FTHE MAGAZINEIR OF THE FIRE BRIGADESEF UNION | WWW.FBU.ORG.UKIG | OCTOBER/NOVEMBERHTE 2020 R THE FIGHT FOR OUR SERVICE UNPRECEDENTED TIMES, UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES SEE P10 FBU CAMPAIGNS WIN PUBLIC SUPPORT SEE P14 BLACK LIVES MATTER SEE P5 & 16 UNIVERSITIES WARNED OVER FIRE SAFETY SEE P7 GENERAL SECRETARY’S COMMENT MATT WRACK COVID: WE WON’T WALK AWAY NOW COVID-19 MEDIA MEN When writing my editorial a couple of months ago, we were beginning to see Covid-19 infections increase. Today, there are thousands more cases each day and a second wave truly feels upon us. For this reason our tripartite national agreement was temporarily extended to the end of October and can be extended further still, pending the successful implementation of Covid-19 risk assessments locally. So far, outbreaks of the disease in the fire and rescue service have been few and far between, and we must keep it this way. We have been there A fire last year in Vallea Court in the private Green Quarter development in Manchester which throughout this pandemic has Grenfell-style cladding meant residents were forced to evacuate. Developer Lendlease for our communities with took residents to court to make them pay for the removal of the cladding before agreeing to fire and rescue services pay itself intervening more than 400,000 times to aid the covid-19 response – we such pride. But there is no The next scene of FBU in our service. You can know our members won’t doubt that more needs to be campaigning is in London read more of my thoughts want to walk away now. done to ensure the fire and where members have on this on pages 10-13. rescue service better reflects launched a high-profile BLACK HISTORY MONTH the communities it serves. campaign aimed at preventing END OUR CLADDING SCANDAL October of course marks I promise that the £25m of cuts to London Fire Alongside housing Black History Month, a time FBU will be at the Brigade over two years. campaigners, charities, during which we not only forefront of that fight. We spoke to officials from actors and politicians, we celebrate the contribution of these regions for a special pledged our support for our black brothers and sisters CAMPAIGNS feature on pages 14-15. End Our Cladding Scandal, but also resolve to challenge The last two months have a campaign that calls on the racial injustices that still seen FBU members on the THE BATTLES AHEAD ministers to fully fund vital remain prevalent in society. front foot campaigning The next few weeks and remediation work on private From the dispropor- to protect their service months will be pivotal residential buildings with tionate effects that Covid-19 and the public. for our profession. Local combustible cladding. has had on the black and In East Sussex, members government finances, which Thousands of people minority ethnic community have won a series of part fund our service, have currently have no access to to shocking examples of concessions, amongst them taken a severe hit during government support and police discrimination at the protection of dozens the pandemic, and the face extortionate costs for home and abroad this year, of jobs and fire appliances Westminster government their homes to be made safe. it is clear that there is so that were set to go under at least is already sounding This is not only having a much more for us to do. council plans. And in Surrey, off about plans to huge financial impact on I would like to pay a members successfully forced “balance the books”. residents, but also leaves special tribute to all our black the council to hold an It won’t be easy, but them living in a home they and minority ethnic members emergency public meeting together we must make the know could kill them. The who serve our profession with over its devastating cuts. case for long-term investment government must step in. 2 FIREFIGHTER | OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020 16 CONTENTS OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020 5 NEWS REGULARS 4 Covid work 5 Sounding off agreement extended Black Lives Matter 5 Cautious welcome for 7 News focus East Sussex proposals Universities warned Unions thank firefighters over blocked fire exits for pandemic role 6 MPs join FBU to condemn 8 FBU photo competition cladding removal delays See the winning image More non-fire than fire 16 Equalities incidents last year Black firefighter who also fought prejudice FEATURES 17 Legal Beagle 10 The battle to fund the As Covid ‘redundancies’ fire and rescue service loom – advice for and its firefighters anyone threatened 14 FBU campaigns win public support and 18 Noticeboard 7 influence local politicians Images and report from FBU photo competition 19 Station Cat Gossip they don’t want you to hear 20 25 year badges FIREFIGHTER Published by the Fire Brigades Union Bradley House, 68 Coombe Road Kingston upon Thames KT2 7AE www.fbu.org.uk Cover image: Ian Marlow Firefighter production team: Tom Colclough, Anna Zych, Lisa Irving and Alan Slingsby Print: Walstead UK, Storey’s Bar Road, Peterborough PE1 5YS Firefighter is mailed in a 100% compostable