London Fire Brigade
Encyclopedia
The London Fire Brigade (LFB) is the statutory
fire and rescue service
for London
.
Founded in 1865, it is the largest of the fire services in the United Kingdom and the fourth-largest in the world (after the Tokyo Fire Department
, New York City Fire Department
and Paris Fire Brigade
) with nearly 7,000 staff, including 5,800 operational firefighter
s based in 112 fire station
s.
Ron Dobson is the Commissioner for Fire and Emergency Planning, which includes the position of Chief Fire Officer
. Dobson replaced Sir Ken Knight
in 2007; Knight had been Commissioner since 2003. Statutory responsibility for the running of the LFB lies with the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority
.
In 2008/09 the LFB received 229,308 999 calls
, of which it mobilised to 138,385. These included 29,215 fires, of which 13,841 were of a serious nature, making it one of the busiest fire services in the world. In the same period, it received 6,022 hoax calls, the highest number of any UK fire service, but only mobilised to 2,653 of them.
As well as firefighting, the LFB also responds to serious traffic collisions, flood
s, "trapped in lift
" releases and other incidents such as those involving hazardous materials
, and major transport accidents. It also conducts emergency planning and performs fire safety
inspections and education. It does not provide an ambulance service as this function is performed by the London Ambulance Service
as an independent NHS trust
, although all firefighters are trained in first aid and all fire appliances
carry first aid equipment including basic resuscitators.
Historically, the London Fire Brigade was organised into two divisions: Northern and Southern, divided in most places by the River Thames
and each commanded by a Divisional Officer. Both divisions were divided into three districts, each under a Superintendent with his headquarters at a "superintendent station". The superintendent stations themselves were commanded by District Officers, with the other stations under Station Officers.
However, the brigade is now reformed into five divisions: Northern, Eastern, Western, Southeastern and Southwestern. 21 fire stations are located in the Northern Division and have call sign
s prefixed "A"; 26 are in the Eastern Division with call signs prefixed "F"; Western Division consists of 21 stations with "G"-prefixed call signs; 22 are under the Southeastern Division with an "E" prefix; and the remaining 22 are based in the Southwestern Division, call signs prefixed "H".
The internal LFB organisation consists of four directorates that all report to the Commissioner. They are:
In May 2007, the Department for Communities and Local Government
announced that Sir Ken Knight had been appointed as the first Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser
to the British government. Knight was succeeded as LFB Commissioner by Ron Dobson.
The LFB's headquarters since 2007 is located at 169 Union Street in Southwark
, adjacent to the brigade's training centre.
(DCLG). It is now responsible for fire and resilience in England, including London.
The Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004
changed many working practises; it was brought in to replace the Fire Services Act 1947
and repealed several existing acts, many going back fifty years. The full list of acts repealed can be found here:
The 2004 Act was drafted in response to the Independent Review of the Fire Service, often referred to as the Bain Report, after its author Professor Sir George Bain
. It recommended radical changes to many working procedures and led to a national firefighter strike in 2002–2003.
Further changes to the legislative, organisational and structural fabric of the brigade, which could include varying the attendance time, the location of front line appliances and number of personnel, plus mandatory performance targets, priorities and objectives are set by the DCLG in the form of a document called the Fire and Rescue Service National Framework. The framework is set annually by the government and applies to all brigades in England. Responsibility for the rest of the UK fire service is devolved to the various parliaments and assemblies. On country-wide issues, the Chief Fire Officers Association provides the collective voice on fire, rescue and resilience issues. Membership is made up from senior officers above the rank of Assistant Chief Officer, to Chief Fire Officer (or the new title of Brigade Manager).
, various insurance
companies established firefighting units to fight fires that occurred in buildings that their respective companies had insured. As the demands grew on the primitive firefighting units they began to co-operate with each other until, on 1 January 1833, the London Fire Engine Establishment was formed under the leadership of James Braidwood. With eighty firefighters and thirteen fire station
s, the unit was still a private enterprise, funded by the insurance companies and as such was responsible mainly for saving material goods from fire.
Several large fires, most notably at the Palace of Westminster
in 1834 and warehouses by the River Thames
in 1861, spurred the insurance companies to lobby the UK government
to provide the brigade at public expense and management. After due consideration, in 1865 the Metropolitan Fire Brigade Act was passed, creating the Metropolitan Fire Brigade under the leadership of Captain (later Sir) Eyre Massey Shaw
. In 1904 the brigade was renamed as the London Fire Brigade. The LFB moved into a new headquarters built by Higgs and Hill
on the Albert Embankment
in Lambeth in 1937.
During the Second World War fire brigades were amalgamated into a single National Fire Service
. The separate London Fire Brigade for the county of London
was re-established in 1948. With the formation of Greater London
in 1965, this absorbed most of the Middlesex Fire Brigade, the borough brigades for West Ham
, East Ham
and Croydon
and parts of the Essex
, Hertfordshire
, Surrey
and Kent
brigades.
In 1986 the Greater London Council
(GLC) was disbanded and replaced by a new statutory authority, called the London Fire and Civil Defence Authority (LFCDA). On 3 July 2000 the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA) took over statutory responsibility of the LFB.
At the same time, the Greater London Authority
(GLA) was established to administer the LFEPA and coordinate emergency planning for London. Consisting of the Mayor of London
and other elected members, the GLA also takes responsibility for the Metropolitan Police Authority
(MPA), Transport for London
(TfL) and other functions.
In 2007 the LFB vacated its Lambeth headquarters and moved to a site in Union Street, Southwark.
Ron Dobson is the current commissioner, having taken up the role in 2007. Dobson has served in the LFB since 1979 and was awarded the Queen's Fire Service Medal
in 2005, and in 2011 a CBE
for his distinguished contribution to the fire and rescue service.
The old titles are still in use in many of the UK's other brigades and fire authorities.
After training school, firefighters serve a one-year period of probation, and many choose to take formal promotion exams. Qualification and full pay are not reached until the candidate completes their large goods vehicle (LGV) driving course as well as their development folder which usually takes around 12–18 months. Ongoing training – both theoretical and practical – continues throughout the firefighter's career.
(FBU) agreed on a new shift pattern for front line firefighters: two 10½-hour day shifts then two 13½-hour night shifts followed by four days off.
The agreement followed two eight-hour daytime strikes
by the FBU in protest at the LFB's intention to change the shift pattern from two nine-hour day shifts then two 15-hour night shifts followed by three days off, to two 12-hour day shifts then two 12-hour night shifts followed by four full days off.
Some promotion exams can be substituted by qualifications from the Institution of Fire Engineers
. Firefighters and civilians such as building inspectors, scientists, surveyors and other practising professionals, take these qualifications either by written test or research.
Future promotion exams will be set using the Integrated Personal Development System (IPDS).
s, LFB firefighters respond to "special services".
A special service is defined as every other non-fire related emergency, including:
and other rescue operations including persons trapped under trains, train derailment
s, plane crashes, and waterborne rescues such as in the Marchioness disaster
.
The full scope of the brigade's duties and powers is enshrined in the Fire and Rescue Act 2004.
Firefighters and, in some cases, specialist teams from the brigade's fire investigation
unit also investigate arson
incidents, often working alongside the police and providing evidence in court. In 2008/09, deliberate fires accounted for 28% of all those attended by the LFB, a 28% reduction on the previous year.
The other core duty of the brigade is to "prevent damage", and day-to-day fire prevention duties.
Category "A" includes areas with a high density of large buildings and/or population, such as offices or factories. Three fire engines are to arrive at "A" risks within eight minutes, the first two within five minutes.
Areas with a medium density of large buildings and/or population, such as multi-storey residential blocks, will generally be classified "B" risk. Two fire engines will be deployed, with one to arrive within five minutes and the second within eight minutes.
Category "C" covers lower density, suburban areas and detached properties. One fire engine should arrive at a "C" risk incident within ten minutes. More rural areas not covered by the first three categories will be considered "D" risk. One fire engine should arrive at "D" risks within 20 minutes.
In 2008/09, the average response time of the first fire engine was five minutes and 41 seconds, and of the second fire engine was six minutes and 38 seconds.
at the Buncefield fire in 2005.
The other fire services that adjoin the LFB are:
The LFB also mobilises to support BAA
firefighters at London Heathrow Airport
, and firefighters at London City Airport
.
when the fire is out, if no other pumping appliances were despatched, this would be recorded as a '4-pump fire'.
If an incident is more serious, it can be escalated straight to a 6-, 8- or 10-pump fire and beyond – in London this is usually completed in even numbers, though it is not uncommon for a 10-pump fire to be 'made up' to 15 if necessary. A call to, say, a large warehouse ablaze could be escalated straight to a 10-pump fire. The 2007 Cutty Sark
fire required 8 pumps; as a serious incident escalates, the brigade deploys senior officers, Command Units and any specialist appliances required.
Examples of 25-pump fires include the blaze at Alexandra Palace
in 1980, and at The Royal Marsden Hospital, Chelsea
, in 2008, the latter also involving four aerial appliances. The King's Cross fire
was a 30-pump fire, as was the blaze at Oxford Street
shops on 26 April 2007. Pumping appliances can only operate with a minimum crew of four, and a maximum of six (although this is rare) so it is possible, theoretically, to work out the number of firefighters attending an incident by multiplying the number of pumps by five. For example, the Cutty Sark fire was described as "an 8-pump fire attended by 40 firefighters".
payers and through central government funding known as a grant settlement; each council tax payer's bill will include a precept – a specific part of their bill that contributes to the funding of the fire brigade. Those in need of the LFB's services in an emergency do not pay, but the brigade can provide additional special services for which it may charge where there is no immediate threat to life or imminent risk of injury.
