Date of Request
23/05/25
Request
Dear Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue,
I’d like to make a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for data/information about the suicide prevention training in place in your service. At Samaritans, we know that emergency services like fire and rescue services, ambulances, and police forces are saving lives as the first responders to people who are in suicidal crisis. But, we also know that emergency service workers don’t always feel best supported to respond to suicide incidents. We are advocating for Government and relevant bodies to properly support the emergency services with the skills and resources they need to respond to and support people who are suicidal.
To build our national understanding of suicide prevention in emergency services across England, we are submitting FOI requests to ambulance trusts, police forces and fire and rescue services across the country.
1. Please briefly outline any training your staff receive on the below areas, including what the training covers and the named training provider if externally delivered:
a) Suicide prevention
b) Suicide postvention
2. If there is suicide prevention training in place, is it currently mandatory for all staff? If the training is not mandatory, please indicate which staff it is offered to.
3. If there is suicide prevention training in place, please indicate how many staff members received training in 2024 in
a) Number of total staff who received training
b) Percentage of total staff who received training
Please can you provide the responses to the above questions in an electronic format.
Please provide any detail you are able to. If it is not possible to provide all the information requested, please provide advice and assistance, under the Section 16 obligations of the Act, as to how we can refine our request.
Thank you very much for your time. I look forward to your response.
Yours faithfully,
Response
Hi
We thank you for your request for information, which has been received by Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (the Service) and considered under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000
The Service can confirm that the information that you have requested is held and is as per below, along with the attached document:
1a) The prevention training for staff is Zero Suicide Awareness training – ZSA – General
1b) Regarding postvention, the CIST Critical Incident Support Team are notified when crews attend such incidents and can be on hand immediately to offer support and signposting to the attending crews.
2) The Awareness is mandatory for all operational personnel, Fire Control personnel, Prevention personnel, Protection personnel, Group Commanders, Human Resources and Wellbeing Team, CIST Members, Fire Cadet Lead Instructors, Service Volunteers, Fire Investigators
3a) Stats for Suicide Awareness
| Training | Total Enrolled | % in date | Complete | Not done |
| Suicide Awareness Training | 565 | 88% | 496 | 65 |
3b) 83% of staff have been enrolled onto the mandatory Awareness Training
If you have any questions regarding your request, please contact Information Governance and Committee Services on tel: 0345 122 4454 or by e-mail informationrequests@hwfire.org.uk. In any such communication please include the reference number assigned (see Subject).
Should you have any queries regarding the management of your request and wish to make either a complaint or request a review of the information disclosed to you, please do so by using Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service’s complaints system: Comments and Complaints. This must be done within 40 working days of our response to your request. After this date and in line with ICO guidance the Service is not obliged to provide an internal review of your request.
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the internal review, you may appeal the decision by contacting the Information Commissioner, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, SK9 5AF, Tel: 0303 123 1113 (alternatively 01625 545745) or E-mail: casework@ico.org.uk.
Further information on Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service may be viewed at the Service’s website: www.hwfire.org.uk
Thank you for your request for information.
Kind regards
Information Governance Team