MQT late FREP answers Sept 20
Cottages behind West Hampstead fire station
Question No: 2020/3066
Andrew Dismore
What progress is being made with the refurbishment of the cottages behind West Hampstead fire station?
Cottages behind West Hampstead fire station
The Mayor
Last updated: 27 September, 2020
The programme to refurbish the cottages has experienced delays due to Covid-19, particularly with regard to the installation and commissioning of utilities. The completion of the construction work is expected in early October 2020.
Answer for Cottages behind West Hampstead fire station
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 September, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Question No: 2020/3074
Andrew Dismore
What preparation is LFB making for the eventuality that its high-rise firefighting policies currently in development are contrary to the findings of the evacuation steering group?
Evacuation steering group (3)
The Mayor
Last updated: 27 September, 2020
London Fire Brigade (LFB) has been very clear that the High Rise Firefighting Policy, agreed by the London Fire Commissioner in February 2020, is a live document and, as such, open to ongoing challenge, review and change if required and justified. However, if LFB’s policy did not adhere to the National Fire Chiefs Council’s guidance, there would be opportunity to change and adapt the policy in a formal consultation process. The London Fire Commissioner wrote to the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), Fire Brigades Union (FBU) and the Home Office in February 2020 where he sought their views on the policy and whether there were any additional measures or options that had not been considered.
Answer for Evacuation steering group (3)
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 September, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Question No: 2020/3076
Andrew Dismore
Have any prototypes or actual equipment relating to whole-building evacuation alert systems been delivered to LFB or NFCC?
Evacuation alert systems
The Mayor
Last updated: 27 September, 2020
While officers have contributed to the development of standards e.g. BS 8629 (Evacuation Alert Systems) and are feeding in nationally to the development of training for officers around such systems, the supply and installation of such systems is a matter for industry and Responsible Persons.
These systems are not yet a requirement under Building Regulations in England and Wales. London Fire Brigade (LFB) is aware of working prototypes and close working between system providers and secure box providers. LFB officers have also been involved in the initiation and drafting of the BAFE SP207 Emergency Evacuation Systems Scheme Consultation industrythird party certification standard to ensure installed systems meet the BS 8629 specifications.
Answer for Evacuation alert systems
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 September, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Breathing apparatus data review
Question No: 2020/3077
Andrew Dismore
What was the conclusion of LFB’s review of the effectiveness of extended duration breathing apparatus in high rise fires?
Breathing apparatus data review
The Mayor
Last updated: 27 September, 2020
The report details work undertaken by London Fire Brigade’s internal investigation team to determine the extent to which Extended Duration Breathing Apparatus (EDBA) may have proved more effective than Standard Duration Breathing Apparatus (SDBA) during the Grenfell Tower fire, from the data available. The report uses an analysis of SDBA and EDBA wearer breathing rates on the night of the fire.
The report concluded that the theory that the wearer of an EDBA set would be able to reach a greater height than those wearing SDBA is not borne out by the data derived from the fire. This data demonstrates that EDBA wearers breathed more air than SDBA wearers over the same distance, negating the benefit of the additional air capacity of the EDBA set and, as a consequence, the use of EDBA over SDBA was, from a practical point of view, largely limited by the wearer’s breathing rates and provided no significant advantage over SDBA.
Answer for Breathing apparatus data review
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 September, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Question No: 2020/3078
Andrew Dismore
When will LFB publish their culture change plan?
Culture change plan
The Mayor
Last updated: 27 September, 2020
London Fire Brigade’s (LFB) approach to culture change is to use multiple levers to change the culture of the organisation, and therefore there is no standalone plan. Instead, there are a series of other work streams and teams already referenced in the Transformation Delivery Plan, the HMICFRS report and the Grenfell Tower Improvement Plan. These work streams include leadership development, employee engagement and recognition, diversity and inclusion and performance and talent.
The Cultural Change Team consists of the Inclusion Team, the Leadership Development Team and the Employee Engagement and Recognition Team, who collectively are responsible for leading cultural change across the organisation. The team also works across the organisation, to identify and resolve potential issues with LFB’s culture that may arise.
Answer for Culture change plan
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 September, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Value for money in LFB contracts
Question No: 2020/3079
Andrew Dismore
Have any contract specific remedial action plans been initiated following the review of the Brigade’s contracts?
