks measures under s141 of the Act.
The role of outcomes frameworks in monitoring and evaluation
Outcomes frameworks are a monitoring and evaluation tool linking a vision to a set of outcomes, indicators (including targets), and measures. They help demonstrate the value and achievements of agencies and can be used to identify change. They can also determine whether agencies are moving towards agreed outcomes while identifying areas for improvement and help focus monitoring and evaluation on potential high-risk issues.
FSIM’s approach
This report provides commentary where possible, on progress made towards the reform outcomes and on operational performance against the emergency sector’s vision for safer, more resilient communities. FSIM reviews CFA’s and FRV’s quarterly results and provides a summary and analysis of the quarter’s data and, where possible, trend data across the first years of reformed operations, taking into consideration Implementation Plan priorities and the operational performance reported by both agencies.
Limitations on data
CFA and FRV published their respective Year Two Outcomes Frameworks in Q1 FY 2021-22. CFA will continue to review and refine its outcome framework over time. CFA is undertaking planning to realise improvement opportunities in a Year Three Outcomes Framework. FRV continues to transition reporting against its year two framework but has not yet confirmed and collated data sets for all of its proposed measures. FRV’s report continues to include outputs from its year one framework and a limited number of measures from its year two framework.
It is FSIM’s expectation that agencies will be able to better explain their progress towards their respective outcomes as their data matures and they can substantiate linkages between actions and outcomes. Outcomes reporting is a long-term program of data identification, development and analysis and more time is required to enable fire service agencies to understand and report on the impact their work has on volunteers, staff and the broader Victorian community, beyond outputs.
Publication of reports
FSIM publishes quarterly reports on this website. Publishing these quarterly reports promotes transparency of the fire services activities and outputs and as their outcome indicators, measures and data improve, may provide meaningful benchmarking to measure the impact of the government's reform agenda on the fire services agencies, other emergency services stakeholders, and the broader community over time.
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