1. Fire minister hails Knight Review
Fire minister Brandon Lewis used last Thursday’s Fire Sector Summit as a platform to heap praise on Sir Ken Knight’s examination of the fire service, which was published in May.
Although the MP couldn’t attend the event in person, he sent a video message in which he stated:
The Knight Review is as much about opening the window and letting some fresh air in as it is about practical issues we [the fire sector] need to face.
2. FBU announces plans for further strike action
The day after the Fire Sector Summit, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) unveiled plans for further strike action to take place on Friday, November 1 (from 18:30 to 23:00) and on Monday, November 4 (from 06:00 through until 08:00).
The previous weekend, the FBU postponed a planned five-hour walkout “after the Government and fire employers shifted their position and finally recognised that firefighters faced losing their jobs and a large chunk of their pensions under new changes imposed in April.”
FBU general secretary Matt Wrack explained:
The FBU has been very reasonable, but we’re now faced with broken promises and those in power evading their responsibilities. The Westminster Government has created this mess, but it’s refusing to clear it up. It now recognises the problem, but it will not provide the legal and financial guarantees firefighters need to ensure they have a job and an unreduced pension in the future.
3. CFOA supports ‘Tick Tock Test’
The Chief Fire Officers Association (CFOA) is calling for all household smoke alarms to be tested as part of the Fire Kills campaign “Tick Tock Test,” which has encouraged people to use the clock change on Sunday 27 October as a reminder to test their smoke alarms.
Dave Curry — CFOA’s director of prevention, protection, and road safety — commented:
We’re very concerned that as many as seven out of ten people don’t test their smoke alarms regularly. We recommend this is done weekly. The clock change is a perfect reminder not only to test this vital life safety device in the home, but also create a regular habit that could save lives.
4. What appliance is most likely to set fire to your home?
Consumer rights bible Which? has analysed data collected by UK fire brigades about the causes of domestic blazes and reports on the likelihood of different appliances causing fires.
Claire Rizos’s blog shows that, of all fires caused by faulty products, washing machines made up 14 percent, tumble dryers 12 percent, and dishwashers 11 percent.
She offers some top tips for reducing appliance fires. For example, avoid leaving items such as shopping on cooker tops as ovens may be accidentally switched on. This is a surprisingly regular cause of domestic fires.
5. Fire Industry Association launches Market Conditions Review
The Fire Industry Association (FIA) is to launch its inaugural Market Conditions Review and “provide a ‘snapshot’ of the fire sector” every six months.
The contents are based upon a survey conducted among both FIA members and non-members. Questions asked focus on the number of queries received, how much training has been carried out, and the amount of tenders requiring third-party certification.
FIA CEO Graham Ellicott said:
It’s encouraging to see that the call for third party certificated companies is increasing, while FIA member companies have reported a substantial increase in enquiries. This increase was nearly three times the level reported by non-members.
Download the Fire Safety in 2023 eBook, keeping you up to date with the biggest news and prosecution stories from around the industry. Chapters include important updates such as the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 and an overview of the new British Standard for the digital management of fire safety information.
Plus, we explore the growing risks of lithium-ion battery fires and hear from experts in disability evacuation and social housing.
interesting info, thank you, some stories offer a lot of the interesting info/ideas…
This is truly educative information. I have a vauable information to share with all