Value for money in LFB contracts
The Mayor
Last updated: 27 September, 2020
To date there have been no contract specific remedial action plans initiated as most contract management issues are resolved via business as usual processes. The definition of contract specific actions is as follows:
“In most cases, London Fire Brigade’s organisational arrangements will resolve contract management issues via business as usual processes. However, contract specific remedial action plans will be developed on a case-by-case basis where required. Specifically, the purpose of these plans will be to address major issues in contract effectiveness or value for money which have not been resolved via the business as usual processes (other action plans) within the management of the contract. The contract specific remedial action plans will include performance and risk issues that have been escalated to the Assistant Director Technical & Commercial for resolution via focused discussion with a director of the particular supplier.”
Answer for Value for money in LFB contracts
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 September, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Question No: 2020/3085
Andrew Dismore
How many public order incidents, or incidents requiring a public order response, has LFB attended since the beginning of March 2020, and for the equivalent period in 2019?
Public order LFB attendances
The Mayor
Last updated: 27 September, 2020
No such incidents were attended during either time period.
Answer for Public order LFB attendances
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 September, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Firefighter pension discrimination remedy
Question No: 2020/3086
Andrew Dismore
What impact does LFB predict on its finances from the proposals set out in the Government’s consultation document on remedying the unlawful discrimination in firefighter pensions, following the FBU’s court victory in 2019?
Firefighter pension discrimination remedy
The Mayor
Last updated: 27 September, 2020
London Fire Brigade is working with its pensions’ administrator, LPP, and the Local Government Association’s pension adviser on the response to the consultation and preparations for the implementation of the final remedy from the pensions’ discrimination case. Part of this work involves understanding the potential financial implications, but this work is not yet complete, and a key part of this is the extent to which the costs are to be met by central government.
Answer for Firefighter pension discrimination remedy
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 September, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Question No: 2020/3087
Andrew Dismore
What aid has LFB provided to the people of Beirut following the tragic explosion in that city on 4 August, and will funding for this come from national Government?
Support for Beirut
The Mayor
Last updated: 27 September, 2020
The United Kingdom International Search and Rescue (UK-ISAR) team was given notice to deploy a medium size USAR team of 47 in response to a request for assist from the Lebanese Government. London Fire Brigade identified a team of five rescuers and five logisticians to commit to the wider UK-ISAR Team. One further LFB employee was identified to join a Department for International Development assessment team. The offer of assistance from the UK was not taken up and the team was stood down on 5 August. No costs were incurred by LFB.
Answer for Support for Beirut
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 September, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
King’s ICU fire safety concerns (1)
Question No: 2020/3091
Andrew Dismore
How many notices or other items of correspondence about fire safety did LFB issue to King’s College NHS Trust before the emergency closure of its ICU on 22 July 2020?
King’s ICU fire safety concerns (1)
The Mayor
Last updated: 27 September, 2020
London Fire Brigade has directly corresponded with Kings College Hospital on various fire safety issues sixteen times since October 2013. Five of these were notification of deficiencies following a fire safety audit, and ten of these requests were for fire safety advice. This includes an invitation on 2nd July 2020 to offer advice to King’s College Hospital’s Fire Safety Officer regarding information recently passed to the Trust from their contractors regarding potential issues with cavity barriers, which led to their decision to close their ICU.
Answer for King’s ICU fire safety concerns (1)
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 September, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Question No: 2020/3095
Andrew Dismore
What representations have you made to ministers and officials to ensure that the consultation on BB100 (fire safety in schools) is complete and in force before the £1.7 billion new schools fund begins constructing new buildings?
Fire safety in schools (1)
The Mayor
Last updated: 27 September, 2020
London Fire Brigade (LFB) has a clear, published position statement on Automatic Fire Suppression Systems (AFSS) and officers have made numerous representations to the Schools Minister and departmental officials regarding Building Bulletin 100 (BB100), as well as responding to the consultations and calls for evidence issued in 2016 and 2019. LFB will respond to the next the consultation once it is released and are in contact with the All Party Parliamentary Group for Fire Safety and Rescue, who are calling on the Government to release the consultation as soon as possible.
Answer for Fire safety in schools (1)
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 September, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Question No: 2020/3096
Andrew Dismore
What representations have you made to ministers and officials to ensure that fire safety in schools includes the provision of sprinklers in all new buildings?
