National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) News

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service is supporting the National Fire Chiefs Council’s (NFCC) National Sprinkler Week campaign. Running from 17th - 23rd May, the campaign raises awareness of the benefits of sprinkler systems in keeping people and buildings safe from fire. Fire sprinklers Fire sprinklers are widely recognized as the single most effective method for fighting the spread of fires in their early stages. Research by the National Fire Chief’s Council and the Nat...

During the National Sprinkler Week, Fire Chiefs will be highlighting how different approaches to sprinklers across the United Kingdom (UK) means that not all new schools will be protected. The FPA is supporting the campaign that runs from Monday, 17th - 23rd May. It will raise awareness of the benefits of sprinkler systems in keeping people and buildings safe from fire. sprinklers installation One area the NFCC is concerned about is new build schools. In Scotland and Wales, sprinklers are req...

The UK Government has published its second quarterly update on progress to meet the Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommendations, highlighting the breadth of work taking place. In a useful development, the UK Government is providing thematic updates of the work taking place by the government, the London Fire Brigade, the National Fire Chiefs Council, and other bodies to respond to the 46 recommendations made by Sir Martin Moore-Bick in his Phase 1 report. update Key changes in this quarter include:...

The Fire Standards Board for England is seeking views by 9 April on a new overarching standard for Fire Protection. Having recently published the first fire standards focused on operations, the Board is now consulting on two draft standards for protection and prevention. The Fire Standards Board commissioned the development of the Fire Protection Fire Standard through the National Fire Chiefs Council’s Protection Policy and Reform Unit (PPRU). A working group, with representation from ser...

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service is supporting a campaign led by the National Fire Chiefs Council encouraging people to step forward and explore the opportunities the Fire and Rescue Service can offer people who have a passion for working in and helping their local community by becoming on-call firefighters. The ‘Need More’ on-call fire campaign is in its third year and runs during the first week of March. It aims to highlight opportunities that are open to people from all wal...

In March 2021, the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) is asking residents to test their smoke alarms regularly and make it a part of their weekly routine, in support of the National Fire Chiefs Council’s (NFCC) month-long campaign. Smoke alarms are important for everyone’s safety and they can give those few extra seconds for people in distress to escape, in the event of a fire. Importance of smoke alarms in homes Statistics show that smoke alarms alerted households to...

As the rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations begins around the country, Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) continues to offer support to the health sector during the pandemic. Having already seen staff from various parts of the Service helping with training new ambulance drivers, supporting the community hubs and working as ambulance drivers, CFRS is now offering its support with the vaccination program. Chief Fire Officer Chris Strickland said: "The pandemic has been such a challenging t...

Fire and rescue service employers have unilaterally scrapped a ground-breaking agreement with the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) which had enabled firefighters to assist the NHS and care sector response to COVID-19. Negotiations over health and safety measures for firefighters delivering high-risk COVID-19 duties were ongoing when the National Employers issued a communication ending the agreement on the evening of Wednesday 13 January. The decision appears to be supported by the National Fire Chiefs...

The National Fire Chiefs Council has released a range of updated risk assessments which will allow fire-fighters and other staff to continue work on COVID-related activities – while taking on more. To support this, 10,000 lateral flow tests a week will be provided by the government to fire services, meaning up to 5,000 fire-fighters could soon be supporting the UK-wide vaccination program underway. These tests will help keep firefighters who are undertaking vital COVID work safer –...

Robert Jenrick MP, The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities, and Local Government, announced a “New £30 million fund for leaseholders in England to pay for the installation of fire alarm systems in high-rise buildings with cladding.”  Adding that this will remove or reduce “the need for costly interim safety measures such as waking watch.” Install common fire alarms The written statement continues by saying that “This step is supported...

BAFSA is disappointed to report that, along with Staffordshire Fire & Rescue Service and Dorset and Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service & BAFSA, the organizations have made the difficult decision to postpone their joint sprinkler seminars on 18th and 24th March respectively due to the current Covid-19 fears. While disappointing for everyone involved, they have taken this step in line with NFCC guidance as far as reducing the chance of spreading the virus as much as is reasonably practic...

Firefighters working for the busiest fire and rescue service in the UK will receive expert training from a De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) scientist who specializes in the flammability of skincare products and fire investigation. Dr Sarah Hall, Senior Lecturer in Forensic Analytical Chemistry and Forensic Science at DMU’s Leicester School of Pharmacy, was contacted by the London Fire Brigade to share her expertise as part of their training package, to help firefighters better under...

From commercial and industrial settings to local authorities, schools & universities, and residential properties, users are all required to strive for the highest standards of fire safety. Thankfully, there are many ways in which users can reduce the risk of fire thanks to a whole host of innovative fire safety systems. fire sprinkler systems When it comes to effectively containing a fire, an overwhelming body of evidence supports the use of fire sprinkler systems in effectively containing...

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service is joining forces with local authority partners and emergency services, in order to help keep people safe in the upcoming bonfire and fireworks season. With many organized events canceled across the county, emergency services are preparing for a busier night than usual. There is an emerging concern that more people will plan displays and bonfires to celebrate in their own gardens, which could pose significant risk for the people. Safety measures for Bonfi...

During the Grenfell Tower fire incident in 2017, ineffective fire doors allowed smoke and toxic gases to spread through the building more quickly than should have been possible. Sir Martin Moore-Bick made this finding in the conclusion to Phase 1 of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. It serves to highlight the importance that fire doors play in protecting life and property. Grenfell Inquiry findings The Grenfell Inquiry findings have impacted subsequent United Kingdom government guidance and proposed...

