tldr:
- While watching Adam Savages Tested I saw and read the New York City Fire Department – Forcible Entry Reference Guide Techniques and Procedures document (FDNY_Forcible_entry_reference_guide.pdf).
- I wondered if such a document existed in the UK and emailed my local fire department.
- I did not intend for it to become a FOI but I assumed it might be contentious and suggested it might be easier for them handled through that process.
- SYFR confirmed it held the following documents but would not release them on Section 31(a) (Law Enforcement) and Section 38 (Health and Safety) exemptions:
- Method of Entry – An Introduction
- Method of Entry – High rise building techniques
- Method of Entry – Through the lock attack
- Method of Entry – Types of Doors & Locks
- Method of Entry – Glass
- Method of Entry – Halligan/Hooligan Tool
- I am disappointed but not surprised by the response, security through obscurity is not helpful in the long term while I appreciate the reasoning in the short term.
request:
Hi SYFire,
I hope this email finds you well.Do you have and can you please supply me with any sort of UK centric
reference or training materials available similar to that of the NYHD
Forcible Entry Reference Guide – Techniques and Procedures publicly
available https://ia800207.us.archive.org/15/items/FDNYforcibleEntryReferenceGuide/FDNY_Forcible_entry_reference_guide.pdf
? If not, what references or procedures does SYFR use for similar
training?Please let me know if you would prefer this as a FOIA request so it
can go through appropriate release approval first.Cheers,
response:
Freedom of Information Request Reference No: FOIA 2060
Thank you for your email of 4 November 2022 where you requested information on UK centric reference or training materials available to South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue (SYFR) similar to that of the NYHD Forcible Entry Reference Guide. I am sorry that it has taken us longer than 20 working days to provide you with a response, however, we have endeavoured to complete your response as soon as we can and we thank you for your patience.
The information you requested followed by our response is as follows:
- Do you have and can you please supply me with any sort of UK centric reference or training materials available similar to that of the NYHD Forcible Entry Reference Guide – Techniques and Procedures publicly available https://ia800207.us.archive.org/15/items/FDNYforcibleEntryReferenceGuide/FDNY_Forcible_entry_reference_guide.pdf
I can confirm that SYFR does not hold any UK national reference or training materials regarding forcible entry.
There is some publically accessible information on the National Fire Chief’s Council (NFCC) website which you may find helpful – National Operational Guidance (NOG), please see link provided here.
- If not, what references or procedures does SYFR use for similar training?
I can confirm that SYFR holds some information as we conduct internal training and use SYFR produced presentations to support the delivery of the training. The presentation used are listed below:
· Method of Entry – An Introduction
· Method of Entry – High rise building techniques
· Method of Entry – Through the lock attack
· Method of Entry – Types of Doors & Locks
· Method of Entry – Glass
· Method of Entry – Halligan/Hooligan Tool
I wish to advise you that we are withholding release of these presentations under Section 31(a) (Law Enforcement) and Section 38 (Health and Safety) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, as the content demonstrates how to force entry into different properties with a range of doors and locks.
Section 17 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 requires SYFR when refusing to provide such information (because the information is exempt) to provide you with a notice which: (a) states that if fact, (b) specifies the exemption in question and (c) states if that would not otherwise be apparent why the exemption applies.
Section 31(a) Law Enforcement and Section 38 Health and Safety – Security of premises and Health and Safety of the public and SYFR staff.
These exemptions have been grouped together due to the close links and overlap of reasoning in not disclosing information. Both are based on the effect that disclosure of the information would have, and not on the information itself or source of the information.
Considerations favouring disclosure:
· There is public interest in openness and transparency of the public knowing that SYFR has procedures and equipment in place to carry out forcible entry to a property to save life and property in the event of an emergency.
· Knowing how public money is spent on equipment would enable public scrutiny and challenge to ensure the Service is achieving value for money.
· There is also public interest in understanding the procedures in place for emergency and non-emergency situations reassuring the public of their safety, and also providing the public with an opportunity to scrutinise those procedures.
Considerations favouring non-disclosure
· Releasing information held of how SYFR enter different types of secure properties to protect life and property and the equipment used, would lead to an increase in risk of those intent on committing crime, as they could use this information to understand how to illegally enter a property.
· To release measures undertaken would harm the attempts of residents to secure their properties by understanding how those security measures can be broken to enter properties where residents may be in situ.
· Release of this information could raise significant risk of the potential for crime to be committed within the local area and have a negative impact on and the health and safety of the public.
The Information Commissioner’s (ICO) guidance states that in relation to ‘law enforcement’ that public authorities can withhold information that would make anyone, more vulnerable to crime. Further information is available on the ICO website here: https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisations/documents/1207/law-enforcement-foi-section-31.pdf
The ICO guidance additionally affirms that disclosure of information should be withheld if it would or would be likely to endanger the safety of any individual. Further information on this section is available on the ICO website here: https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisations/documents/1624339/health-and-safety-section-38-foia.pdf
Public Interest Test
When applying these exemptions, we must consider whether the public interests favours disclosing or withholding this information, arguments need to be weighed against each other.
You may believe that the information you have requested should be released as it is only for your own use. We are particularly mindful that releasing information under the FOIA is not only to you but to the public at large
The most persuasive argument is openness, transparency and public reassurance. The strongest reason favouring non- disclosure is the need to ensure that law enforcement (crime) is not compromised and any individual’s safety is not placed at risk.
On balance, SYFR has concluded that there is much stronger public interests in withholding the information requested. In accordance with the Act, this represents a Refusal Notice for this part of your request.