Dear Brother/Sister,
Storm Bert, flooding and extreme weather
The FBU is immensely proud of our members, who worked tirelessly in recent days during Storm Bert, to rescue people and serve our communities. The contributions of firefighters and emergency control staff underline yet again the irreplaceable role of the service in protection and emergency intervention. Firefighters are the only professionals trained and equipped to tackle the scale of flooding and other extreme weather that happens every year – although we know that more resources are needed now and for the future.
The FBU’s record on flooding
Since the 2007 floods, the FBU has campaigned consistently for a statutory duty on fire and rescue services to respond to flooding.
The FBU’s report, Lessons of the 2007 Floods, was submitted to the Pitt Review into those events. The Pitt Review recommended “the government should urgently put in place a fully funded national capability for flood rescue with Fire and Rescue Authorities playing a leading role, underpinned as necessary by a statutory duty”.
The FBU fought for suitable PPE for flood rescue, after numerous brigades sent firefighters out in regular fire kit to tackle water rescues. The FBU contributed to Exercise Watermark in 2011, which also recommended a statutory duty on fire and rescue services to respond to flooding. The Scottish government implemented a statutory flood duty in 2005. It was FBU officials who made the case for a statutory duty to ministers in the Northern Ireland assembly government. As a result, a duty on major flooding came into force in Northern Ireland on 1 January 2012.
In 2015, the FBU published Inundated: The lessons of recent flooding for the fire and rescue service, making the case for statutory duty. In 2017, it was campaigning by FBU officials that convinced the Welsh Government to implement the duty on fire and rescue services in Wales.
The FBU continued to make the case at Westminster, with only England lacking the duty. The union briefed select committees and convinced MPs from across the political spectrum of the importance of the flood duty.
The sad fact is that for 14 years, successive Conservative governments failed to implement a statutory duty on fire and rescue services to respond to flooding. They were backed by the Chief Fire Officers Association and by the National Fire Chiefs Council, who opposed the demand for a flood duty, despite some of their own members knowing it was needed.
The FBU did not give up the fight. FBU officials campaigned within the Labour Party’s annual conference, National Policy Forum, and other committees for a statutory duty. Labour’s 2024 general election manifesto stated:
“Preparing for the future not only means tackling the climate and nature emergencies, but also adapting to the changes they will bring to our environment. Without action, flooding and coastal erosion will pose greater risks to lives, livelihoods and people’s
wellbeing. The Conservatives’ poor risk management, and a disjointed approach across government and regulators have left Britain badly exposed.
“Labour will improve resilience and preparation across central government, local authorities, local communities, and emergency services. This includes formally working with all stakeholders in the Fire and Rescue services to inform policy and establish
national standards.”
Next steps in the union’s campaign
For two decades, successive Westminster governments scrapped national standards in the fire and rescue service. This affected the service to the public and the conditions of firefighters. Chief fire officers were given a free hand to impose their own local projects, ignore new and emerging risks, as well as making devastating cuts.
The FBU fought to defend national standards when they have existed in the fire and rescue service. The FBU is the only organisation that has fought for national standards since they were scrapped. Higher standards mean better protection for the public and consistent, professional standards for all firefighters, wherever we work.
The FBU believes that national standards are a central mechanism to defend and improve our industry. The union has long demanded a statutory advisory body, involving the FBU and other stakeholders, to produce, implement and monitor national standards.
The FBU has written to ministers (attached) in light of the latest flooding to demand a statutory duty on fire and rescue services to respond to flooding. The union will work with ministers to implement its manifesto commitments, to ensure national standards on flooding and other key matters, and for the voice of the FBU to be heard.
Yours in unity,
Matt Wrack
General Secretary
