Fireground welfare facilities

COMPOSITE A

During protracted incidents, fireground facilities can be very limited. This was highlighted at the moorland fires in Greater Manchester in 2018, with Members facing unacceptable conditions including being on the fireground for many hours without toilet and wash facilities.

At many incidents firefighters are reliant upon the charitable nature of neighbouring home and business owners providing access to toilet and wash facilities resulting in firefighters walking contaminants through these areas.

This issue is not exclusive to large incidents, those requiring one pump reliefs often have no facilities despite firefighters being required to be in attendance for many hours.

This is an issue which affects all firefighters, however, women are especially affected due to menstrual cycles and other practical issues.

Conference, calls on the Executive Council to immediately carry out a survey of all Fire and Rescue Services to establish what, if any, fireground welfare facilities they provide, the Pre- Determined Attendance (PDA) for such facilities and to identify any best practice.

Conference, therefore, calls upon the Executive Council to campaign for and negotiate a national minimum standard for welfare facilities on all appropriate PDAs so that the necessary facilities are provided to protect the health, well-being and dignity of all firefighters and also protect the public from the spread of contaminants.