Examples of these special services which may be charged for include the clearing of flooded commercial premises, the use of brigade equipment for supplying or removing water, and making structures safe in cases where there is no risk of personal injury to the public.
In 2008/09, the LFB made 48,768 home fire safety visits, up 9% from the previous 12 months. Over 83,000 children were seen by the brigade's schools team. 50% of all serious fires attended occurred in the home, and in 59.7% of house fires attended no smoke alarm had been fitted, despite the LFB fitting over 78,000 in homes that year.
The LFB has 112 fire stations, including one independent river station, across the 32 London borough
s and the City of London. They are staffed 24 hours per day by full-time employees of the brigade, and are linked to a control centre in the Docklands. This centre was opened in 2004; calls to it are fed from 999 operators at BT
, Cable & Wireless and Global Crossing
.
Central London
stations can attend up to 8,000 calls per year, inner-city stations about 3,000 to 4,000 calls per year (these tend to be the stations that are busy serving the poorer densely-populated areas), and outlying or suburban fire stations may attend around 1,500 calls which include road traffic accidents, grass fires and house fires.
Some UK fire authorities use part time, or 'retained', firefighters who live and work near their local station and are on-call, but the LFB is one of only two UK fire services where all operational staff are full-time employees.
Each station has four shifts, or 'watches': red, white, blue and green; with a Watch Manager in charge of each. The overall management of the station falls to the Station Manager, who will also attend serious incidents, as well as spending time on call.
A group of one (City of London) to six (Tower Hamlets) stations within a borough are managed by a Borough Commander (Group Manager) who interacts strategically on a local level with the Borough Commander for the police and the chief executive of the local authority.
, also known as pumps and pump ladders. These are generally the busier stations receiving over 2,000 emergency calls (known colloquially by firefighters as "shouts") per year. They may also be stations of strategic importance, or those located in areas considered high risk. The remaining stations have a single pump and generally attend fewer than 2,000 calls per year. Many stations also have other specialist vehicles allocated to them.
The LFB's current full operational fleet consists of:
(USAR) vehicles and ten USAR personnel carriers; three mass decontamination resilience units; and six equipment carriers known as Operational Support Units.
Architecturally, fire stations vary in age and design from Edwardian era red-brick fire houses to modern spacious blocks complete with additional specialist facilities. Early fire stations were originally built with horse-drawn appliances in mind and with traditional features such as the fireman's pole, used by firefighters to gain rapid access from their upstairs quarters to the fire engine garages below when summoned. The oldest station still operational in London is at Clerkenwell
.
More modern fire stations, though constructed without such features, often have more spacious accommodation and facilities for staff of both sexes, public visitor areas such as community safety offices and other amenities. An example of these is the new fire station in Hammersmith
which opened in 2003, just a few hundred yards along Shepherd's Bush Road from the previous local fire station which had been constructed in 1913.
The LFB has an ongoing policy of upgrading existing fire stations, and building new stations to replace those that are no longer suitable for the requirements of a modern day fire service. It has gained one new station at Heathrow Airport
, but in recent years the total number of stations has reduced slightly, with some permanent closures:
In February 2010, Boris Johnson
officially opened the LFB's first new station for over ten years, at Harold Hill
. The mayor hailed the station's exceptional environmental sustainability, calling it the "greenest station in the capital".
project, would be at the Merton industrial estate in the London Borough of Merton
.
Any member of any of the emergency services can initiate a major incident. Responsibility for the rescue of persons involved lies with the LFB. The care and transportation of casualties to hospital is the responsibility of the London Ambulance Service. Police will ease these operations by co-ordinating the emergency services, local authorities and other agencies.
When a major incident is declared the services, along with civilian agencies, use a structural system known as gold-silver-bronze command that allows them to follow a set procedure for incident management. Put simply, gold relates to strategic control of an incident, silver to tactical command, and bronze to operational control. The term gold command can also relate to an emergency service building, mobile control unit or other base that becomes the focal point (often remotely) for the incident's management.
Additionally, a major incident can lead to the government activating its coordination facility, known as COBR.
Statute
A statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs a state, city, or county. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. The word is often used to distinguish law made by legislative bodies from case law, decided by courts, and regulations...
fire and rescue service
Fire department
A fire department or fire brigade is a public or private organization that provides fire protection for a certain jurisdiction, which typically is a municipality, county, or fire protection district...
for London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Founded in 1865, it is the largest of the fire services in the United Kingdom and the fourth-largest in the world (after the Tokyo Fire Department
Tokyo Fire Department
The is a fire department headquartered in Ōtemachi, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. The TFD was formed on March 7, 1948 and is responsible for protecting the Tokyo Metropolis Area. The Fire Department is the largest urban fire department in the world. Providing services to the 23 Wards of Tokyo and parts...
, New York City Fire Department
New York City Fire Department
The New York City Fire Department or the Fire Department of the City of New York has the responsibility for protecting the citizens and property of New York City's five boroughs from fires and fire hazards, providing emergency medical services, technical rescue as well as providing first response...
and Paris Fire Brigade
Paris Fire Brigade
The Paris Fire Brigade , is a French Army unit which serves as the fire service for Paris and certain sites of national strategic importance....
) with nearly 7,000 staff, including 5,800 operational firefighter
Firefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
s based in 112 fire station
Fire station
A fire station is a structure or other area set aside for storage of firefighting apparatus , personal protective equipment, fire hose, fire extinguishers, and other fire extinguishing equipment...
s.
Ron Dobson is the Commissioner for Fire and Emergency Planning, which includes the position of Chief Fire Officer
Chief Fire Officer
A Chief Fire Officer or CFO is the highest ranking Officer in the UK Fire & Rescue Service. There are currently 59 Chief Fire Officers serving in the United Kingdom in charge of County Fire Services....
. Dobson replaced Sir Ken Knight
Ken Knight
Sir Ken Knight, CBE, QFSM, DL, MIFireE is the current HM Chief Inspector of Fire Services and Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser in England & Wales.The position of "Chief Fire & Rescue Adviser" is a new government role created in 2007....
in 2007; Knight had been Commissioner since 2003. Statutory responsibility for the running of the LFB lies with the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority
London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority
The London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority is a functional body of the Greater London Authority and was established under the Greater London Authority Act 1999. Its principal purpose is to run the London Fire Brigade....
.
In 2008/09 the LFB received 229,308 999 calls
999 (emergency telephone number)
999 is an official emergency telephone number in a number of countries which allows the caller to contact emergency services for urgent assistance....
, of which it mobilised to 138,385. These included 29,215 fires, of which 13,841 were of a serious nature, making it one of the busiest fire services in the world. In the same period, it received 6,022 hoax calls, the highest number of any UK fire service, but only mobilised to 2,653 of them.
As well as firefighting, the LFB also responds to serious traffic collisions, flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
s, "trapped in lift
Elevator
An elevator is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between floors of a building, vessel or other structures...
" releases and other incidents such as those involving hazardous materials
Dangerous goods
Dangerous goods are solids, liquids, or gases that can harm people, other living organisms, property, or the environment. They are often subject to chemical regulations. "HazMat teams" are personnel specially trained to handle dangerous goods...
, and major transport accidents. It also conducts emergency planning and performs fire safety
Fire safety
Fire safety refers to precautions that are taken to prevent or reduce the likelihood of a fire that may result in death, injury, or property damage, alert those in a structure to the presence of a fire in the event one occurs, better enable those threatened by a fire to survive, or to reduce the...
inspections and education. It does not provide an ambulance service as this function is performed by the London Ambulance Service
London Ambulance Service
The London Ambulance Service NHS Trust is the largest "free at the point of contact" emergency ambulance service in the world. It responds to medical emergencies in Greater London, England, with the ambulances and other response vehicles and over 5,000 staff at its disposal.It is one of 12...
as an independent NHS trust
NHS Trust
A National Health Service trust provides services on behalf of the National Health Service in England and NHS Wales.The trusts are not trusts in the legal sense but are in effect public sector corporations. Each trust is headed by a board consisting of executive and non-executive directors, and is...
, although all firefighters are trained in first aid and all fire appliances
Fire apparatus
A fire apparatus, fire engine, fire truck, or fire appliance is a vehicle designed to assist in fighting fires by transporting firefighters to the scene and providing them with access to the fire, along with water or other equipment...
carry first aid equipment including basic resuscitators.
Organisation
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
and each commanded by a Divisional Officer. Both divisions were divided into three districts, each under a Superintendent with his headquarters at a "superintendent station". The superintendent stations themselves were commanded by District Officers, with the other stations under Station Officers.
However, the brigade is now reformed into five divisions: Northern, Eastern, Western, Southeastern and Southwestern. 21 fire stations are located in the Northern Division and have call sign
Call sign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...
s prefixed "A"; 26 are in the Eastern Division with call signs prefixed "F"; Western Division consists of 21 stations with "G"-prefixed call signs; 22 are under the Southeastern Division with an "E" prefix; and the remaining 22 are based in the Southwestern Division, call signs prefixed "H".
The internal LFB organisation consists of four directorates that all report to the Commissioner. They are:
- Fire and community safety (reports to the Deputy Commissioner);
- Operational policy and training;
- Resources;
- Corporate services.
