Flooding

The fire service’s biggest mobilisation since the Second World War is being undermined by shortages of equipment, staff and training, firefighters have said. The Fire Brigades Union said it was collating reports from members who were reporting having been involved in huge numbers of rescues and wide...

The general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, Matt Wrack, will visit firefighters combatting floods in the South West of England today (Friday 14 February 2014). His visit will start at Bridgwater Fire Station before seeing firefighters at work and the flooding command centre. Wrack said:...

Are you active on Twitter and willing to contact your MP about issues that are important to firefighters? We’re campaigning hard on many issues at present, which includes asking for politicians to help us save firefighter pensions and support changes to the way we respond to flooding. With the cuts...

Cuts announced to fire and rescue services in Surrey will mean areas currently facing flooding will lose fire and rescue stations, equipment and as many as 40 staff, firefighters have said. Last week, Surrey County Council agreed to close Sunbury and Staines fire stations and replace them with a...

A motion has been submitted in the House of Commons that argues for a formal obligation for firefighters to attend flooding. Despite an expectation that fire and rescue services attend flooding, there is currently no formal requirement that they must do so in England and Wales. In order to best...

Over the last few weeks firefighters have been responding to devastating floods across the UK. But despite an expectation that fire and rescue services will attend such incidents, there is no formal requirement that they must do so in England and Wales. In order to best prepare for future...

Responding to the release of a report by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee into the effect of budget cuts on the ability of the government to respond to floods, Fire Brigades Union General Secretary, Matt Wrack, said: "Firefighters are on the front line when floods take place...

Firefighters in England and Wales are due to strike again on the morning of Friday 3 January between 6.30am and 8.30am in the latest in series of strikes over attacks on firefighter pension rights. The Fire Brigades Union is currently monitoring reports from the Environment Agency about the threat...

Firefighters in England and Wales will walk out on strike between 6.30pm on New Year’s Eve and 12.30am on New Year’s Day in their long-running dispute with the government over pensions. Fire Brigades Union General Secretary, Matt Wrack, said: “Christmas is just an ordinary working time for...

As storms and floods hit, Firefighters in Surrey and in Kent have been recalled to duty under the terms of an agreement between the Fire Brigades Union, the employers and national government, the FBU has confirmed. As in previous strikes, across the country severe incidents that meet specific...