Firefighter leaders have challenged claims by London Fire Brigade (LFB) bosses that the number of fire deaths has ‘halved’ in London over the last five years.
Figures published today show that 30 people died as a result of fires in London during the year 2014-15. This, says the brigade, represents a fall of 50% in a five-year period because the number of fire deaths during the year 2010-11 was 59.
However, the brigade appears to have used new and spurious methodology in making its calculations. Until now, LFB bosses always measured fire deaths as a 10-year average. This, to quote their own previously-published rationale, was ‘because a small fluctuation can distort the figures and give an inaccurate picture of the overall trend’. But they now seem to have resorted to a crude and arbitrary method of comparing one year against another with no regard for the overall trend.
Paul Embery, regional secretary of the FBU in London, said: “The London Fire Brigade’s claims are disingenuous. When taken as an average over 10 years – which is the way the brigade has always calculated these things – the figure has gone from 61 fire deaths to around 50. That represents a reduction of 18%, not the 50% claimed by brigade bosses.
“The brigade has always previously refused to make crude comparisons between single years, because, according to them, to do so gives a distorted picture. They stuck to that rule rigidly.
“Now, for reasons of pure spin, they have abandoned their own methodology and presented a highly-distorted picture. One could be forgiven for concluding that their actions amount to a duplicitous attempt to justify their controversial decision to close 10 London fire stations last year.
“While we welcome any reduction in the number of fire deaths, the public deserves the truth, and these highly-selective figures cannot be used as a justification for further cuts. Fire cover should not follow the laws of supply and demand; it must instead be based on risk. Closing stations and slashing firefighter jobs makes it harder for us to do that.”
The general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, Matt Wrack, commented on the publication of the figures saying: “Any statistics showing a reduction in fire deaths are a result of the hard work, dedication and success of firefighters who provide a life-saving service to the public.
“The point that is often missed in these debates is that a significant part of the work of firefighters is precisely work to reduce the number of fires.
“It would be irresponsible for politicians to use these figures to justify further cuts to the fire and rescue service, whose ability to undertake prevention and enforcement work has already been compromised.
“The work of the fire and rescue service is more diverse than ever with firefighters undertaking more rescues at non-fire incidents than ever before.”
