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Fire Brigades Union

@fbunational.bsky.social
1.4K followers 40 following 706 posts

We are the voice of firefighters and the fire and rescue service in the UK. Promoted by the Fire Brigades Union, 171-173 Gray’s Inn Road, WC1X 8UE

PostsRepliesMedia
Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Resilient public services cannot be built on fragmented ownership and private profit. It must be publicly owned, properly funded and accountable to the public. FBU national officer Adam Taylor speaking at Labour conference in support of #InsourceNow
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Money for 5,000 more firefighters with the correct PPE and greater wildfire and flood resilience would cost a fraction of the £6bn earmarked for British shipyards. Resilience against climate related incidents is just as important as the UK being capable of defending itself.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Wildfires can burn for weeks on end, spread rapidly and ground temperatures can reach over 100°C. Firefighters put their health on the line by working in these extreme conditions. We’re calling on Labour to set a date for the national wildfire summit.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Labour must deliver for firefighters. Last year, the FBU stood on this platform and warned that the fire service had been cut to the bone. This year, as wildfires raged across the UK, there weren't enough firefighters or fire engines to respond to every incident.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
A West Yorkshire firefighter and FBU member was seriously injured at work, struck by a passing lorry as he closed the door of his fire engine at an incident. He suffered a severe injury to his hand and, despite years of treatment, ultimately required amputation of his finger.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Firefighters battled month-long fires this summer, often without proper PPE or adequate welfare facilities. We need 5,000 more firefighters and a wildfire summit that delivers.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Firefighters are more likely to suffer or die from cancer than the average worker. The FBU is fighting for every firefighter in the UK to get regular health monitoring. Our goal is presumptive legislation, so no firefighter or their family has to fight for recognition of occupational disease.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Firefighters are significantly more likely to suffer and die from cancer than the average worker. We're demanding UK-wide health monitoring and presumptive legislation, recognising firefighter cancers as occupational diseases. And now we have the full, unanimous backing of the TUC.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
The FBU has won unanimous backing from the TUC for the firefighters' concordat on health and wellbeing. We're calling for regular health monitoring for all firefighters and proper decontamination practices at every fire station in the UK.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
This wildfire season, FBU members have faced the fire service's most challenging period since the Blitz. All the while, without proper PPE, welfare facilities or sufficient relief. FBU BEMM rep Dwight Williams moving an amendment to the NEU motion on Climate heat emergency.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
The FBU have won backing from the TUC for a National Wildfire Summit and thousands more firefighters to tackle the growing threat of wildfires.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
For 40 years, we have been told that outsourcing, deregulation and privatisation would make services cheaper and more efficient. Instead, they have fragmented services, weakened accountability and transferred public money into private hands.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
We need to oppose the ongoing drive towards deregulation and the introduction of private profiteers into public services. FBU president Ian Murray carrying motion ‘Grenfell Tower fire 10th anniversary’
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
The FBU has won unanimous backing from the TUC for its demand that all those responsible for the Grenfell Tower fire are brought to justice. Despite next year marking a decade since 72 people lost their lives in the fire, no prosecutions have taken place.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Public and firefighter safety is being compromised by of over a decade of cuts to the Fire and Rescue Service. The FBU is calling on TUC congress to back our demands for proper investment, a UK-wide wildfire strategy and justice for the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire. Source: Morning Star
Morning star: Wildfire devastation should be an alarm call to action for all of us.The wildfire summer that firefighters and fire control staff endured is still fresh in my mind during this weeks TUC Congress - FBU general secretary Steve WrightSince 2010, the then Conservative-led government cut 12,000 firefighters creating a lack of resilience in our ability to adequately confront major incidents
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
Cleveland FRS has lost 33% of its firefighters since 2010. And yet, the service plans further cuts to nighttime cover. FBU members are organised and fighting back against frontline cuts that put public safety at risk.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
2,977 people were killed, including 343 firefighters and 67 Britons, during the 9/11 terror attacks. FDNY firefighters' bravery and professionalism will never be forgotten. FBU general secretary Steve Wright will be attending a memorial event at his local fire station.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
#WeRemember the 343 firefighters who lost their lives in the 9/11 terror attacks, 25 years ago today. Many more firefighters have since suffered from diseases likely linked to toxic substances present at ground zero.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Today is #999Day and we'd like to pay tribute to all emergency service workers. This summer, as firefighters tackled unprecedented wildfires, our emergency service colleagues worked side by side, supporting our members on the incident ground and protecting the public.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
FBU president Ian Murray and vice president Pete Smith attended The Fire and Rescue Service annual service of remembrance yesterday. #WeRemember every firefighter who has lost their life in the line of duty.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Firefighters have just battled a record breaking wildfire season with 12,000 fewer firefighters than in 2010. Despite a £38 million uplift from government for fire services nationally, Cleveland Fire Authority is pressing ahead with a public consultation on cuts to fire cover.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
The fire service is already paper thin. Cutting nighttime cover from Cheltenham West fire station isn't efficiency; it's gambling with public and firefighter safety. Every community deserves access to reliable fire cover, no matter the time of day.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
🔥 The government has agreed to our call for a National Wildfire Summit. This is a chance for FBU members to shape what a UK-wide wildfire strategy should look like. Join us on 3 September for an FBU wildfire national meeting where we'll set our priorities and next actions.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
The writing is on the wall. We need significant investment in every UK fire and rescue service to tackle the growing threat of wildfires. With more extreme weather on the horizon, we're calling for an immediate increase of 5,000 firefighters.
Source: Sky News, Data X Forensics

