56-535: The London Fire Brigade ( LFB ) is the fire and rescue service for London , the capital of the United Kingdom . It was formed by the Metropolitan Fire Brigade Act 1865 ( 28 & 29 Vict. c. 90), under the leadership of superintendent Eyre Massey Shaw . It has 5,992 staff, including 5,096 operational firefighters and officers based at 102 fire stations (plus one river station). The LFB
112-711: A fire company, fire authority , fire district , fire and rescue , or fire service in some areas, is an organization that provides fire prevention and fire suppression services as well as other rescue services. Fire departments are most commonly a public sector organization that operate within a municipality, county, state, nation, or special district. Private and specialist firefighting organizations also exist, such as those for aircraft rescue and firefighting . A fire department contains one or more fire stations within its boundaries, and may be staffed by firefighters , who may be professional , volunteers , conscripts , or on-call . Combination fire departments employ
168-520: 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 frontline appliances and number of personnel, plus mandatory performance targets, priorities and objectives are set by the MHCLG in the form of a document called the Fire and Rescue Service National Framework. The framework
224-585: A civil service to the public, obliging private fire companies to shut down, many merging their fire stations into the city's fire department. In 1833, London's ten independent brigades all merged to form the London Fire Engine Establishment (LFEE), with James Braidwood as the Chief Officer. Braidwood had previously been the fire chief in Edinburgh , where the world's first municipal fire service
280-408: A durable plaque that would be affixed to the building exterior. Although a popular legend says a company's fire brigade would not extinguish a burning building if it did not have the correct fire mark, there is little evidence to support this; evidence shows insurance companies required their firefighters to fight every fire they encountered. Amsterdam also had a sophisticated firefighting system in
336-562: A fire department varies greatly by country. In the United States, firefighting is usually organized on a municipal level. Some municipalities belong to "fire protection districts" that are served by the same fire department, such as the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District . Austria, Germany and Canada also organize fire services at a municipal level. In France , fire services mostly cover one department . In
392-467: A further two appliances making a total of four. Informally, firefighters refer to such fires as 'a make up' or 'a four-pumper'; when the fire is out, if no other pumping appliances were despatched, this would be recorded as a 'four-pump fire'. If an incident is more serious, it can be escalated straight to a six-, eight- or ten-pump fire and beyond – in London this is usually completed in even numbers, though it
448-437: A mix of professional and volunteer firefighters. In some countries, fire departments may also run an ambulance service , staffed by volunteer or professional EMS personnel . Fire departments are organized in a system of administration, services, training, and operations; for example: A fire service is normally set up where it can have fire stations, fire engines and other relevant equipment strategically deployed throughout
504-477: 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
560-623: 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)
616-489: A statutory inspection by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS, colloquially known as “Himickfurrs”). The inspections investigate how well the service performs in each of three areas. On a scale of outstanding, good, requires improvement and inadequate, London Fire Brigade was rated as follows: Fire and rescue authorities in England come under the government department formerly known as
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#1732844443642672-452: Is defined as every other non-fire related emergency, such as: The full scope of the brigade's duties and powers is enshrined in the Fire and Rescue Act 2005. Firefighters and, in some cases, specialist teams from the brigade's fire investigation unit, based at Dowgate, 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
728-706: Is led by the Commissioner for Fire and Emergency Planning, a position currently held by Andy Roe. The brigade and Commissioner are overseen by the Greater London Authority , which in 2018 took over these responsibilities from the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA). In the 2015-16 financial year the LFB received 171,488 emergency calls. These consisted of: 20,773 fires, 48,696 false alarms of fire and 30,066 other calls for service. As well as firefighting ,
784-729: Is located in Union Street in Southwark , adjacent to the brigade's former training centre, which was both the original headquarters of the Massey Shaw fire brigade and his home, Winchester House, as well as the London Fire Brigade Museum . The brigade was previously headquartered in Lambeth between 1937 and 2007. Every fire and rescue service in England and Wales is periodically subjected to