In May 2007, the Department for Communities and Local Government
Department for Communities and Local Government
The Department for Communities and Local Government is the UK Government department for communities and local government in England. It was established in May 2006 and is the successor to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, established in 2001...
announced that Sir Ken Knight had been appointed as the first Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser
Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser
Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Fire Services for England and Wales, is responsible for the inspection and auditing of all Local Authority Fire Services in England and Wales to ensure they meet strict performance criteria and targets laid out by the Government ....
to the British government. Knight was succeeded as LFB Commissioner by Ron Dobson.
The LFB's headquarters since 2007 is located at 169 Union Street in Southwark
Southwark
Southwark is a district of south London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Southwark. Situated east of Charing Cross, it forms one of the oldest parts of London and fronts the River Thames to the north...
, adjacent to the brigade's training centre.
Legislative powers
Fire and rescue authorities in England come under the government department formerly known as the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM). This department was responsible for legislation covering fire authorities; however, in 2006, a structural change to central government led to the creation of the Department for Communities and Local GovernmentDepartment for Communities and Local Government
The Department for Communities and Local Government is the UK Government department for communities and local government in England. It was established in May 2006 and is the successor to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, established in 2001...
(DCLG). It is now responsible for fire and resilience in England, including London.
The Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004
Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004
The Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.It came into effect on 1 October 2004. It only applies to Great Britain and most provisions apply only in England and Wales...
changed many working practises; it was brought in to replace the Fire Services Act 1947
Fire Services Act 1947
-General Arrangement of the Act:-Scotland:The FRSA 2004 extended only to England and Wales, thus leaving the FSA 1947 in force in Scotland. Most of the 1947 Act was later repealed by the FSA 2005, which left ss...
and repealed several existing acts, many going back fifty years. The full list of acts repealed can be found here:
The 2004 Act was drafted in response to the Independent Review of the Fire Service, often referred to as the Bain Report, after its author Professor Sir George Bain
George Bain (academic)
Sir George Sayers Bain, a Canadian by birth born in Winnipeg and attended Miles MacDonell Collegiate, was President and Vice-Chancellor of Queen's University, Belfast, Northern Ireland from 1998 to 2004.- Biography :...
. It recommended radical changes to many working procedures and led to a national firefighter strike in 2002–2003.
Further changes to the legislative, organisational and structural fabric of the brigade, which could include varying the attendance time, the location of front line appliances and number of personnel, plus mandatory performance targets, priorities and objectives are set by the DCLG in the form of a document called the Fire and Rescue Service National Framework. The framework is set annually by the government and applies to all brigades in England. Responsibility for the rest of the UK fire service is devolved to the various parliaments and assemblies. On country-wide issues, the Chief Fire Officers Association provides the collective voice on fire, rescue and resilience issues. Membership is made up from senior officers above the rank of Assistant Chief Officer, to Chief Fire Officer (or the new title of Brigade Manager).
History
Following a multitude of ad-hoc firefighting arrangements and the Great Fire of LondonGreat Fire of London
The Great Fire of London was a major conflagration that swept through the central parts of the English city of London, from Sunday, 2 September to Wednesday, 5 September 1666. The fire gutted the medieval City of London inside the old Roman City Wall...
, various insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
companies established firefighting units to fight fires that occurred in buildings that their respective companies had insured. As the demands grew on the primitive firefighting units they began to co-operate with each other until, on 1 January 1833, the London Fire Engine Establishment was formed under the leadership of James Braidwood. With eighty firefighters and thirteen fire station
Fire station
A fire station is a structure or other area set aside for storage of firefighting apparatus , personal protective equipment, fire hose, fire extinguishers, and other fire extinguishing equipment...
s, the unit was still a private enterprise, funded by the insurance companies and as such was responsible mainly for saving material goods from fire.
Several large fires, most notably at the Palace of Westminster
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
in 1834 and warehouses by the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
in 1861, spurred the insurance companies to lobby the UK government
Government of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Government is the central government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Government is led by the Prime Minister, who selects all the remaining Ministers...
to provide the brigade at public expense and management. After due consideration, in 1865 the Metropolitan Fire Brigade Act was passed, creating the Metropolitan Fire Brigade under the leadership of Captain (later Sir) Eyre Massey Shaw
Eyre Massey Shaw
Captain Sir Eyre Massey Shaw KCB was the Superintendent of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade , and its predecessor, the London Fire Engine Establishment, from 1861 to 1891...
. In 1904 the brigade was renamed as the London Fire Brigade. The LFB moved into a new headquarters built by Higgs and Hill
Higgs and Hill
Higgs and Hill was a major British construction company responsible for building some of London's finest buildings.-History:The Company was established in 1874 by the merger of the firm of Thomas Hill with the firm of William Higgs...
on the Albert Embankment
Albert Embankment
The Albert Embankment is a stretch of the river bank on the south side of the River Thames in Central London. It stretches approximately one mile northward from Vauxhall Bridge to Westminster Bridge, and is located in the London Borough of Lambeth.Albert Embankment is also the name given to the...
in Lambeth in 1937.
During the Second World War fire brigades were amalgamated into a single National Fire Service
National Fire Service
The National Fire Service was the single fire service created in Great Britain in 1941 during the Second World War; a separate National Fire Service was created in 1942....
. The separate London Fire Brigade for the county of London
County of London
The County of London was a county of England from 1889 to 1965, corresponding to the area known today as Inner London. It was created as part of the general introduction of elected county government in England, by way of the Local Government Act 1888. The Act created an administrative County of...
was re-established in 1948. With the formation of Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
in 1965, this absorbed most of the Middlesex Fire Brigade, the borough brigades for West Ham
County Borough of West Ham
West Ham was a local government district in the extreme south west of Essex from 1886 to 1965, forming part of the built-up area of London, although outside the County of London...
, East Ham
County Borough of East Ham
East Ham was a local government district in the far south west of Essex from 1878 to 1965. It extended from Wanstead Flats in the north to the River Thames in the south and from Green Street in the west to Barking Creek in the east...
and Croydon
County Borough of Croydon
Croydon was a local government district in north east Surrey, England from 1849 to 1965.-History:A local board of health was formed for the parish of Croydon St John the Baptist in 1849. On March 9, 1883 the town received a charter of incorporation to become a municipal borough...
and parts of the Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
and Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
brigades.
In 1986 the Greater London Council
Greater London Council
The Greater London Council was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council which had covered a much smaller area...
(GLC) was disbanded and replaced by a new statutory authority, called the London Fire and Civil Defence Authority (LFCDA). On 3 July 2000 the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA) took over statutory responsibility of the LFB.
At the same time, the Greater London Authority
Greater London Authority
The Greater London Authority is the top-tier administrative body for Greater London, England. It consists of a directly elected executive Mayor of London, currently Boris Johnson, and an elected 25-member London Assembly with scrutiny powers...
(GLA) was established to administer the LFEPA and coordinate emergency planning for London. Consisting of the Mayor of London
Mayor of London
The Mayor of London is an elected politician who, along with the London Assembly of 25 members, is accountable for the strategic government of Greater London. Conservative Boris Johnson has held the position since 4 May 2008...
and other elected members, the GLA also takes responsibility for the Metropolitan Police Authority
Metropolitan Police Authority
The Metropolitan Police Authority is the police authority responsible for supervising the Metropolitan Police Service, the police force for Greater London ....
(MPA), Transport for London
Transport for London
Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London in England. Its role is to implement the transport strategy and to manage transport services across London...
(TfL) and other functions.
In 2007 the LFB vacated its Lambeth headquarters and moved to a site in Union Street, Southwark.
Commissioners and chief officers
Extract from: London Fire Brigade key datesRon Dobson is the current commissioner, having taken up the role in 2007. Dobson has served in the LFB since 1979 and was awarded the Queen's Fire Service Medal
Queen's Fire Service Medal
The Queen's Fire Service Medal is awarded to members of the fire services in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth of Nations for distinguished service or gallantry. It was introduced on 19 May 1954 when it replaced the King's Fire Service Medal...
in 2005, and in 2011 a CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
for his distinguished contribution to the fire and rescue service.
- 2007 to present: Ron Dobson, CBEOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
- 2003 to 2007: Sir Ken Knight
- 1991 to 2003: Brian Robinson (first Commissioner)
- 1987 to 1991: Gerald Clarkson
- 1980 to 1987: Ronald Bullers
- 1976 to 1980: Peter Darby
- 1970 to 1976: Joseph MilnerJoseph Milner (firefighter)Joseph "Joe" Milner CBE, QFSM was a senior officer in the British fire service....
- 1962 to 1970: Leslie Leete
- 1948 to 1962: Sir Frederick Delve
- (1941 to 1948: all fire brigades nationalisedNational Fire ServiceThe National Fire Service was the single fire service created in Great Britain in 1941 during the Second World War; a separate National Fire Service was created in 1942....
) - 1939 to 1941: DCO Jackson (Firebrace seconded to the Home Office)
- 1938 to 1941: Aylmer Firebrace
- 1933 to 1938: Maj. Cyril Morris
- 1918 to 1933: Arthur Dyer
- 1909 to 1918: Lt. Cdr. Sampson Sladen, RN
- 1903 to 1909: Rear Adm. Hamilton
- 1896 to 1903: Capt. Wells
- 1891 to 1896: James Sexton Simmonds (resigned)
- 1861 to 1891: Capt. Sir Eyre Massey ShawEyre Massey ShawCaptain Sir Eyre Massey Shaw KCB was the Superintendent of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade , and its predecessor, the London Fire Engine Establishment, from 1861 to 1891...
