National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) News

Over 50 countries came together for the first-ever World Fire Congress in Washington DC last week. Hosted by the United States (US), the Congress (7th–8th May, 2024) was aimed at increasing international collaboration on the growing challenges faced by fire and rescue services across the globe. The two-day event also saw nations signing the World Fire Congress Charter, indicating their continued commitment to work together to tackle pressing fire-related issues. At the close of the event,...

Responding to His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services’ (HMICFRS) report – State of Fire and Rescue: Annual Assessment of Fire and Rescue Services in England 2023 – National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) Chair, Mark Hardingham, said, “Our fire and rescue services undertake a vital role in keeping communities safe, they do this across a variety of different fire service roles often moving towards danger while helping others to escape it."...

The largest convoy from UK fire and rescue services to date will next week deliver essential firefighting equipment to Ukrainian fire and rescue services. The scale of this convoy is unprecedented, comprising 30 fire and rescue vehicles, two mechanics vehicles, and an HGV carrying over 2,800 items of surplus equipment. Amongst the 30 fire and rescue vehicles are 20 fire engines, eight incident command units, one aerial ladder platform, and one 4x4 vehicle. Donated equipment The Home Office wo...

The King of Morocco, Mohammed VI, has written to the UK International Search and Rescue Team (UK ISAR) to thank them for the assistance they provided in the country, following the devastating earthquake that took place earlier this month. The message was shared with Russell Gauden, National Coordinator of UK ISAR, who was asked to convey his gratitude and thanks to the team, as their deployment drew to a close last week. UK ISAR team of 62 firefighters mobilized UK ISAR worked relentlessly to...

Fire service leaders, medical experts, HR professionals and those affected by menopause gathered at The Rep (Birmingham Repertory Theatre), in central Birmingham last week for the NFCC’s first Menopause in Fire conference. The NFCC Menopause in Fire conference, which took place on Thursday, 21 September, 2023, offered a unique opportunity for colleagues within the fire and rescue sector to learn more about the menopause by hearing from medical experts, keynote speakers and those who share...

Door & Hardware Federation (DHF) is once again demonstrating its continuing support for Fire Door Safety Week, a national safety awareness campaign that was first launched in 2013, and in response to a legacy of fire door neglect. The campaign aims to encourage a greater public understanding of the vital role that fire doors play in protecting life and property. Performance of a fire door In particular, the campaign aims to raise awareness of the critical role that fire doors play in the...

NFCC representatives have been in Lincolnshire to support and cheer on participants in the annual UK Rescue Organisation’s (UKRO) Festival of Rescue. specialist rescue disciplines The festival hosted by Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service, sees teams of firefighters from across the UK (plus three international teams) competing in five specialist rescue disciplines: vehicle extrication, rope, water and urban search and rescue, and trauma care. Over three days they showcase vital skills...

Two firefighters and a search and rescue dog from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) have joined an international team, as part of the UK Government's response to the Morocco earthquake. K9 handler Crew Commander - Gary Carroll and Coorie, based at Portlethen, have departed along with Watch Commander - Gavin Brown, based in Dundee, as part of the UK International Search and Rescue Team (ISAR) deployed to Morocco through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). The UK...

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue will be offering small and medium-sized businesses a range of advice during the National Fire Chiefs Council’s (NFCC’s) Business Safety Week, which runs from 11th – 17th September. The week aims to help businesses understand their fire safety responsibilities so they remain safe, legal, and compliant. Many fires in the workplace are preventable and some businesses never recover after a fire. Helping businesses to manage their fire risks and haza...

Ahead of the much anticipated review of BB100 for England, British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association Ltd’s (BAFSA) sprinkler ambassador and the driving force behind the website, Sprinkler Saves UK, has compiled a report for the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) to form part of the industry’s case to Government to make sprinklers mandatory in all new schools in England as they are in Scotland and Wales. Report highlighting sprinkler saves The report covers 10 sprinkler saves re...

The Fleur Lombard Bursary aims to advance the education of junior members of the fire and rescue service, by the grant of bursaries to enable them to travel and study fire and rescue service-related issues at other fire and rescue services elsewhere in the UK, Europe, or worldwide. If interested in finding out more about an issue affecting fire and rescue service or want to improve the understanding of fire and rescue service issues, may be interested in applying for the bursary. Members o...

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) joins with other national fire service organizations to strongly oppose proposed cuts to the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants. The Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants programs provide critical funding to help fire departments secure needed equipment, training, and staffing to adequately protect their communi...

Concerned fire officers and trading standard experts have warned of the dangers of e-bikes and e-scooters after a devastating fire in Newcastle. Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) and Newcastle City Council have issued the warning after a residential fire in Elswick recently. Fires By e-Bike Firefighters from Newcastle Central Community Fire Station responded to the blaze on July 11th when a lithium-ion battery on an e-bike caught fire while charging in a bedroom. The occupant...

Calls for building owners to speed up fire safety remediation work have been backed by the county’s fire service. South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue supports a joint statement from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and regulatory bodies which warns building owners that they need to get on with remediation work or face enforcement action. Making buildings safe The DLUHC statement - issued jointly by the government, Building Safety Regulator, the Local Government Ass...

Following the National Fire Chiefs Council’s (NFCC) Culture and Inclusion Conference on 27 and 28 March 2023 and the spotlight report from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) entitled ‘Values and culture in fire and rescue services’, released on 30 March 2023, the NFCC has developed a Culture Action Plan to address culture and inclusion within the fire and rescue sector. NFCC’s fire and rescue services protect the pub...