wrapper. Please do not recycle the wrapper but dispose of it in your home compost heap, your garden waste or food waste bin. 8 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020 | FIREFIGHTER 3 NON-FIRE INCIDENTS SAFETY WARNING Non-fire incidents FBU and academics’ outnumbered fires union warn over last year as flooding blocked university NEWS increased p6 fire exits p7 VICTORIA JONES/PA IMAGES VICTORIA JONES/PA London firefighter Dominic Pearce and paramedic Daniel Phillips of the London Ambulance Service (LAS) during training at LAS headquarters FIREFIGHTERS CONTINUE COVID WORK CORONAVIRUS been asked to risk assess all corona virus- Three quarters provided personnel to response activities, including those that drive ambulances and assist ambulance The agreement allowing firefighters to have not yet been requested by local services, while almost two-thirds assist the NHS and social care sector resilience forums, so that brigades are assisted with the movement of bodies during the coronavirus pandemic has ready for a second wave. to mortuaries. been extended, as a second wave of New data reveals that firefighters have In late March more than three infections spread across the UK. intervened more than 400,000 times to quarters of fire and rescue services The extension will last until aid the Covid response. reported having supply chain problems, 29 October, while risk assessments Eight in 10 fire and rescue services including maintaining the supply of for the nationally agreed activities are delivered more than 80,000 packages respiratory masks, hand sanitiser, wipes, implemented locally. of food, medicines and other essentials cloths and coveralls. The agreement can then be extended to vulnerable people, while more than Eight brigades reported problems further, if agreed by the three sides: the seven in 10 delivered PPE, mostly for the securing essential cleaning products from FBU, the National Fire Chiefs Council, NHS and ambulance services. breathing apparatus suppliers. Issues and national employers. 44% of brigades assisted with securing face mask cleaning products, The FBU has warned that proper face-fitting masks, providing 4,000 masks respirator protective equipment and risk assessments are crucial to prevent for NHS and care staff. other items of PPE persisted into April. coronavirus outbreaks in fire and “Much like their colleagues in the rescue services. ‘LIKE THEIR COLLEAGUES IN THE NHS, firefighters and control staff Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, have had to pick up the pieces from a said: “The FBU has played a central role NHS, FIREFIGHTERS AND CONTROL government that gutted their service with in forming the fire service’s response STAFF HAVE HAD TO PICK UP THE austerity and failed to prepare for the to the pandemic, ensuring the safest entirely foreseeable risk of a pandemic,” possible conditions for firefighters. PIECES FROM A GOVERNMENT said Matt Wrack. “But brigades must not be complacent “As death tolls soared earlier in the about the risk to firefighters and the THAT GUTTED THEIR SERVICE year, firefighters stepped in to aid their public – implementing risk assessments WITH AUSTERITY AND FAILED communities in their darkest hour. locally is crucial to keep our heads With a second wave of infections now above water.” TO PREPARE FOR THE ENTIRELY arriving, our crews are staying on Fire and rescue services have now FORESEEABLE RISK OF A PANDEMIC’ high alert.” 4 FIREFIGHTER | OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2020 EDDIE HOWLAND SOUNDING OFF Joseph Mendy, FBU black and ethnic minority members’ section national secretary, on a movement that matters BLACK LIVES MATTER The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement raises awareness of the unacceptable treatment of black people. Born in response to US police brutality, East Sussex it has won support across the globe. firefighters tackle a wildfire The FBU’s black and ethnic minority members’ (B&EMM) section wants to explain why this movement is important to us – and there is no better time to do so than October, Black SUCCESS IN EAST SUSSEX History Month. BLM is about advocating for justice, week. The service has also been forced EAST SUSSEX fair treatment, equal opportunities to change plans which would have seen and the value of black lives, as any Firefighters have cautiously welcomed huge numbers of firefighter posts cut. other life. new proposals by East Sussex Fire The new plan was approved by the and Rescue Service after a campaign fire authority at a meeting which agreed This should not be misinterpreted by FBU members forced a re-think of to a further review should more funding to mean that “only black lives matter” devastating cuts. be provided by central government. but, instead, be seen as a message More than 31,000 people signed a Simon Herbert, FBU brigade that advocates for a fairer society by petition and over 2,000 residents wrote secretary, said: “We’re proud of all addressing the systemic injustices faced to the chair of East Sussex fire authority the FBU members who have actively by the black community.