, (Superintendent) - 1833 to 1861: James Braidwood (director of the London Fire Engine Establishment, died in action)
Role structure
The London Fire Brigade, along with many UK fire and rescue services has adopted a change in rank structure. The traditional ranks – to the left of the column below – have been replaced in the LFB, by new titles more descriptive to the job function.The old titles are still in use in many of the UK's other brigades and fire authorities.
| Former title | Modern title |
|---|---|
| Firefighter | Firefighter |
| Leading Firefighter Leading Firefighter Leading Firefighter was a rank in the British fire services, between Firefighter and Sub-Officer. A Leading Firefighter was usually in charge of a single fire appliance... |
Crew Manager |
| Sub-Officer Sub-Officer Sub-Officer is a term used in many military forces used to indicate ranks below commissioned officers. Sub-Officer is equivalent to the term NCO in the Commonwealth and USA... |
Watch Manager A |
| Station Officer Station Officer Station Officer is a rank in a number of Commonwealth and other fire services, including those in Australia, the United Kingdom and the New Zealand Fire Service.-Australia and New Zealand:... |
Watch Manager B |
| Assistant Divisional Officer | Station Manager |
| Divisional Officer | Group Manager / Area Manager |
| Deputy Assistant Chief Officer | Area Commander |
| Assistant Chief Officer | Assistant Commissioner (LFB) Brigade Manager (outside London) |
| Deputy Chief Officer | Deputy Commissioner (LFB) |
| Chief Fire Officer Chief Fire Officer A Chief Fire Officer or CFO is the highest ranking Officer in the UK Fire & Rescue Service. There are currently 59 Chief Fire Officers serving in the United Kingdom in charge of County Fire Services.... |
Commissioner for Fire and Emergency Planning (LFB) |
Historical ranks
| 1833–1938 | 1938–1965 | 1965–1992 | 1992–2001 | 2001–2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fireman 4th Class | Fireman | Fireman/Firewoman | Firefighter | Firefighter |
| Fireman 3rd Class | Senior Fireman | Leading Fireman/Firewoman | Leading Firefighter | Crew Commander (A) |
| Fireman 2nd Class | Sub-Officer | Sub-Officer | Sub-Officer | Crew Commander (B) (or Watch Commander A [one-pump stations only]) |
| Fireman 1st Class | Station Officer | Station Officer | Station Officer | Watch Commander (B) |
| Junior Fireman | Assistant District Officer | Assistant Divisional Officer (Station Commander from 1986) |
Assistant Divisional Officer (or Station Commander) | Station Commander (or Deputy Group Commander) |
| Senior Fireman | District Officer | Divisional Officer | Divisional Officer | Divisional Officer (or Group Commander) |
| Senior District Officer | Deputy Assistant Chief Officer | Assistant Chief Officer (or Area Commander) | Assistant Chief Officer (or Area Commander) |
|
| Deputy Superintendent | Deputy Chief Officer | Deputy Chief Fire Officer | Deputy Chief Officer | Deputy Chief Officer |
| Assistant Chief Fire Officer (or Area Commander) |
||||
| Superintendent | Chief Officer | Chief Fire Officer | Chief Fire Officer | Chief Fire Officer |
Recruitment and training
Professional firefighter training usually lasts about four months and takes place at the LFB's specialist training centre in Southwark. On successful completion, the newly-qualified firefighter is posted to a fire station to work on a shift pattern – currently two day shifts (nine hours), followed by two night shifts (15 hours), followed by four days off. Working patterns were the subject of scrutiny in Professor Bain's Independent Review of the Fire Service.After training school, firefighters serve a one-year period of probation, and many choose to take formal promotion exams. Qualification and full pay are not reached until the candidate completes their large goods vehicle (LGV) driving course as well as their development folder which usually takes around 12–18 months. Ongoing training – both theoretical and practical – continues throughout the firefighter's career.
Shift pattern
In December 2010 the LFB and Fire Brigades UnionFire Brigades Union
The Fire Brigades Union is a trade union in the United Kingdom for wholetime Firefighters , Retained Duty System and Emergency Control Room staff...
(FBU) agreed on a new shift pattern for front line firefighters: two 10½-hour day shifts then two 13½-hour night shifts followed by four days off.
The agreement followed two eight-hour daytime strikes
Industrial action
Industrial action or job action refers collectively to any measure taken by trade unions or other organised labour meant to reduce productivity in a workplace. Quite often it is used and interpreted as a euphemism for strike, but the scope is much wider...
by the FBU in protest at the LFB's intention to change the shift pattern from two nine-hour day shifts then two 15-hour night shifts followed by three days off, to two 12-hour day shifts then two 12-hour night shifts followed by four full days off.
Promotion
Firefighters usually gain promotion by taking examinations. Until July 2006, these were administered by the Fire Services Examinations Board who set national written exams for promotion to the rank of Leading Firefighter, Crew Manager and Watch Manager (see above).Some promotion exams can be substituted by qualifications from the Institution of Fire Engineers
Institution of Fire Engineers
The Institution of Fire Engineers is a worldwide body that provides research, training, conferences and professional qualifications for firefighters and civilians who work in fields related to fire fighting, the science of fire fighting and prevention, and related technology.-Structure:Founded in...
. Firefighters and civilians such as building inspectors, scientists, surveyors and other practising professionals, take these qualifications either by written test or research.
Future promotion exams will be set using the Integrated Personal Development System (IPDS).
Firefighting, special services and fire prevention
In addition to conflagrationConflagration
A conflagration or a blaze is an uncontrolled burning that threatens human life, health, or property. A conflagration can be accidentally begun, naturally caused , or intentionally created . Arson can be accomplished for the purpose of sabotage or diversion, and also can be the consequence of...
s, LFB firefighters respond to "special services".
A special service is defined as every other non-fire related emergency, including:
- Persons trapped in lifts (14,496 in 2008/09);
- Traffic collisions (4,503 in 2008/09);
- FloodFloodA flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
ing (6,435 in 2008/09); - Effecting entry (7,397 in 2008/09);
- Spills and leaks (866 in 2008/09);
- "Making safe" operations (2,198 in 2008/09);
and other rescue operations including persons trapped under trains, train derailment
Derailment
A derailment is an accident on a railway or tramway in which a rail vehicle, or part or all of a train, leaves the tracks on which it is travelling, with consequent damage and in many cases injury and/or death....
s, plane crashes, and waterborne rescues such as in the Marchioness disaster
Marchioness disaster
The Marchioness disaster occurred on the River Thames in London in the early hours of 20 August 1989. The pleasure boat Marchioness sank after being run down by the dredger Bowbelle, near Cannon Street Railway Bridge. There were 131 people on the Marchioness. Some were members of the crew, some...
.
The full scope of the brigade's duties and powers is enshrined in the Fire and Rescue Act 2004.
Firefighters and, in some cases, specialist teams from the brigade's fire investigation
Fire investigation
Fire investigation, sometimes referred to as origin and cause investigation, is the analysis of fire-related incidents. After firefighters extinguish a fire, an investigation is launched to determine the origin and cause of the fire or explosion...
unit also investigate arson
Arson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
incidents, often working alongside the police and providing evidence in court. In 2008/09, deliberate fires accounted for 28% of all those attended by the LFB, a 28% reduction on the previous year.
The other core duty of the brigade is to "prevent damage", and day-to-day fire prevention duties.
Firefighting cover
The LFB provides fire cover according to a system of four risk categories which have traditionally been used across the UK, where every building is rated for its risk on a scale from "A" down to "D". The risk category determines the minimum number of appliances to be sent in a pre-determined mobilisation.Category "A" includes areas with a high density of large buildings and/or population, such as offices or factories. Three fire engines are to arrive at "A" risks within eight minutes, the first two within five minutes.
Areas with a medium density of large buildings and/or population, such as multi-storey residential blocks, will generally be classified "B" risk. Two fire engines will be deployed, with one to arrive within five minutes and the second within eight minutes.
Category "C" covers lower density, suburban areas and detached properties. One fire engine should arrive at a "C" risk incident within ten minutes. More rural areas not covered by the first three categories will be considered "D" risk. One fire engine should arrive at "D" risks within 20 minutes.
Response times
In 2007/08, the first fire engine mobilised to a 999 call arrived within five minutes 58.8% of the time, and within eight minutes 90% of the time. The second fire engine deployed arrived within eight minutes 81.9% of the time, and within ten minutes 92.4% of the time.In 2008/09, the average response time of the first fire engine was five minutes and 41 seconds, and of the second fire engine was six minutes and 38 seconds.
Mutual assistance
The Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 gives the UK fire services the ability to call upon other services or fire authorities in what is known as mutual assistance. For example, the LFB played a comprehensive role in assisting Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue ServiceHertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service
Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service is the statutory fire and rescue service for the county of Hertfordshire, England. It is administered by a Fire Authority which is an internal part of Hertfordshire County Council...
at the Buncefield fire in 2005.
The other fire services that adjoin the LFB are:
- Essex County Fire and Rescue ServiceEssex County Fire and Rescue ServiceEssex County Fire and Rescue Service is the statutory fire and rescue service for the county of Essex in the east of England, and is one of the largest fire services in the country, covering an area of almost 400,000 hectares and a population of over 1.7 million people.The service attends an...
, - Kent Fire and Rescue ServiceKent Fire and Rescue ServiceKent Fire and Rescue Service is the statutory fire and rescue service for the county of Kent covering a geographical area south of London, to the coast and including major shipping routes via the Thames and Medway rivers. The total coastline covered is ; it has 67 fire stations, and 4 district fire...
