Foreward
Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue is proud of its reputation as the emergency service people turn to when no one else can help.
Traditionally, the fire and rescue service has been the go-to service whenever people, in their hour of most need, require help to keep them safe. We have always been there, whether it be
- attending fires and saving people from the dangers of smoke and flame
- working relentlessly to prevent fires from happening
- reaching out to those trapped in machinery or vehicles when accidents occur
- working with our partners to improve the health, safety and wellbeing of our communities or
- providing life-saving interventions during medical emergencies
This reputation has been built by the people who help the communities of Lincolnshire through their work for Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue. It reflects the quality of those who serve and have served.
Our culture guides the way we approach our work and ensures that, as individuals and as teams, we are all able to provide everything we can towards our purpose of “keeping the communities of Lincolnshire safe and well.” Our behaviours are described through our THRIVE model, which helps us apply the Lincolnshire County Council values which underpin our public service life.
We all need to understand and apply our culture. It is only through our committed, joint efforts that we can build on our strengths and continue to have an impact on lives; both our own and those in the communities we serve, now and into the future.
Remember the behaviour you ignore…
is the behaviour you accept.
Foreward by Chief Fire Officer, Mark Baxter
What THRIVE is
THRIVE is a word built from cultural themes which you believe are the key behaviours that are important to our organisation.
People from across the service have helped build THRIVE and it is something we can use to explain to new starters what it means to be part of Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue. You have all been a part of capturing this and your help to produce a cultural direction that we can all share is very much appreciated.
Some things you have said:
- Trust only comes from warmth and good relationships. More emphasis should be made on relationships/team building and shared goals.
- Trust is incredibly powerful and so much more can be achieved together when we trust one another.
- Having each other’s backs.
- To help in the community we need to ensure every station is available to attend any incident therefore we will help and support as much as needed to carry this out.
- We all need help from time to time, whether that is the public, colleagues and managers, other agencies, suppliers or ourselves.
- Fundamental role of the FRS is to help. Without this we have nothing.
- The manner in which we conduct ourselves demonstrates how we want to be treated. Respect is mutual and is gained.
- “We are all so beautifully different” and how true that is and that is what enriches our lives.
- Respecting everyone’s, thoughts, feelings, actions and differences without judgment.
- To be included gives us more confidence and comfortable to give opinions and ideas and to challenge others.
- Inclusivity brings better ability to solve problems.
- Creating an environment where people feel safe and able to engage and contribute.
- Appreciate each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
- Create achievable targets so that individuals can demonstrate their abilities.
- Feeling valued gives us a sense of purpose and pride and we feel appreciated.
- I believe empowerment motivates people far more than money.
- Empowering others to be creative and innovative in how they deliver their work.
- Staff are included in developing the policies and processes which shape our service.
Our behaviours
Trust – we trust the people we work with and they trust us
Help – we help our communities and our colleagues
Respect – we show we have respect for each other
Include – everyone is comfortable being themselves at work
Value – we listen and value the things each of us has to offer
Empower – everyone can contribute to shape the future of our service
Trust
Our decisions and actions contribute to our communities trust in us during their time of need. Be that during our safe and well visits or when we attend to help in times of adversity.
To build a strong team, we need to trust in each other, firmly understand that when we say we will do something, we do it. Service staff have the confidence to trust that their managers have their best interests at heart, and conversely, managers need to be able to trust people to carry out their job to the very best of their ability.
Trust is earned and fragile but of paramount importance for a happy, healthy and resilient work environment.
Help
Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue delivers a meaningful and resilient service by always being on hand to help people in our communities whilst supporting and helping each other during our time at work. The primary purpose of any emergency service is to help people.
We will endeavour to place ourselves in the best position to ensure we can
- support our colleagues in their development and continue their personal journey to be the best they can be
- support them when their wellbeing or that of others is challenged
Respect
The way we treat each other defines us as people. We should constantly be examining our actions to make sure we show all members of society the respect they are due.
Difference is what makes the world such an exciting place. But difference means that we may not agree with others views. We should, however, always try and look at things from others’ points of view.
Taking time to get to know people and understand what makes them who they are helps us respect differing thoughts and actions and builds a more accepting culture.
Include
Diversity is incredible! We come from many different races, religions and backgrounds.
Our past and present define us as individuals. The way we think and act, the strengths we show and those we don’t, can all be used to build on our capability as a service to engage with the communities we are trying so hard to protect.
We can only ensure we can reach our most vulnerable groups by creating an environment that is truly inclusive to everyone who comes to work with us.
Value
Whether it is on the fire appliance, responding to critical incidents or raising awareness through our roadshows, we all have a part to play. Everyone in Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue should feel valued whether they are providing
- the underpinning support services to ensure the cogs keep turning or
- key advice and support directly to our communities through our prevention and protection activities
It is crucial that we want to be at work to add our individual weight to our collective goal. Each and every one of us will add value to the combined response to keeping Lincolnshire safe and well.
Empower
We have the best intentions at heart; we are all in a position where our contribution to society can have a huge impact.
The service welcomes and actively encourages people to take positive steps to
- help develop new and innovative ways to engage our communities
- pass on our safety messages
- improve the health and wellbeing of our staff and our communities
Our people are the vital ingredient that makes the recipe so good. Without empowerment, the few lead the many and ideas will never be as varied and innovative as we could hope.
What this means for us
Our values and behaviours provide an essential foundation and represent the very cornerstones of what we provide as a service, both internally and the wider external communities and partner organisations. Our service
- aligns with the standards of public life
- provides a healthy environment for our organisation and staff to THRIVE
- delivers the best outcomes for the people of Lincolnshire and the diverse communities we work within
We are here to help keep the communities of Lincolnshire safe and well.
Each person has their own personal values against which they judge their behaviours and those around them.
The values identified by THRIVE are grown from service staff aspirations, beliefs and feedback at all levels, which we all commit to when working for Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue. They are not discretionary and are the principles and ethos which distinguish us and set us apart from other organisations.
As part of the wider Lincolnshire County Council organisation, our THRIVE behaviours dovetail seamlessly into the County Council values of professional, resourceful, respectful and reflective.