Fire behavioural and real fire training

Conference is alarmed by the increasing number of burn injuries to members
participating in fire behavioural training and real fire training.

Conference does not accept the principle of ‘learn and burn’, which seems to be the
approach of many employers throughout the UK.

There is evidence that, in some fire and rescue services, the number of burn injuries
sustained in the training environment now exceeds those sustained in the operational
environment. This cannot be tolerated.

Conference therefore demands that the Executive Council immediately:

● Establish a working party to produce a best-practice document covering fire
behavioural and real fire training, to be published and circulated as soon as
practicable.
● Seek an urgent review of fire service manual guidance on fire behavioural
training, recommending appropriate amendments to ensure, so far as
practicable and reasonable, that training reflects real-life scenarios.
● Enter into discussions with all relevant parties with a view to bringing about
changes that enforce the ‘safe person’ concept in the training environment.
● Continue to pressure the Health and Safety Executive and the other relevant
bodies to produce a new European standard for personal protective
equipment.
● Challenge the Health and Safety Executive's incorrect assumption in respect
of the level of burn injuries which should be reported under legislation.
An update on progress in respect of all of the above points shall be provided to the
next conference.