, - Surrey Fire and Rescue ServiceSurrey Fire and Rescue ServiceThe Surrey Fire and Rescue Service is the statutory fire and rescue service for the County of Surrey, England, with 24 fire stations. It comes under the administrative and legislative control of Surrey County Council, who fund the service by collecting a precept via council tax, and from central...
, - Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue ServiceRoyal Berkshire Fire and Rescue ServiceThe Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service is a statutory fire and rescue service covering the area of the ceremonial county of Berkshire in England...
, - Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue ServiceBuckinghamshire Fire and Rescue ServiceBuckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, is the Local Authority Fire Service serving the ceremonial county of Buckinghamshire. It comprises the four districts of Buckinghamshire – Aylesbury Vale, Chiltern, South Bucks and Wycombe – and the unitary authority of Milton Keynes.Some 550 firefighters...
, and - Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue ServiceHertfordshire Fire and Rescue ServiceHertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service is the statutory fire and rescue service for the county of Hertfordshire, England. It is administered by a Fire Authority which is an internal part of Hertfordshire County Council...
.
The LFB also mobilises to support BAA
BAA plc
BAA Ltd. is the Spanish-owned operator of six British airports and Naples Airport in Italy, making the company one of the largest transport companies in the world. BAA stems from British Airports Authority and is owned by a consortium led by Grupo Ferrovial, a Spanish firm specialising in...
firefighters at London Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport or Heathrow , in the London Borough of Hillingdon, is the busiest airport in the United Kingdom and the third busiest airport in the world in terms of total passenger traffic, handling more international passengers than any other airport around the globe...
, and firefighters at London City Airport
London City Airport
London City Airport is a single-runway airport. It principally serves the financial district of London and is located on a former Docklands site, east of the City of London, opposite the London Regatta Centre, in the London Borough of Newham in east London. It was developed by the engineering...
.
Determining the size of an incident
The LFB, along with all other UK fire and rescue services, determines the size of a fire or special service by the final number of appliances mobilised to deal with it. For example, two appliances are despatched to a "B" risk area in response to a fire call in a residential house. The officer-in-charge can request additional appliances by transmitting a radio message such as, "make pumps 4", or if persons are believed to be involved or trapped, "make pumps 4, persons reported". The control room will then deploy a further two appliances making a total of four. Informally, firefighters refer to such fires as 'a make up' or 'a 4-pumper';when the fire is out, if no other pumping appliances were despatched, this would be recorded as a '4-pump fire'.
If an incident is more serious, it can be escalated straight to a 6-, 8- or 10-pump fire and beyond – in London this is usually completed in even numbers, though it is not uncommon for a 10-pump fire to be 'made up' to 15 if necessary. A call to, say, a large warehouse ablaze could be escalated straight to a 10-pump fire. The 2007 Cutty Sark
Cutty Sark
The Cutty Sark is a clipper ship. Built in 1869, she served as a merchant vessel , and then as a training ship until being put on public display in 1954...
fire required 8 pumps; as a serious incident escalates, the brigade deploys senior officers, Command Units and any specialist appliances required.
Examples of 25-pump fires include the blaze at Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace
Alexandra Palace is a building in North London, England. It stands in Alexandra Park, in an area between Hornsey, Muswell Hill and Wood Green...
in 1980, and at The Royal Marsden Hospital, Chelsea
The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
The Royal Marsden Hospital is a specialist cancer treatment hospital in London, England. It is an NHS Foundation Trust, and operates facilities on two sites:*The Chelsea site in Brompton, next to the Royal Brompton Hospital, on Fulham Road...
, in 2008, the latter also involving four aerial appliances. The King's Cross fire
King's Cross fire
The King's Cross St. Pancras tube station fire was a fatal fire on the London Underground. It broke out at approximately 19:30 on 18 November 1987, and killed 31 people....
was a 30-pump fire, as was the blaze at Oxford Street
Oxford Street
Oxford Street is a major thoroughfare in the City of Westminster in the West End of London, United Kingdom. It is Europe's busiest shopping street, as well as its most dense, and currently has approximately 300 shops. The street was formerly part of the London-Oxford road which began at Newgate,...
shops on 26 April 2007. Pumping appliances can only operate with a minimum crew of four, and a maximum of six (although this is rare) so it is possible, theoretically, to work out the number of firefighters attending an incident by multiplying the number of pumps by five. For example, the Cutty Sark fire was described as "an 8-pump fire attended by 40 firefighters".
Special services
Core services are paid for by London's council taxCouncil tax
Council Tax is the system of local taxation used in England, Scotland and Wales to part fund the services provided by local government in each country. It was introduced in 1993 by the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as a successor to the unpopular Community Charge...
payers and through central government funding known as a grant settlement; each council tax payer's bill will include a precept – a specific part of their bill that contributes to the funding of the fire brigade. Those in need of the LFB's services in an emergency do not pay, but the brigade can provide additional special services for which it may charge where there is no immediate threat to life or imminent risk of injury.
Examples of these special services which may be charged for include the clearing of flooded commercial premises, the use of brigade equipment for supplying or removing water, and making structures safe in cases where there is no risk of personal injury to the public.
Safety and fire prevention
LFB firefighters and watch officers often visit residential and commercial premises to advise on hazard risk assessment and fire prevention. They also provide safety education to schools and youth groups. Each of the London boroughs has a central fire safety office that collates and coordinates fire prevention work in accordance with legislation, and they are supported by a dedicated team of specialist officers.In 2008/09, the LFB made 48,768 home fire safety visits, up 9% from the previous 12 months. Over 83,000 children were seen by the brigade's schools team. 50% of all serious fires attended occurred in the home, and in 59.7% of house fires attended no smoke alarm had been fitted, despite the LFB fitting over 78,000 in homes that year.
Fire stations
The LFB has 112 fire stations, including one independent river station, across the 32 London borough
London borough
The administrative area of Greater London contains thirty-two London boroughs. Inner London comprises twelve of these boroughs plus the City of London. Outer London comprises the twenty remaining boroughs of Greater London.-Functions:...
s and the City of London. They are staffed 24 hours per day by full-time employees of the brigade, and are linked to a control centre in the Docklands. This centre was opened in 2004; calls to it are fed from 999 operators at BT
BT Group
BT Group plc is a global telecommunications services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is one of the largest telecommunications services companies in the world and has operations in more than 170 countries. Through its BT Global Services division it is a major supplier of...
, Cable & Wireless and Global Crossing
Global Crossing
Global Crossing Limited was a telecommunications company that provides computer networking services worldwide. It maintained a large backbone and offered transit and peering links, VPN, leased lines, audio and video conferencing, long distance telephone, managed services, dialup, colocation and...
.
Central London
Central London
Central London is the innermost part of London, England. There is no official or commonly accepted definition of its area, but its characteristics are understood to include a high density built environment, high land values, an elevated daytime population and a concentration of regionally,...
stations can attend up to 8,000 calls per year, inner-city stations about 3,000 to 4,000 calls per year (these tend to be the stations that are busy serving the poorer densely-populated areas), and outlying or suburban fire stations may attend around 1,500 calls which include road traffic accidents, grass fires and house fires.
Some UK fire authorities use part time, or 'retained', firefighters who live and work near their local station and are on-call, but the LFB is one of only two UK fire services where all operational staff are full-time employees.
Each station has four shifts, or 'watches': red, white, blue and green; with a Watch Manager in charge of each. The overall management of the station falls to the Station Manager, who will also attend serious incidents, as well as spending time on call.
A group of one (City of London) to six (Tower Hamlets) stations within a borough are managed by a Borough Commander (Group Manager) who interacts strategically on a local level with the Borough Commander for the police and the chief executive of the local authority.
Appliances
More than half of the LFB's fire stations have two conventional fire appliancesFire apparatus
A fire apparatus, fire engine, fire truck, or fire appliance is a vehicle designed to assist in fighting fires by transporting firefighters to the scene and providing them with access to the fire, along with water or other equipment...
, also known as pumps and pump ladders. These are generally the busier stations receiving over 2,000 emergency calls (known colloquially by firefighters as "shouts") per year. They may also be stations of strategic importance, or those located in areas considered high risk. The remaining stations have a single pump and generally attend fewer than 2,000 calls per year. Many stations also have other specialist vehicles allocated to them.
The LFB's current full operational fleet consists of:
- Around 170 dual-purpose Pump Ladders (plus 40 reserves and 25 for various training purposes) (P or PL)
- 16 Fire Rescue Units (plus 3 reserves and 1 for training) (FRU)
- 14 Urban Search & Rescue vehicles (with five different types of equipment pods) (USAR)
- 11 Aerial Ladder Platforms / Turntable Ladders (ALP/TL)
- 10 Incident Response Units (IRU)
- 9 High-Volume Pumps (HVP)
- 8 Command Units (plus 1 reserve) (CSU)
- 7 Fire Investigation Units (FIU)
- 6 Operational Support Units (plus 1 reserve) (OSU)
- 4 Hose Layer Units (HLU)
- 3 Bulk Foam Units (BFU)
- 2 Detection, Identification & Monitoring Units (DIM)
- 2 Scientific Support Units (SSU)
- 1 Fire Investigation Dog Unit (FID)
- 1 Media Resource Unit (MRS)
- 1 Fireboat (plus 1 for training and exercises) (FBt)
Improvements
The programme of improvements in staffing and equipment undertaken by the LFB since the September 11 attacks to improve London's resilience and its capability to deal with major emergencies, including the threat of terrorism has included: ten Incident Response Units; two Scientific Support Units; four different types of urban search and rescueUrban search and rescue
Urban search and rescue involves the location, extrication, and initial medical stabilization of victims trapped in confined spaces due to natural disasters, structural collapse, transportation accidents, mines and collapsed trenches.USAR teams in different countries may be organised in a...
