Firefighters urged to protect themselves from toxic fire contaminants
Firefighters have been urged to protect themselves from toxic fire contaminants in response to research that found more than four times higher rates of cancer amongst firefighters who took part, relative to the general public.1 It is thought that toxic…
Six trade unions seek judicial review over pension discrimination
Six trade unions – the Fire Brigades Union, GMB, PCS, the Prison Officers Association, the Royal College of Nursing, and Unite – have applied to the High Court for judicial review in relation to pension changes. The six unions say…
Fire Brigades Union response to HMICFRS State of Fire report
The Fire Brigades Union has responded to the Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Service State of Fire and Rescue 2021 report. Matt Wrack, the general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, said: ‘It is not clear…
Grenfell Inquiry: Grenfell driven by ‘agenda of deregulation’
The Fire Brigades Union lawyer for the inquiry has placed central importance on the ‘agenda of deregulation, privatisation and marketisation’ as causing the disaster. Martin Seaward said that an agenda ‘which encouraged companies to behave recklessly towards building safety’ was…
Forgotten firefighter remembered with plaque after 50 years
A plaque has been unveiled in memory of a fallen firefighter, after a fellow firefighter uncovered details of his life and passing nearly 50 years after he passed away. Wilfred McLaughlan was attending a fire in a factory when the…
Fire Brigades Union series of videos for COP26 released
The Fire Brigades Union has produced a series of videos to coincide with the COP26 summit, which are featured for you to watch below. Focusing on the unique relationship that firefighters have with our climate and environment, the videos feature…
Firefighter union leader: PM should apologise for ‘dangerous’ building safety crisis PMQs comments
The general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union has criticised the Prime Minister for saying that buildings caught up in the building safety crisis are ‘not unsafe’, apparently without justification, and that the victims of the building crisis were ‘in…
Firefighters preparing to take government to court over pensions
The Fire Brigades Union has issued a formal letter before claim for Judicial Review proceedings against the government, in an attempt to prevent the government making firefighters pay the cost of the discrimination introduced by the government into their pension…
Budget 2021: fire and rescue could be unable to face growing challenges
A lack of new funding for fire and rescue in the Budget and Spending Review could leave fire and rescue unable to deal with growing challenges including climate change, according to the Fire Brigades Union. The Budget and Spending Review…
Firefighters ‘might not be able to fight all fires’
Firefighter numbers have reached a new low since the beginning of austerity in 2010. One in five firefighter roles which existed in 2010 no longer exist, according to figures released this week, with a fall in numbers of 11,680 since…