Fire safety in schools (2)
The Mayor
Last updated: 27 September, 2020
London Fire Brigade (LFB) Officers have consistently campaigned over many years on matters relating to Building Bulletin 100 (BB100), particularly with regards to sprinklers. Historic and recent work includes making representations to the responsible Minister and departmental officials, working with via the All Party Parliamentary Group for Fire Safety and Rescue and participating in wider stakeholder groups such as the ‘School Sprinkler Stakeholder Coalition’. LFB Officers have also raised concerns about the use of ‘loopholes’ by those developers building schools, who seek to use ‘engineered solutions’ to avoid fitting Automatic Fire Suppression Systems (AFSS) such as sprinklers
Answer for Fire safety in schools (2)
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 September, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Extended duration breathing apparatus drills (4)
Question No: 2020/3100
Andrew Dismore
What consideration has been given to the physiological impact of using EDBA on firefighters arising from the EDBA drills?
Extended duration breathing apparatus drills (4)
The Mayor
Last updated: 27 September, 2020
The testing carried out in July 2020 indicated that the physiological limitations of firefighters plays a significant role in the ability of wearers to travel extensive distances when wearing breathing apparatus, particularly climbing stairs. This supports the 2004 Building Disaster Advisory Group (BDAG) report conclusions. As a result of this testing, London Fire Brigade is investigating commissioning further work with an academic institution in order to understand the impact of firefighter physiology on high rise travel distances in further detail.
The Urban Firefighting and Rescue Course is part of phase three of the training plan for the high-rise policies. This course is currently in the planning stage. Due to the necessity to use a real fire training venue that can allow the products of a fire to be safely dispersed, a venue needs to be sought outside London. Work is taking place to establish a suitable venue, instructors and costings. This work will continue throughout the first two training phases for the high-rise policies.
Answer for Extended duration breathing apparatus drills (4)
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 September, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Day 6 and 7 arrangements with LAS
Question No: 2020/3103
Andrew Dismore
Will firefighters driving ambulances under the day 6 and 7 arrangements be employed by LAS for that time or through another method?
Day 6 and 7 arrangements with LAS
The Mayor
Last updated: 27 September, 2020
A bi-lateral agreement between the London Fire Brigade (LFB) and London Ambulance Service will provide firefighters on days 6 and 7 of their shift pattern under a short-term secondment arrangement which is similar to the relationship with Babcock training. These staff members will continue to be employed by LFB and identifiable as LFB employees.
Answer for Day 6 and 7 arrangements with LAS
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 September, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
Filling LFB junior officer roles (1)
Question No: 2020/3107
Andrew Dismore
In each round of promotions to leading firefighter, sub officer, and station officer since 2016, how many applicants were there for each category of officer, and how many available places?
Filling LFB junior officer roles (1)
The Mayor
Last updated: 27 September, 2020
Station Officer
Due to the Role to Rank process a ring-fenced group of 170 staff was created in September 2017 to fill Station Officer vacancies from that date forward
| Completion date of process | September 2020 |
| Available places on completion | 10 |
| Total Applicants | 117 |
Joint Station Officer/Sub Officer
Since 2016, London Fire Brigade no longer hold joint rounds for this particular role.
| Completion date of process | January 2016 |
| Available places on completion | 115 |
| Total applicants | 291 |
Sub Officer
In 2017 there were enough applicants on the recruitment panel from 2016 to fill Sub Officer roles and therefore a new recruitment round wasn’t necessary that year. Following the completion of a promotion process a panel is usually created which can then be used to fill vacancies arising until the next promotion process i.e. successful candidates who do not secure a promotion immediately.
In July 2019 the application process included an external transferee process.
| Completion date of process | November 2016 | May 2018 | July 2019 |
| Available places on completion | 110 | 116 | 42 |
| Total Applicants | 119 | 283 | 270 |
Leading Firefighter
In February 2016, the application process included an external transferee process.
| Completion date of process | February 2016 | February 2017 | March 2019 | September 2019 |
| Available places on completion | 93 | 36 | 226 | 129 |
| Total Applicants | 370 | 227 | 270 | 177 |
Answer for Filling LFB junior officer roles (1)
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 September, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
High rise firefighting operational limits
Question No: 2020/3109
Andrew Dismore
Will you publish your correspondence with the Health and Safety Executive and Deputy Mayor for Fire and Resilience, regarding the safety of high-rise firefighting operations in the current built environment in London?
High rise firefighting operational limits
The Mayor
Last updated: 27 September, 2020
Neither I nor the Deputy Mayor for Fire and Resilience have had correspondence with the Health and Safety Executive regarding the safety of high-rise firefighting operations in the current built environment in London or any related matter.
Answer for High rise firefighting operational limits
The Mayor
Last updated: 22 September, 2020
Officers are drafting a response
