Watchdog: Fire brigade must tackle “deep-seated” problems

By Joe Talora, Local Democracy Reporter

The London Fire Brigade (LFB) must improve the way it responds to incidents and tackle “deeper-seated problems” such as bullying and discrimination, a watchdog has found.

The latest report from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) found that some responders were not trained on how to deal with terrorist incidents, while inspectors found that the brigade’s values “are not displayed by all staff”.

While the report acknowledges that the LFB’s leadership “recognises the scale of its challenges and is determined to improve”, HMICFRS inspector Matt Parr said, “this has not yet been matched by wide scale improvements”.

The LFB’s response to last week’s heatwave which saw fires rage throughout London was praised by the report, though Mr Parr said that “beneath the surface, deeper-seated problems remain”.

Responding to the report, LFB Commissioner Andy Roe said the Brigade was “at the start of a very long journey” and that change in a large organisation such as the LFB “takes time”.

He said: “Change needs to start from within and it is my aim to ensure that staff feel comfortable and safe in their place of work.

“I will not tolerate any form of bullying or hostility towards anyone, it is my aim to eradicate this kind of behaviour from the brigade.”

Picture: London Fire Brigade