Fire Brigades Union

Wildfires devastated the West Midlands this summer. West Midlands FRS now plans to cut frontline cover from 14 stations across the region. These proposals would leave fire crews covering larger areas with fewer resources, putting firefighters and the public at risk.

The FBU oppose these plans. Have your say and sign the petition: c.org/N9HRdf4d8d

The devastating wildfires in Wales exposed the cost of years of underfunding. Firefighters worked 12-hour shifts in unsuitable PPE, leading to heat exhaustion and injuries. Firefighters control were overwhelmed, with call volumes up more than 200%.

Even with crews responding from as far away as London, there weren’t enough firefighters or engines to attend every incident. It's time the government commits to significant and sustained investment in the fire and rescue service, before more lives are put at risk.

🔥 This summer has exposed an unacceptable level of risk that firefighters and the public face. Investment is about political choices. If a political choice is made not to properly fund the fire service, then that is a choice to continue putting firefighter and public lives at risk.

A survey of thousands of FBU members has laid bare the scale of the UK's wildfire resilience crisis. Almost 50% said welfare facilities at wildfire incidents were inadequate. 69% said they feel significantly under-equipped to tackle wildfires.

Politicians and the public must understand that aerial support and banning disposable BBQs alone will not make the UK wildfire resilient. Firefighters need the resources, training and numbers to prevent and respond to these incidents properly. @unionstevew.bsky.social on BBC One Breakfast.

🚨 This summer, firefighters attended a devastating wildfire in Stourbridge, West Midlands, that destroyed 19 homes. Now, West Midlands FRS is proposing to cut frontline cover from 14 stations across: 📍 Birmingham 📍 Coventry 📍 Solihull 📍 Sandwell 📍 Walsall 📍 Wolverhampton

Today, FBU officials met ministers at the Flood and Drought Resilience Taskforce, where we demanded a statutory duty for firefighters to respond to flooding in England. Urgent investment is needed to ensure firefighters have the right training and resources to keep the public safe during flooding.

🚒 It takes nearly 10 minutes on average for a fire engine to reach you in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. This is the impact of the Tories gutting the fire service and cutting 12,000 firefighter posts from 2010.

George Arthur Roberts was the first Black man in the UK to serve as a firefighter in Britain during wartime. In 1919 he became heavily involved with the post-war welfare of soldiers. He led thousands of ex-servicemen in a march demanding improved rights and higher pensions.

After the war, he settled in South London, where he faced pervasive racism. In response, in 1931 he became one of the founding members of the League of Coloured Peoples, one of the first organisations to focus on the needs of Britain’s Black community.

Firefighters cannot rely on heroics to keep our communities safe. We need the equipment, training and investment to protect the public properly.

Money for 5,000 more firefighters with the correct PPE and greater wildfire and flood resilience would cost a fraction of the £6bn earmarked for British shipyards. Resilience against climate related incidents is just as important as the UK being capable of defending itself.

Wildfires can burn for weeks on end, spread rapidly and ground temperatures can reach over 100°C. Firefighters put their health on the line by working in these extreme conditions. We’re calling on Labour to set a date for the national wildfire summit.

Labour must deliver for firefighters. Last year, the FBU stood on this platform and warned that the fire service had been cut to the bone. This year, as wildfires raged across the UK, there weren't enough firefighters or fire engines to respond to every incident.

A West Yorkshire firefighter and FBU member was seriously injured at work, struck by a passing lorry as he closed the door of his fire engine at an incident. He suffered a severe injury to his hand and, despite years of treatment, ultimately required amputation of his finger.

Firefighters battled month-long fires this summer, often without proper PPE or adequate welfare facilities. We need 5,000 more firefighters and a wildfire summit that delivers.