840-467: Is not uncommon for a ten-pump fire to be 'made up' to 15 if necessary. A call to, say, a large warehouse ablaze could be escalated straight to a ten-pump fire. The 2007 Cutty Sark fire required eight pumps; as a serious incident escalates, the brigade deploys senior officers, Command Units and any specialist appliances required. Fire department A fire department ( North American English ) or fire brigade ( Commonwealth English ), also known as
896-540: 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
952-459: Is the commissioner of the LFB. He succeeds Dany Cotton , who in 2017 had become the first woman to hold the top role; Cotton resigned in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire after 32 years' service in the brigade. Prior to Cotton, Ron Dobson was the commissioner and he had served in the LFB since 1979; he was appointed CBE for his distinguished contribution to the fire service. Historically,
1008-612: The Buncefield fire in 2005. Much earlier, the Hampton Court fire of 1986, which was on the border with Surrey, was attended by both the LFB and Surrey Fire and Rescue Service . In 2015/16 the LFB assisted at 567 "over the border" incidents. The other fire services that adjoin the LFB are: The LFB also mobilises to support airport firefighters at London Heathrow Airport , London City Airport and The London Heliport. The LFB, along with all other UK fire and rescue services, determines
1064-467: The Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency , which is today Canada's oldest fire department. In 1764, Haddonfield, New Jersey established the second oldest fire company in the United States. Another early American fire department, staffed by unpaid volunteers, was established in the city of Petersburg, Virginia in 1773. In the 19th century, cities began to form their own fire departments as
1120-505: The 12 months following them saw firefighters able to spend more time on training, community safety work, and home safety visits (including the free fitting of smoke alarms). Firefighters must go through an assessment centre and reach the required standard set out by the Brigade in order to gain promotion. This process will be followed for each subsequent role the individual applies for, up to and including Assistant Commissioner. Appointments above
1176-457: The 17th century after the Great Fire of London in 1666. The first insurance brigades were established the following year. Others began to realize that a lot of money could be made from this practice, and ten more insurance companies set up in London before 1832: The Alliance, Atlas, Globe, Imperial, London, Protector, Royal Exchange, Sun Union and Westminster. Each company had its own fire mark ,
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#17328444436421232-523: The Buncefield oil depot near Hemel Hempstead . The incident saw a large scale national response involving many UK fire services. HFRS has 29 fire stations and 40 fire appliances . The stations use a number of crewing models: The protection area includes four large settlements with a population between 50,000 and 100,000: Hemel Hempstead , Stevenage Watford , and the city of St Albans . Almost 89% of residents live in urban areas, comprising 32% of
1288-506: The FBU in protest at the LFB's intention to change the shift pattern from two 9-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 days off. A London Fire Brigade report published in March 2012 stated that the shift changes have improved safety in the city. Compared with the 12 months prior to the shift changes,
1344-569: The GLA also takes responsibility for the Metropolitan Police Service , Transport for London and other functions. In 2007, the LFB vacated its Lambeth headquarters and moved to a site in Union Street, Southwark . In the same year, the Department for Communities and Local Government announced that LFB Commissioner Ken Knight had been appointed as the first Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser to
1400-575: The Integrated Personal Development System (IPDS). In 2010/11, the LFB handled a total of 212,657 emergency calls, including 5,241 hoax calls (although it only mobilised to 2,248 of those malicious false alarms). During the same period, it dealt with 13,367 major fires. There were 6,731 dwelling fires, including 748 that had been started deliberately; 73 people died in 58 fatal fires. In addition to conflagrations , LFB firefighters respond to "special services". A special service
1456-607: The LFB also responds to road traffic collisions , floods , shut-in- lift releases, and other incidents such as those involving hazardous materials or major transport accidents. It also conducts emergency planning and performs fire safety inspections and education. It does not provide an emergency medical service as this function is performed by the London Ambulance Service , an independent organisation, although all LFB firefighters are trained in first aid and all of its fire engines carry first aid equipment. Since 2016,
1512-494: The LFB has provided first aid for some life-threatening medical emergencies (e.g. cardiac arrest or respiratory arrest ). Following a multitude of ad-hoc firefighting arrangements and the Great Fire of London , various insurance companies established firefighting units to tackle fires that occurred in buildings that their respective companies insured. As demands grew on the primitive firefighting units they began to coordinate and co-operate with each other until, on 1 January 1833,