As part of a continuing campaign, the British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association (BAFSA), Business Sprinkler Alliance, the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) and European Fire Sprinkler Network (EFSN) have been involved in to influence the Review of BB100 Sprinklers in Schools in England. Zurich Municipal analysis of data on over 26,800 schools in England shows the average fire risk in schools is almost double when compared to that of non-residential buildings. Schools in England are nearly...

NHS Property Services stated that there was a "number of reports of hand sanitizer being the cause of fires when left in vehicles in the hot weather the UK is currently experiencing". It informed NHS employees that the heatwave could cause alcohol-based gels to reach their "flashpoint", which would see them burst into flames when the vapor in them comes into contact with hot air. Sanitizer risks associated with A spark "With the hot summer approaching, there was a concern for our facilities m...

The FIA assisted the National Fire Commercial Transformation Programme (NFCTP) that is led by Kent’s Chief Fire Officer Ann Millington by engaging the members and asking them to leverage their contacts in wider industry sectors to source PPE such as gloves, masks as well as hand sanitizer. The FIA ensured that all suggested suppliers had evidence to prove that they were compliant with the appropriate standards as defined by the technical due diligence process outlined by Kent Fire and Resc...

Thirty-three Fire and Rescue Services (FRS), comprising over 33,500 firefighters, are now benefiting from the Local Authority Collaborative PPE Framework. Launched three years ago in June 2017, the Framework gives UK FRSs access to high quality PPE ensembles and volume discounts through a streamlined procurement process. The Framework was set up in response to calls from government and the industry for FRSs to work together to share best practice and deliver efficiencies. It is run by Kent FRS,...

The fire industry has made it absolutely clear, led by authorized bodies including the BAFE Fire Safety Register, that the current pandemic does not remove the need to comply with any fire safety requirements under the Building Regulations. As we now look beyond the lockdown period, John Allam, Operations Director at Amthal Fire and Security reviews the raft of new proposals demonstrating the Government and industry’s commitment to compliant fire safety and new immediate demands placed on...

This Guidance Note has been prepared by a Special Interest Group(SIG), comprising representatives of FIA member companies, other invited experts in the practice of fire risk assessment in housing premises, and an observer from the National Fire Chiefs Council. Members of the SIG represent companies that carry out, in total, over 40,000 fire risk assessments for multi-occupied residential premises (blocks of flats and maisonettes) per annum. It has been published with the approval of the FIA Boa...

The government announced the publication of its response to the consultation it undertook on ADB, publishing at the same time an amendment to ADB that ‘extends the provision of sprinklers in blocks of high-rise residential buildings to those buildings with a top floor height of 11 meters above ground level’. New guidance on consistent wayfinding signage This announcement also contained ‘new guidance on consistent wayfinding signage’ for fire and rescue service (FRS) per...

The Royal Berkshire Fire & Rescue Service (RBFRS) is supporting the National Fire Chiefs Council’s (NFCC) week-long sprinkler campaign, taking place from 18-24 May, 2020. Sprinklers are widely recognized as the most effective method of fighting the early stages of a fire, can save lives and reduce damage to property. RBFRS’ Area Manager for Prevention and Protection, Doug Buchanan, said “Although times are challenging at the moment, with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we w...

National Drowning Prevention Week has started, which will see Avon Fire and Rescue Service (AF&RS) focus on helping people stay safe around water in line with the Government’s guidance and restrictions that remain in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The dedicated week of action runs from April 20 to April 26 and is led by the National Fire Chiefs’ Council (NFCC) and supported by fire and rescue services all over the UK. During the week messages will be shared on AF&R...

BAFE, British Approvals for Fire Equipment has announced that it welcomes the statement from the UK Home Office, regarding the Key Worker status for all fire industry employees, providing essential services, as published by the FIA, Fire Industry Association. The BAFE statement added that the organization was grateful for the FIA initiative to clarify this. Key Worker Status directly to FIA The Minister of State for Security, the Rt. Hon James Brokenshire, MP in the UK Parliament, has written...

Sprinklers protect life, protect buildings and keep firefighters safer. This was confirmed in a parliamentary debate on fire safety and sprinkler systems at Westminster Hall recently by a wealth of experts.   They work and make complete sense as an important layer of safety, but why is one not making use of them? Is now not the time to finally act on this?  Overall fire safety  Requested by Sir David Amess MP, and former firefighter and MP Jim Fitzpatrick (Chairman and Secretar...

Yorkshire Ambulance Service welcomes additional COVID-19 support from fire and rescue colleagues. Firefighter colleagues from the region’s four fire and rescue services will be joining the Yorkshire Ambulance Service to provide additional support during the current COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic. The 48 volunteers (12 from each fire and rescue service – North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, and Humberside) will be carrying out tasks including driving ambulances and othe...

AEI Cables highlights the need for the highest quality of cabling for use in sprinkler systems being fitted as part of new fire safety initiatives for high-rise buildings.  New blocks of flats of six storeys or higher could require sprinkler systems under new Government plans being considered in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire.  Meeting relevant stands  Graham Turner, of AEI Cables said, “While the approach to sprinkler systems is positive news, the need for reliable...

BAFSA (British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association Ltd.), along with Staffordshire Fire & Rescue Service, Dorset Fire & Rescue Service and Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service, announced that they are disappointed to report that they have made the difficult decision to postpone the joint sprinkler seminars slated to be held on 18th and 24th March respectively due to the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic fears. Joint sprinkler seminars postponed The organizations stated in a joint...

FPA’s first Building a safer future seminar of 2020 attracted over 150 delegates to London to hear the latest updates from the public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire. The expert speakers discussed competency, governmental and regulatory changes ahead, third party certification (TPC), dilemmas for the fire and rescue service (FRS) and toxicity. FPA’s managing director Jonathan O’Neill opened by ‘tracking the progress’ of the government’s recent announceme...