The LFB accepted every recommendation made by the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and has already implemented 26 of the 29 recommendations directed specifically at the LFB and other fire and rescue services.
One key recommendation has seen the introduction of an electronic system to record Fire Survival Guidance (FSG) call information in the control room and display it simultaneously in command units and at the bridgehead – a safe working space at least two floors below the fire). The FSG app allows information to be exchanged between Control and the incident ground in a timely, accurate, and consistent manner.
Grenfell Tower fire
LFB’s Control handled more FSG calls on the night of the Grenfell Tower fire than it did from across the whole of London in the previous ten years.
Other policy changes include having dedicated FSG officers and resources both at the incident ground and in Control to prioritize calls appropriately and ensure that suitable action to changing circumstances is being taken. Control Officers also now have the ability to call people back, to give up-to-date information if their evacuation status has changed.
Community Risk Management Plan
Improvements already introduced as part of this transformation have included investing in firefighters
As part of its continuing transformation, the LFB is set to launch a public consultation on the Community Risk Management Plan. Called ’Your London Fire Brigade,’ the plan will set out how it will continue to change and improve to better serve all its communities.
Improvements already introduced as part of this transformation have included investing in firefighters so that they’re better prepared to offer support in the event of a marauding terror attack, launching a review of culture across the service, and instigating a new set of behavioral standards that set clear expectations for all staff.
Author's quote
London Fire Brigade Commissioner Andy Roe said: “Since the Grenfell Tower fire we have made huge changes to policies, procedures, and equipment, especially in how we tackle fires in high-rise buildings. We owe it to the bereaved families, the survivors, and the residents - whose lives have been torn apart by what happened that night – to learn, change our service, and improve.
"We want to earn the trust of Londoners to serve and protect them. As part of our ongoing transformation, from next week we will be asking London’s communities to have their say on the future of the fire service in the capital.”
New and improved equipment
New aerial appliances have 3 main purposes-act as a water tower, rescue tower, and observational tower
Training exercises currently underway across the LFB also showcase the new and improved equipment the LFB has introduced to help deal with incidents. Three 64-meter ladders – the tallest in Europe – are now in service, along with eight new 32-meter ladders. These new aerial appliances have three main purposes – to act as a water tower, a rescue tower, and an observational tower. They will enhance LFB’s response to a variety of incidents including high-rise fires.
Fire escape hoods are now used by firefighters to help bring people safely out through smoke-filled environments. They are carried on all fire engines and provide a person with 15 minutes of clean, filtered air in a smoke-filled environment.
Overhaul of procedures and equipment
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: “The Grenfell Tower fire was an appalling tragedy and we will always remember the 72 people who lost their lives. We owe it to the people who died, their loved ones, and those who survived to ensure that nothing like it ever happens again. That is why, since the fire, I have been working closely with London Fire Brigade and communities to ensure the recommendations from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry are swiftly implemented to keep all Londoners safe."
“With City Hall support and funding there has been a complete overhaul of procedures and equipment, meaning that London Fire Brigade is now better prepared and equipped to fight fires and save lives. But there is still more to do. Nearly five years after the fire, I am extremely concerned the Government has failed to complete a single recommendation directed at them from the first phase of the Inquiry and too many Londoners are still at risk. It is vital that the Government and the housing and building industries act now to prevent small fires turning into major, life-threatening blazes.”
Dr. Fiona Twycross, Deputy Mayor for Fire and Resilience, said: “I welcome the significant and necessary steps the London Fire Brigade have taken since the Grenfell Tower tragedy to transform the way in which the fire service now responds to incidents – especially fires in high-rise buildings across the capital.”