1568-424: 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. 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
1624-545: 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. On
1680-416: The London Fire Engine Establishment was formed under the leadership of James Braidwood , who had founded the first professional, municipal fire brigade in Edinburgh . He introduced a uniform that, for the first time, included personal protection from the hazards of firefighting. With 80 firefighters and 13 fire stations , the unit was still a private enterprise, funded by the insurance companies and as such
1736-723: 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 Government (DCLG), and subsequently the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). It is now responsible for fire and resilience in England, including London. The Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 changed many working practices; it
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1792-592: The Training and Development Centre (JESA (Joint Emergency Services Academy)) and Fire Control Centre are located in Stevenage . It is administered by a Fire Authority which is an internal part of Hertfordshire County Council . The service is led by Chief Fire Officer Alex Woodman, who was appointed in Sept 2021 In December 2005, the service dealt with what is thought to be the largest fire since World War II following an explosion at
1848-819: The United Kingdom, most fire services cover one or more counties , while Scotland and Northern Ireland each have a single fire service. In Australia, state governments run the fire services, although three states have separate agencies for metropolitan and rural areas. Poland, the Czech Republic, Israel, Italy, New Zealand, and the Philippines have national fire and rescue services. Fire departments may also provide other, more specialized emergency services, such as aircraft rescue and firefighting , hazardous materials response, technical rescue , search and rescue , and wildland firefighting . In some countries or regions (e.g.,
1904-496: The United States, Germany, Japan, Hong Kong, Macau), fire departments can be responsible for providing emergency medical services . The EMS personnel may either be cross-trained as firefighters or a separate division of emergency medical technicians and paramedics . While some services act only as "first responders" to medical emergencies, stabilizing victims until an ambulance can arrive, other fire services also operate ambulance services . The earliest known firefighting service
1960-503: The area it serves, so that dispatchers can send fire engines, fire trucks, or ambulances from the fire stations closest to the incident. Larger departments have branches within themselves to increase efficiency, composed of volunteers, support, and research. Most places are covered by a public sector fire department, which is established by a local or national government and funded by taxation. Even volunteer fire departments may still receive some government funding. The typical size of
2016-441: The candidate completes a development folder which usually takes around 12–18 months. Ongoing training – both theoretical and practical – continues throughout the firefighter's career. In December 2010 the LFB and Fire Brigades Union (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 8-hour daytime strikes by
2072-686: The colonies' first fire insurance company in Philadelphia named the Philadelphia Contributionship, as well as its associated Union Volunteer Fire Company , which was an unpaid (volunteer) company. A document dated in 1686 informs about the payment system of four so called "fire servants" (German: Feuerknecht ) in Vienna , which is the official founding year of the Vienna Fire Department. In 1754, Halifax, Nova Scotia established
2128-475: The county; while the remaining population live in the 67% of the county that is rural. Every fire and rescue service in England and Wales is periodically subjected to a statutory inspection by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS). The inspections investigate how well the service performs in each of three areas. On a scale of outstanding, good, requires improvement and inadequate, Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service
2184-417: The creation of the Greater London Council in 1965, the brigade was enlarged and took over almost all of the Middlesex Fire Brigade, part of west Kent, North Surrey and South West Essex, together with the small County Borough brigades of Croydon, East Ham and West Ham. The internal LFB organisation consists of three directorates that all report to the commissioner. They are: The LFB's headquarters since 2007
2240-429: The first appliance to the scene was 5 minutes 33 seconds (6 minute target), and the second appliance to the scene was 6 minutes 55 seconds (8 minute target). 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 Service at