(USAR) vehicles and ten USAR personnel carriers; three mass decontamination resilience units; and six equipment carriers known as Operational Support Units.
Architecturally, fire stations vary in age and design from Edwardian era red-brick fire houses to modern spacious blocks complete with additional specialist facilities. Early fire stations were originally built with horse-drawn appliances in mind and with traditional features such as the fireman's pole, used by firefighters to gain rapid access from their upstairs quarters to the fire engine garages below when summoned. The oldest station still operational in London is at Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell is an area of central London in the London Borough of Islington. From 1900 to 1965 it was part of the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury. The well after which it was named was rediscovered in 1924. The watchmaking and watch repairing trades were once of great importance...
.
More modern fire stations, though constructed without such features, often have more spacious accommodation and facilities for staff of both sexes, public visitor areas such as community safety offices and other amenities. An example of these is the new fire station in Hammersmith
Hammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
which opened in 2003, just a few hundred yards along Shepherd's Bush Road from the previous local fire station which had been constructed in 1913.
Fire station closures
The creation of the Greater London Council in 1965 saw the number of LFB stations increase. The LFB absorbed some stations from the county brigades. At the time there were a handful of smaller brigades: Middlesex, Croydon, West Ham and East Ham – they were all incorporated into the LFB. By 1965 the LFB had 115 stations, plus two river stations.The LFB has an ongoing policy of upgrading existing fire stations, and building new stations to replace those that are no longer suitable for the requirements of a modern day fire service. It has gained one new station at Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport or Heathrow , in the London Borough of Hillingdon, is the busiest airport in the United Kingdom and the third busiest airport in the world in terms of total passenger traffic, handling more international passengers than any other airport around the globe...
, but in recent years the total number of stations has reduced slightly, with some permanent closures:
- 2005: Manchester SquareManchester SquareManchester Square is an 18th century garden square in the Marylebone area in London, England, a short distance north of Oxford Street. It is one of the smaller but better preserved Georgian squares in central London...
, West End - 1999: Barbican, City of London
- 1998: Heathrow (new station opened when the central terminal area of the airport was re-classified as "A" risk)
- 1998: Shooter's HillShooter's HillShooter's Hill is a district and electoral ward in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. It lies east of Blackheath and west of Welling, south of Woolwich and north of Eltham...
, south LondonSouth LondonSouth London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and... - 1993: SandersteadSandersteadSanderstead is a village in London Borough of Croydon, located on high ground at the edge of the built-up area of Greater London. From 1915 to 1965 it formed a parish in the Coulsdon and Purley Urban District of Surrey. Having been a farming community in previous centuries, Sanderstead is now...
(originally a Surrey Fire Brigade station)
In February 2010, Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson is a British journalist and Conservative Party politician, who has been the elected Mayor of London since 2008...
officially opened the LFB's first new station for over ten years, at Harold Hill
Harold Hill
Harold Hill is a place in the London Borough of Havering, east London, England. It is a suburban development situated 16.6 miles east-northeeast of Charing Cross....
. The mayor hailed the station's exceptional environmental sustainability, calling it the "greenest station in the capital".
Regional control centre
In October 2007, the Department for Communities and Local Government announced that the location for the new regional control centre, dedicated to the capital and part of the FiReControlFiReControl
FiReControl was a project, initiated in the UK in March 2004, to reduce the number of control rooms used to handle emergency calls for fire services and authorities. Presently there are 46 control rooms in England that handle calls from the local public for emergency assistance via the 999 system...
project, would be at the Merton industrial estate in the London Borough of Merton
London Borough of Merton
The London Borough of Merton is a borough in southwest London, England.The borough was formed under the London Government Act in 1965 by the merger of the Municipal Borough of Mitcham, the Municipal Borough of Wimbledon and the Merton and Morden Urban District, all formerly within Surrey...
.
Major or notable incidents
The geographical area covered by the LFB along with the major transport infrastructure and the political, business and administrative bases typical of a capital city has seen the brigade involved in many significant incidents.Major incident procedure
A "major incident" is defined as any emergency that requires the implementation of special arrangements by one or more of London's emergency services and will generally include the involvement, either directly or indirectly, of large numbers of people.Any member of any of the emergency services can initiate a major incident. Responsibility for the rescue of persons involved lies with the LFB. The care and transportation of casualties to hospital is the responsibility of the London Ambulance Service. Police will ease these operations by co-ordinating the emergency services, local authorities and other agencies.
When a major incident is declared the services, along with civilian agencies, use a structural system known as gold-silver-bronze command that allows them to follow a set procedure for incident management. Put simply, gold relates to strategic control of an incident, silver to tactical command, and bronze to operational control. The term gold command can also relate to an emergency service building, mobile control unit or other base that becomes the focal point (often remotely) for the incident's management.
Additionally, a major incident can lead to the government activating its coordination facility, known as COBR.
Incidents of note
Notable incidents, some declared "major incidents" and some in which firefighters lost their lives, where the LFB has played a significant role include:- Camden Market fire of 2008 (20 pumps)
- Fire ravaged the stalls at the popular and historic Camden MarketCamden MarketThe Camden Markets are a number of adjoining large markets in Camden Town near the Hampstead Road Lock of the Regent's Canal , often called collectively "Camden Market" or "Camden Lock". The stalls sell crafts, clothing, bric-a-brac, fast food, and other things...
on 9 February 2008, forcing the evacuation of 450 people from the area, including 100 from their homes. 20 fire engines and over 100 firefighters helped bring the blaze under control after six hours and prevent any loss of life.
- Cutty Sark fire (6 pumps)
- Although no lives were endangered and a major incident was not initiated, the fire at the historic tea clipper Cutty SarkCutty SarkThe Cutty Sark is a clipper ship. Built in 1869, she served as a merchant vessel , and then as a training ship until being put on public display in 1954...
on 21 May 2007 became a notable incident for the widespread interest of national media and the unusual circumstances – having likely been caused by an industrial vacuum cleaner inadvertently left on by renovation workers for 48 hours. Two fire appliances and an aerial appliance arrived at the scene within six minutes of the initial call to emergency services, and the commanding officer immediately requested an additional four appliances; firefighters brought the blaze under control within an hour.
- Oxford Street, 2007 (30 pumps)
- From 27 to 28 April 2007 London's busiest shopping area was closed whilst more than 100 firefighters tackled a large fire in a flat above a department store on Oxford StreetOxford StreetOxford Street is a major thoroughfare in the City of Westminster in the West End of London, United Kingdom. It is Europe's busiest shopping street, as well as its most dense, and currently has approximately 300 shops. The street was formerly part of the London-Oxford road which began at Newgate,...
. The clothing retail chain New Look was later fined a record £400,000 for fire safety breaches.
- Buncefield fire
- The UK's largest peacetime fire broke out on 11 December 2005 at the Hertfordshire Oil Storage TerminalHertfordshire Oil Storage TerminalHertfordshire Oil Storage Terminal is operated by Hertfordshire Oil Storage Ltd and commonly known as the Buncefield oil depot. It is an oil depot located on the edge of Hemel Hempstead to the north of London in the United Kingdom...
in Hemel HempsteadHemel HempsteadHemel Hempstead is a town in Hertfordshire in the East of England, to the north west of London and part of the Greater London Urban Area. The population at the 2001 Census was 81,143 ....
. Although the major incident was attended by the LFB, its role was assisting and providing additional foam supplies to neighbouring brigade Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue ServiceHertfordshire Fire and Rescue ServiceHertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service is the statutory fire and rescue service for the county of Hertfordshire, England. It is administered by a Fire Authority which is an internal part of Hertfordshire County Council...
, to the north of London, whose "ground" the incident took place in.
- 7 July 2005 bombings (12/12/10 pumps)
- Multiple major incidents were declared across London in response to the 7 July 2005 terrorist attacks7 July 2005 London bombingsThe 7 July 2005 London bombings were a series of co-ordinated suicide attacks in the United Kingdom, targeting civilians using London's public transport system during the morning rush hour....
. A total of 34 pumps and 9 fire rescue units mobilised to the four bomb sites.
- Poplar shops and flats, 2004 (8 pumps)
- A fire in shops and flats in Bethnal Green Road, Poplar, on 20 July 2004 gained coverage in the national media due to the deaths of two LFB firefighters. The first LFB fatalities since 1993 were two of 50 mobilised to the scene.
- Buckingham Palace fire, 2002 (20 pumps)
- Fire broke out on 2 June 2002 in the west terrace of Buckingham PalaceBuckingham PalaceBuckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
. At its peak, 20 fire engines and 100 firefighters were on the scene, and in the course of firefighting operations four people were rescued from the roof. The Royal Family were away at the time.
- Paddington train crash (12 pumps)
- Also known as the Ladbroke Grove rail crashLadbroke Grove rail crashThe Ladbroke Grove Rail Crash was a rail accident which occurred on 5 October 1999 at Ladbroke Grove, London, England. Thirty-one people were killed and more than 520 injured...
, two trains collided a short distance outside of Paddington station on 5 October 1999, killing 31 people.
- Cannon Street station train crash
- Two people were killed and over 500 injured in the Cannon Street station rail crashCannon Street station rail crashThe Cannon Street station rail crash was an accident on the British railway system which occurred on 8 January 1991 at Cannon Street station. The accident killed two people and injured 524 others...
on 8 January 1991.