The UK’s pioneer firefighter for road rescue has welcomed the news that real-time road crash data could soon be made available to the emergency services, helping to speed up collision response times and save lives describing it as a ‘breakthrough.’ In the event of a collision, the TeCall system, which is about to be piloted, will provide detailed information about the vehicles involved to the fire service, police, paramedics, and highway operators, almost instantly. road safe...

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has published its new Member Strategy, setting out its ambitions to continuously improve, and to firmly establish NFCC and the UK Fire and Rescue Service as among the best in the world. The Strategy, which has been shaped by extensive engagement and consultation with NFCC members, demonstrates how NFCC will achieve its mission of working with fire and rescue services over the next three years, to achieve safer communities through collaboration, partnershi...

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) and the British Retail Consortium (BRC) have launched voluntary guidelines for retailers on the sale of disposable barbecues (DBBQs). The guidelines provide retailers with principles to support wildfire risk reduction at both a local and national level. Voluntary guidelines for retailers The guidelines support responsible retailing and outline the steps that retailers can take The guidelines support responsible retailing and outline the steps that reta...

In response to increased reports of fires caused by batteries and electricals containing batteries in the waste and recycling system. Material Focus is strengthening its work to help address this issue. A new public safety film ‘Stop Battery Fires’ created in partnership with the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), has been launched and is available for local authorities to share. Material Focus is also calling on local authorities to participate in the 2023 ‘Stop Battery Fi...

A Fire Chief has been presented with a lifetime achievement award for his outstanding work with hazardous materials. Dave Walton, the Deputy Chief Fire Officer at West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS), received the award at the NCEC Hazmat 2023 conference, when the work he does across the country was highlighted to hundreds of delegates. Dave is a national pioneer in Hazmat (hazardous materials) and is the National Fire Chiefs Council Hazmat Lead. He was also the Project Executive for...

In the last twelve months, the government has moved to strengthen a range of fire safety provisions in building regulations and guidance, including drawing up tougher standards on the use of combustible materials on medium-rise blocks of flats between 11m and 18m high. The changes are being brought about by the Building Etc (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2022 which makes amendments to the Building Regulations 2010 and changes to Approved Document B. Changes Other aspects of the changes inc...

Research which surveyed more than 3,000 UK fire and rescue service (FRS) personnel has found that mental well-being across the service is being impacted by issues such as sleep disruption, occupational stress, burnout, anxiety, and depression. Carried out by Nottingham Trent University (NTU) and commissioned by the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) and The Fire Fighters Charity, findings also suggest that increased length of career – not related to age - is associated with experiencing...

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) Positive Practice Portal has been launched at the NFCC Spring Conference 2023, taking place at St George’s Park, on 9 May and 10 May 2023. The Positive Practice Portal will share case studies and examples of positive practice captured by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), enabling fire and rescue services to learn from each other and improve their services for the benefit of the public. NFCC a...

More than 400 items of firefighting kit are traveling from West Yorkshire to Ukraine in a bid to support those battling on the frontline.  West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (WYFRS) has contributed hundreds of items to the latest convoy, which leaves the UK (May 3rd, 2023). Among the items are 120 fire helmets and over 300 items of structural fire kit, which includes firefighting clothing, to offer as much protection as possible to firefighters in Ukraine. appliances and eq...

The Fire Standards Board (FSB) is delighted to announce the launch of two new Fire Standards - Fire Control and Communications & Engagement. The development of the Fire Control Standard was driven by recent major incident events, such as Grenfell and the Manchester Arena bombing. It addresses the fundamental and strategic role that Fire Control plays from initially receiving the first contact through to the very close of an incident.  FSB launches new Fire Standards This Fi...

Responding to the inspectorate spotlight report on culture in the fire and rescue service, the Chair of the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has stated his commitment and determination to work with all fire and rescue services to deliver an open, inclusive, and welcoming culture for all. He is clear that this is his number one priority. Following His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) report into values and culture, NFCC Chair - Mark Harding...

  A renewed call to action to improve culture and end misogyny, racism, bullying, and harassment across UK fire and rescue services underpinned by an action plan has been announced, following the culmination of a two-day National Fire Chiefs Council event on culture and inclusion. culture and inclusion With every UK Fire and Rescue Service represented, there was a unanimous commitment to improving culture and inclusion across fire and rescue services, with the publication of a clear...

RIBA and seven built environment bodies, fire safety organizations and disability rights groups have signed a joint letter to the Secretary of State for Leveling Up, Housing and Communities, Rt Hon Michael Gove MP. The united call urges the Government to reduce the height threshold for more than one staircase in new residential buildings to 18 meters (approximately six storeys), from the government’s current proposed 30 meters (approximately ten storeys). new residential buildings Yest...

The National Fire Chief Council’s (NFCC) Community Risk Program (CRP) is developing standardized tools to support UK Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs) in their community risk management planning. To date, the program has worked with the Fire Standards Board to produce a fire standard for Community Risk Management and has delivered several pieces of guidance and tools that are being utilized by UK fire and rescue services. Independent review of community risk management The tools produced...

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) will be joining fire services across the United Kingdom (UK) to celebrate and recognize the incredible work women across fire and rescue services carry out every day. This year’s theme is #EmbraceEquity, promoting a gender equal world, free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination. NFCC supports fire services to be inclusive The National Fire Chiefs Council want to see more women and people from d...