COVID-19 has changed the work of the London Fire Brigade (LFB) in 2020. It has also slowed down progress in addressing the recommendations of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 report. Of the 29 recommendations aimed at LFB, 4 have been fully implemented. These include:
- revised operational policy on gathering risk information for high rise buildings
- trained senior officers in the inspection of high-rise buildings
- ensured that the ‘command support system’ is operative on command units, and crews are trained to use it
- equipped services with smoke hoods to assist in evacuations
The LFB estimates that 21 of the other recommendations will be implemented by March 2021.
Tomorrow, the Fire, Resilience and Emergency Planning Committee will question the London Fire Commissioner and the Deputy Mayor for Fire and Resilience on the impact of COVID-19 on the LFB’s transformation plan and the implementation of key recommendations in both the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) inspection. Other topics up for discussion include:
- Impact of COVID-19 on the London Fire Brigade
- Budget pressures
- Progress of the London Safety Plan
- Resilience and Recovery
The guests are:
- Dr Fiona Twycross, Deputy Mayor for Fire and Resilience
- Andy Roe, London Fire Commissioner
- Sue Budden, Director of Corporate Services, London Fire Brigade
- Fiona Dolman, Director of Transformation, London Fire Brigade
- Richard Mills, Deputy Commissioner – Safety and Assurance, London Fire Brigade
The meeting will take place on Wednesday, 16 December 2020 from 10.00am. In line with Government advice, this meeting will take place virtually.
Media and members of the public can watch the meeting live here.
Notes for Editors:
- Read the agenda papers.
- Andrew Dismore AM, Chair of the Fire, Resilience and Emergency Planning Committee, is available for interview.
- Find out more about the London Assembly Fire, Resilience and Emergency Planning Committee.
- As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.
For media enquiries, please contact Aoife Nolan on 07849 303 897. For out of hours media enquiries, call 020 7983 4000 and ask for the London Assembly duty press officer. Non-media enquiries should be directed to the Public Liaison Unit on 020 7983 4100.