Grenfell Tower disaster: a momentous challenge to our service
No progress without movement on pay
Delegates from all parts of the union met in Blackpool in May to debate the issues facing us in the coming period. The two most urgent debates were around pay and conditions and the challenges of the forthcoming general election. The years since 2010 have been bleak for firefighters and for all...
Video: FBU set out 'red lines' over emergency medical responding
The leader of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has set out 'red lines' over serious pay and conditions issues in a series of trials being undertaken by firefighters carrying out emergency medical response. In this video update, FBU general secretary Matt Wrack calls on employers to resolve a series of...
Risks of a single employer for police and firefighters
FBU national officer Dave Green warns of the possible effects of the Policing and Crime Bill which has recently become law. The Policing and Crime Bill, which will allow a police and crime commissioner (PCC) to take over the running of a fire and rescue service in England, has now come into effect...
Fire service shake up cannot put financial savings before public safety, say firefighters
Responding to fire minister Brandon Lewis’ speech today, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has expressed concern that cost savings and not public safety are at the heart of the government’s ‘reform’ agenda. The FBU welcomes the new proposals for an independent inspectorate for the fire and rescue...
Video: PCC takeover forced through with no support from firefighters
Legislation to allow police and crime commissioners (PCC) to govern fire and rescue services in England has been forced through without any great support from firefighters, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) general secretary has said. In a video update, filmed just before the legislation was given royal...
Cuts to blame for rising fire deaths as Home Office publish new figures
The number of people who have died as a result of fires in the home has increased significantly according to a report published by the Home Office. The Fire Incident Response Times statistical bulletin reveals that in England between April 2015 and March 2016, the number of fatalities from fires in...
Kerry McCarthy MP challenges fire service cuts
Three Bristol MPs have written an open letter to Brandon Lewis, the Home Office Minister responsible for the fire service, raising serious concerns about cuts to fire and rescue budgets. The move follows the largest increase in deaths from fire-related incidents in twenty years. Kerry McCarthy, MP...