- Marchioness disaster
- The Marchioness disasterMarchioness disasterThe Marchioness disaster occurred on the River Thames in London in the early hours of 20 August 1989. The pleasure boat Marchioness sank after being run down by the dredger Bowbelle, near Cannon Street Railway Bridge. There were 131 people on the Marchioness. Some were members of the crew, some...
of 20 August 1989 involved a collision on the River ThamesRiver ThamesThe River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
between a pleasure boat, Marchioness, and a gravel dredger, Bowbelle, resulting in the sinking of the Marchioness and death of 51 people. Initial confusion over which bridge the ship had sunk next to meant fireboats and fire engines were sent in the wrong direction. It was not until half an hour later that a station officer from Southwark radioed: "Marchioness sunk, believed downstream of Blackfrairs Bridge with unknown number of people in river and Met Police searching river between Blackfriars and Waterloo Bridges."
- Clapham Junction train crash
- The Clapham Junction rail crashClapham Junction rail crashThe Clapham Junction rail crash was a serious railway accident involving two collisions between three commuter trains at 08:10 on the morning of Monday, 12 December 1988....
occurred on 12 December 1988, when a busy commuter train passed a defective signal and ran into the back of a second train, derailing it into the path of an oncoming third train. 35 people died and 69 others suffered serious injury.
- King's Cross fire
- The King's Cross fireKing's Cross fireThe King's Cross St. Pancras tube station fire was a fatal fire on the London Underground. It broke out at approximately 19:30 on 18 November 1987, and killed 31 people....
broke out on 18 November 1987 under a wooden escalatorEscalatorAn escalator is a moving staircase – a conveyor transport device for carrying people between floors of a building. The device consists of a motor-driven chain of individual, linked steps that move up or down on tracks, allowing the step treads to remain horizontal.Escalators are used around the...
leading from one of the King's Cross Underground stationKing's Cross St. Pancras tube stationKing's Cross St. Pancras is a tube station in the London Borough of Camden, on the London Underground network, serving both King's Cross and main line stations. It is in Travelcard Zone 1. It is the fourth busiest station on the system and serves more lines than any other...
platforms to the surface. The blaze and smoke claimed 31 lives, including that of Soho station officer Colin Townsley while he rescued a woman from a ticketing office. Investigation and research of the fire resulted in the discovery of the trench effectTrench effectThe trench effect is a combination of circumstances that can rush a fire up an inclined surface. It depends on two well-understood but separate ideas: the Coandă effect from fluid dynamics and the flashover concept from fire dynamics....
.
- New Cross house fire, 1981
- The New Cross house fireNew Cross FireThe New Cross Fire was a devastating house fire which killed 13 young black people during a birthday party in New Cross, southeast London on Sunday 18 January 1981...
of 18 January 1981 claimed the lives of 13 people, all aged between 14 and 22, attending a birthday party. The exact and true cause has never been established.
- Soho nightclub fire, 1980
- In the early hours of 15 August 1980, a man who was earlier ejected from an illegal drinking and gambling club in Soho returned with gasoline and started a fire that killed 37 people and injured 23 more.
- The Granary warehouse, 1978 (35 pumps, 6 turntable ladders)
- 1 October 1978 saw of London's largest post-World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
fires at The Granary warehouse on St. Pancras Way. At the first call at 2.58am, three fire engines and a turntable ladder were sent to the scene. The scale of the blaze is evidenced by the rapid development of the LFB's mobilisation: make pumps 4 at 3:05am, make pumps 6 at 3:07am, make pumps 10 at 3:12am, make pumps 15 and turntable ladders 2 at 3:19am, make turntable ladders 4 at 3:39am, make pumps 20 and turntable ladders 6 at 3:51am, make pumps 25 at 4:19am, make hose layers 2 at 4:30am, and make pumps 35 at 5:13am. At 4.50am, the structure suffered a major collapse, killing firefighter Stephen Neil of Barbican station, seriously injuring three others, and destroying one fire engine and one turntable ladder.
- Moorgate tube crash
- The Moorgate tube crashMoorgate tube crashThe Moorgate tube crash was a railway disaster on the London Underground, which occurred on 28 February 1975 at 08.46 am.A southbound train on the Northern Line crashed into the tunnel end beyond the platform at Moorgate station...
was a disaster on the London UndergroundLondon UndergroundThe London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
on 28 February 1975 when a train failed to stop and crashed into the buffersBuffer stopA buffer stop or bumper is a device to prevent railway vehicles from going past the end of a physical section of track.The design of the buffer stop is dependent in part upon the kind of couplings that the railway uses, since the coupling gear is the first part of the vehicle that the buffer stop...
at the end of a tunnel. The driver and 42 passengers were killed.
- Worsley Hotel fire (30 pumps)
- The Worsley Hotel fireWorsley Hotel fireThe Worsley Hotel Fire was a major fire at the Worsley Hotel in Maida Vale, London on 13 December 1974. It killed 7 people, including a probationary firefighter.-Hotel:...
of 13 December 1974 was an arson attack that killed seven people, including probationary firefighter Hamish Petit of Paddington fire station. Four fire engines, a turntable ladder and emergency tender were initially mobilised to the scene, gradually increased to 30 pumps with three turntable ladders, three emergency tenders, and hose layers. A 41-year-old kitchen porter was convicted of the arson attack, seven counts of manslaughter and jailed for life.
- 1970s–90s IRA bombing campaign
- During the 1970s–90s IRA bombing campaignProvisional IRA campaign 1969–1997From 1969 until 1997, the Provisional Irish Republican Army conducted an armed paramilitary campaign in Northern Ireland and England, aimed at ending British rule in Northern Ireland in order to create a united Ireland....
throughout the last quarter of the 20th century, several major bombings were carried out in London by the Provisional IRA, including at the Palace of WestminsterPalace of WestminsterThe Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
, Tower of LondonTower of LondonHer Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
, and HarrodsHarrodsHarrods is an upmarket department store located in Brompton Road in Brompton, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London. The Harrods brand also applies to other enterprises undertaken by the Harrods group of companies including Harrods Bank, Harrods Estates, Harrods Aviation and Air...
. A list of these and other bombings in London to which the LFB responded can be found here.
- Dudgeons Wharf, 1969
- Dudgeons WharfJ & W DudgeonJ & W Dudgeon was a Victorian shipbuilding and engineering company based in Cubitt Town, London, founded by John and William Dudgeon.John and William Dudgeon had established the Sun Iron Works in Millwall in the 1850s, and had a reputation for advanced marine engines. In 1862 they set up as...
on the Isle of DogsIsle of DogsThe Isle of Dogs is a former island in the East End of London that is bounded on three sides by one of the largest meanders in the River Thames.-Etymology:...
contained a site of over 100 tanks of various capacities up to 20,000 gallons used for storing oils and spirits. A fire started when workmen were cutting up old oil tanks. The LFB was called – six pumps, a foam tender and the fireboat Massey ShawMassey ShawThe Massey Shaw is a former London Fire Brigade fireboat. The historic vessel was saved from dereliction by a group of enthusiasts who are currently engaged in its restoration....
– and while firefighters tackled the fire an oil tank exploded. Five firefighters from Millwall and Poplar stations were killed, the largest single loss of life in the LFB since the Second World War.
- Bishopsgate Goods Depot, 1964 (40 pumps, 12 turntable ladders)
- London's main freight terminal at Bishopsgate was gutted by a spectacular fire on 5 December 1964. Within 37 minutes of the first crews arriving on scene, the scale of the blaze was so intense and widespread that 40 fire engines had been mobilised. In addition, 12 turntable ladders, two hose layers, two emergency tenders, and 235 firefighters battled the fire which killed two customs officials and destroyed hundreds of railway wagons, dozens of motor vehicles and millions of pounds worth of goods. The site remained derelict for the next 30 years until being rebuilt as Shoreditch High Street railway stationShoreditch High Street railway stationShoreditch High Street is a railway station in Shoreditch, London. The station is located on Bethnal Green Road close to Shoreditch High Street and is served by London Overground services running on the extended East London Line under the control of the London Rail division of Transport for London...
.
- Smithfield market, 1958 (50 pumps)
- Over the course of firefighting operations at London's central meat market in January 1958, a total of 389 fire engines with more than 1,700 firefighters from 58 fire stations worked in shifts to tackle a fire of exceptional proportions.
- After the initial call, the LFB mobilised three pumps, a turntable ladder and emergency tender at 2.18am. Upon arrival, a station officer and firefighter from Clerkenwell station headed down into the basement where it was apparent a major fire had broken out. Both became trapped in the basement cellars and suffocated to death. Excessive heat, dense smoke and worsening conditions meant crews had to be rotated as frequently as every 15 minutes, as firefighters suffered from severe heat exhaustion.
- 24 hours later, with 800 oxygen cylinders used, the fire in the basement suddenly broke up into the first floor of the market, with flames 100 ft in the air, engulfing the entire market. The fire, although brought under control and reduced, was not fully extinguished for two weeks. Valuable lessons were learnt after the Smithfield blaze, including introducing a tally system of firefighters' locations and quantity of breathing apparatus.
- On the 50th anniversary of the Smithfield blaze, in 2008, the then Deputy Commissioner of the LFB said: "This was a landmark fire in the history of London and its fire brigade. It is important that we remember this tragic fire and honour the memory of the two London firefighters who lost their lives."