2296-450: The first modern fire engine one year earlier. Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service ( HFRS ) is the statutory fire and rescue service for the county of Hertfordshire , England . HFRS covers an area of 1,514 square miles (3,920 km ) and a population of 1.19 million. The service headquarters is located in Hertford whilst
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2352-400: The following table: In the last 24 months, the LFB have run three firefighter recruitment campaigns; however, in previous years they have seen fewer or even none. There are many factors why they would run a recruitment drive, as there is actually no set recruitment drive for firefighters. Professional firefighter training usually takes place at various London venues. On successful completion,
2408-401: The government. Knight was succeeded as Commissioner at that time by Ron Dobson , who served for almost ten years. Dany Cotton took over in 2017, becoming the brigade's first female commissioner. In December 2022, the brigade was put into special measures with an enhanced level of monitoring after an independent review highlighted incidents of misogyny and racism. As of 1 January 2020 Andy Roe
2464-590: The late 17th century, under the direction of artist Jan van der Heyden , who had improved the designs of both fire hoses and fire pumps. The city of Boston, Massachusetts established America's first publicly funded, paid fire department in 1678. Fire insurance made its debut in the American colonies in South Carolina in 1736, but it was Benjamin Franklin who imported the London model of insurance. He established
2520-405: The new title of Brigade Manager). London Fire Brigade, along with many UK fire and rescue services, adopted a change in rank structure in 2006. The traditional ranks were replaced with new titles descriptive of the job function. On 17 October 2019, London Fire Brigade announced a return to the traditional rank titles, in a policy named "Role to Rank". The rank structure of the Brigade is now as in
2576-561: The newly qualified firefighter is posted to a fire station to work on a shift pattern – currently two day shifts (ten and half hours), followed by two night shifts (thirteen and half 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; qualification and full pay are not reached until
2632-493: The role of Assistant Commissioner are overseen by elected members of The London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority. 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
2688-429: 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 2007/08, the first fire engine mobilised to a 999 call arrived within five minutes 58.8% of
2744-453: 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 four", or if persons are believed to be involved or trapped, "make pumps four, persons reported". The control room will then deploy
2800-406: 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 2010/11, the average response time of the first appliance to the scene was 5 minutes 34 seconds (6 minute target), and the second appliance was 6 minutes 53 seconds (8 minute target). In 2015/16, the average response time for
2856-583: 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
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#17328444436422912-585: Was disbanded and a new statutory authority , the London Fire and Civil Defence Authority (LFCDA), was formed to take responsibility for the LFB. The LFCDA was replaced in 2000 by the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority. 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,
2968-611: Was formed in Ancient Rome by Marcus Egnatius Rufus who used his slaves to provide a free fire service. These men fought fires using bucket chains and also patrolled the streets with the authority to impose corporal punishment upon those who violated fire-prevention codes. The Emperor Augustus established a public fire department in 24 BCE, composed of 600 slaves distributed amongst seven fire stations in Rome. Fire departments were again formed by property insurance companies beginning in
3024-580: Was founded in 1824, and he is now regarded, along with Van der Heyden, as one of founders of modern firefighting. The LFEE then was incorporated into the city's Metropolitan Fire Brigade in 1865 under Eyre Massey Shaw . In 1879, the University of Notre Dame established the first University-based fire department in the United States. The first motorized fire department was organized in 1906 in Springfield, Massachusetts , where Knox Automobile had developed
3080-703: Was passed, creating the Metropolitan Fire Brigade under the leadership of Eyre Massey Shaw , a former head of police and fire services in Belfast . In 1904 it 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, where it remained until 2007. During the Second World War the country's brigades were amalgamated into
3136-529: Was responsible mainly for saving material goods from fire. Several large fires, most notably at the Palace of Westminster in 1834 and the 1861 Tooley Street fire (in which Braidwood died in action, aged 61), spurred the insurance companies to lobby the British government to provide the brigade at public expense and management. After due consideration, the Metropolitan Fire Brigade Act 1865 ( 28 & 29 Vict. c. 90)
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