- Covent Garden warehouse fire, 1954
- While fighting a fire in a five-storey warehouse adjacent to Covent GardenCovent GardenCovent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
, a station officer and firefighter, both of Clerkenwell station, were killed. Six more were hospitalised, with three requiring plastic surgery treatment.
- London Blitz
- On 7 September 1940, a sub-officer at West Ham fire station witnessed the start of the BlitzThe BlitzThe Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
by Nazi Germany on London. He reported that three miles of waterfront buildings had become a continuous blaze, and ordered 500 fire engines to be mobilised. The commander thought this an exaggeration and sent someone to investigate the situation, who reported back that 1,000 were required! More than 300 firefighters perished in the widespread and sustained bombing campaign, including two in a direct hit on Soho fire station and six in a direct hit on Wandsworth fire station.
- Colonial Wharf, 1935 (60 pumps)
- An eight-storey rubber warehouse in Wapping High Street burned for four days from 27 September 1935, with 60 fire engines in attendance. It was the first major incident for one of the LFB's most famous fireboats, the Massey ShawMassey ShawThe Massey Shaw is a former London Fire Brigade fireboat. The historic vessel was saved from dereliction by a group of enthusiasts who are currently engaged in its restoration....
, which greatly assisted land crews, who were hampered by inaccessibility, by supplying a vast water jet to allow the land crews to regroup and prevent the fire from spreading to adjoining warehouses.
- Vauxhall, 1918
- A fire on 30 January 1918 claimed the lives of seven London firefighters. Staff at Vauxhall fire station were alerted to the incident by a passer-by, and upon arrival found a three-storey private house well alight, with the roof and upper floor partially collapsed. The fire was extinguished within two hours but firefighters remained in the building dampening down. It was then, while the men were on the ground floor, that the building suffered a total structural collapse. Six firefighters died on scene, one later from severe injury, and two suffered lesser injuries.
- Houses of Parliament, 1834 (12 pumps)
- Records show the 1834 Burning of ParliamentBurning of ParliamentBurning of Parliament is the popular name for the fire which destroyed the Palace of Westminster, the home of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, on 16 October 1834...
was attended by 64 men in 12 fire engines.
In popular culture
- Fire Wars: In July 2003, the BBC followed the arson investigators of the LFB's fire investigation unit. The two-part series looked at how the LFB investigated "4,000 fires where the cause was unknown". The second programme, Fire Wars: Murder Most Foul, centred on one investigation.
- London's Burning: The ITVITVITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
television series London's BurningLondon's BurningLondon's Burning was a British television drama programme produced by London Weekend Television for the ITV network that focused on the lives of members of the London Fire Brigade, principally those of the Blue Watch at a fictional fire station called Blackwall.It was broadcast between 1986 and...
was based on the fictional Blackwall fire station and centred on characters of the station's blue watch. It was originally a 1986 television film, written by Jack RosenthalJack RosenthalJack Morris Rosenthal CBE was an English playwright, who wrote 129 early episodes of the ITV soap opera Coronation Street and over 150 screenplays, including original TV plays, feature films, and adaptations.-Biography:...
. The fire station used as the principal location in the drama was Dockhead, near London BridgeLondon BridgeLondon Bridge is a bridge over the River Thames, connecting the City of London and Southwark, in central London. Situated between Cannon Street Railway Bridge and Tower Bridge, it forms the western end of the Pool of London...
, before moving to Leyton fire station in east London late in the series. The series that followed the film ran from 1988 to 2002.
- Fire!: The LFB's Kingsland Road fire station in HackneyLondon Borough of HackneyThe London Borough of Hackney is a London borough of North/North East London, and forms part of inner London. The local authority is Hackney London Borough Council....
, east London, was the focus of a documentary series by Thames TelevisionThames TelevisionThames Television was a licensee of the British ITV television network, covering London and parts of the surrounding counties on weekdays from 30 July 1968 until 31 December 1992....
for ITV, broadcast in the spring of 1991. The documentary brought about an internal inquiry by the LFB after scenes were shown of firefighters having a food fight at a Christmas party in one of the programmes. Several watch members from Kingsland Road were suspended after the programme was broadcast on 27 June 1991.
- Fireman! A Personal Account: Former London firefighter Neil WallingtonNeil WallingtonNeil Wallington is a former firefighter who served in the London Fire Brigade and wrote about his experiences in the 1979 book Fireman! A personal account. The book includes one chapter about the Worsley Hotel fire which claimed the lives of seven people including one firefighter...
wrote an account of his experience in the LFB called Fireman! A Personal Account, published in 1979. He chronicled his transition from a firefighter in the Croydon Fire Brigade through to his reaching the rank of station officer in the LFB. He went on to become the Chief Fire Officer of the Devon fire brigade (now known as Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue ServiceDevon and Somerset Fire and Rescue ServiceDevon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service is the statutory fire and rescue service covering the counties of Devon and Somerset, including the unitary authorities of Plymouth and Torbay, in South West England...
) and has written several books about fire services over the world. Wallington's work outlined the change in working conditions in the LFB in the 1970s, a time that saw the working hours of firefighters reduced and conditions improved.
- Red Watch: The former ITN newsreader Gordon HoneycombeGordon HoneycombeRonald Gordon Honeycombe is an author, playwright and stage actor, well known in the United Kingdom as a national television newscaster....
became friendly with Neil Wallington while he was a station officer at PaddingtonPaddingtonPaddington is a district within the City of Westminster, in central London, England. Formerly a metropolitan borough, it was integrated with Westminster and Greater London in 1965...
fire station. In 1976, Honeycombe published an account of the Worsley Hotel fireWorsley Hotel fireThe Worsley Hotel Fire was a major fire at the Worsley Hotel in Maida Vale, London on 13 December 1974. It killed 7 people, including a probationary firefighter.-Hotel:...
, a major fire at a hostel in Maida ValeMaida ValeMaida Vale is a residential district in West London between St John's Wood and Kilburn. It is part of the City of Westminster. The area is mostly residential, and mainly affluent, consisting of many large late Victorian and Edwardian blocks of mansion flats...
in 1974 that claimed the lives of seven people including one firefighter. The resulting book was called Red Watch; it provided a graphic account of a single incident, and outlined some of the changes to working practises that resulted from it.
Fire related
- Fire services in the United Kingdom
- Chief Fire Officers Association
- Cyril DemarneCyril DemarneCyril Thomas Demarne OBE was a British firefighter. He served in London during the Second World War, throughout the Blitz. He was later involved in establishing aviation firefighting units in Australasia and in Beirut. In retirement, he wrote several books based on his wartime...
- Fire Service CollegeFire Service CollegeThe Fire Service College is responsible for providing leadership, management and advanced operational training courses for senior fire officers from the UK and foreign fire authorities. It is located at Moreton-in-Marsh in Gloucestershire, England...
- FireLinkFireLinkFireLink or Firelink is a new wide area radio system being introduced in England, Wales and Scotland for the fire service. The system which supports both voice and data communication will replace a patchwork of analogue systems with a modern wider area digital system...
- Institution of Fire EngineersInstitution of Fire EngineersThe Institution of Fire Engineers is a worldwide body that provides research, training, conferences and professional qualifications for firefighters and civilians who work in fields related to fire fighting, the science of fire fighting and prevention, and related technology.-Structure:Founded in...
- London Fire Brigade equipmentLondon Fire Brigade equipmentThe London Fire Brigade operates a large and diverse fleet of appliances, all carrying a variety of specialised equipment and apparatus for use in firefighting and rescue operations.-Dual-purpose ladder:...
- London Fire Brigade MuseumLondon Fire Brigade MuseumThe London Fire Brigade Museum covers the history of firefighting since 1666 . The museum houses old fire appliances and other equipment. It is also possible to see fire brigade recruits training....
- Eyre Massey ShawEyre Massey ShawCaptain Sir Eyre Massey Shaw KCB was the Superintendent of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade , and its predecessor, the London Fire Engine Establishment, from 1861 to 1891...
- Portal:Fire
Other emergency services
- London Ambulance ServiceLondon Ambulance ServiceThe London Ambulance Service NHS Trust is the largest "free at the point of contact" emergency ambulance service in the world. It responds to medical emergencies in Greater London, England, with the ambulances and other response vehicles and over 5,000 staff at its disposal.It is one of 12...
- London Air AmbulanceLondon Air AmbulanceLondon's Air Ambulance, also known as London HEMS , is an air ambulance service that responds to seriously ill or injured casualties in and around London, England....
- Metropolitan Police ServiceMetropolitan Police ServiceThe Metropolitan Police Service is the territorial police force responsible for Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police...
- Royal National Lifeboat InstitutionRoyal National Lifeboat InstitutionThe Royal National Lifeboat Institution is a charity that saves lives at sea around the coasts of Great Britain, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, as well as on selected inland waterways....
- 999 (emergency telephone number)999 (emergency telephone number)999 is an official emergency telephone number in a number of countries which allows the caller to contact emergency services for urgent assistance....
External links
- London Fire Brigade
- London Fire Brigade – Find your local fire station
- London Fire Brigade – Women in the Brigad
- Dept for Communities and Local Govt: Fire
- Cabinet Office: Acts of the UK Parliament
- Fire Brigades Union
- IPDS
- LFBsite (unofficial) featuring pictures of fire stations
- A23 Euston Fire Station (unofficial) site
- F22 Poplar Fire Station (unofficial) site
- London Fire Journal
- UK Fire News
- Official London Fire Brigade Online Shop
- 1903 illustrated article of London Fire Brigade