Map shows that every fire and rescue service in the UK has fewer firefighters than in 2010.Source: Sky News

'We have never seen anything like this summer': How wildfire threat in UK is escalating dramatically
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
19 homes destroyed in Stourbridge, an area equivalent to 6,000 football pitches burnt in South Wales, and a wildfire in the Cairngorms that burned for 33 days. This is what 20 years of cuts to firefighters, stations and fire engines looks like.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
London control firefighters received over 2,000 calls in a single day this summer, stretching staff to breaking point as they scrambled to allocate resources. Firefighter and public safety go hand in hand. When crews lack the staffing or resources to respond to fires quickly, lives are put at risk.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
The record number of wildfires this summer has meant crews were being called out of London to respond to fires in Wales. FBU London regional secretary Jon Lamb said “we do not have enough firefighters, appliances, PPE or equipment to make Londoners as safe as possible."
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Firefighters are attending major wildfire and flooding incidents without national standards in funding, crewing, or PPE. It's time for the government to properly invest in UK fire and rescue services, starting with 5,000 more firefighters. FBU general secretary Steve Wright on Channel 4 News.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Firefighters across Wales have been tackling 20 wildfires. Fire and rescue services are beyond breaking point. With flash flooding forecast in the coming weeks, firefighters won't get a chance to catch their breath. EC member for Wales Gareth Tovey on BBC radio Wales.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
Firefighters control are facing an impossible dilemma. With no fire engines available, it's been a case of picking and choosing which incidents they send firefighters to. Temporary army and aircraft support won't fix chronic underfunding. We need proper long-term investment.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Our thoughts are with the firefighters in hospital with injuries caused by the Stourbridge wildfire. This is one of the most challenging periods for our members since the Blitz. The FBU will continue fighting for more firefighters, proper PPE, and resources to keep our members safe.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Footballers during the World Cup had hydration breaks every 25 minutes. Meanwhile, firefighters are working in scorching temperatures for hours at a time. We need 5,000 more firefighters, backed up by access to proper welfare and PPE.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
120 firefighters are responding to the New Forest wildfire. They're working in extremely hot and challenging conditions, and in some cases without proper wildfire PPE. Meanwhile, the rest of the county is left exposed.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Andy Burnham's emergency Cobra meeting must address our call for 5,000 more firefighters. "Lives are being put at risk. This is only going to get worse unless we get a grip of it now and put in place a proper national strategy". FBU general secretary Steve Wright on Sky News.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
🚨 Gloucestershire County Council wants to strip nighttime fire cover from Cheltenham West. Yet, with tens of thousands of new houses being built right next to Cheltenham, these cuts will put firefighter and public safety at risk.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Firefighters are working in extreme heat for up to 17 hours at a time, with ground temperatures exceeding 600°C. This is a national emergency, and we need a national strategy to deal with it. FBU general secretary Steve Wright on LBC News.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
FBU members are battling wildfires from Hampshire to the Cairngorms while working with 12,000 fewer firefighters than in 2010. Increased funding in the fire service must become a national priority.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
In the last 48 hours, we've seen major wildfires in Nottinghamshire, Hampshire, South Wales, and Suffolk. This is not bad luck. This is climate change, and firefighters are on the frontline.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
Since 2013, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has lost 1,239 firefighters. Now, firefighters are working to exhaustion after tackling huge wildfires across the Cairngorms, as well as major structural fires in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
FBU members have spent days battling a wildfire in the Rhondda that's scorched an area the size of over 500 football pitches. We need a UK-wide wildfire strategy now. That's why the FBU is leading on a National Wildfire Summit, to build resilience and protect firefighters and the public.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
🚨 BREAKING: FBU WIN in Kent Once again, FBU members have fought back and won against dangerous cuts. Firefighters have put a stop to fire station closures, reductions in fire engines and have saved 63 posts. In a crunch Fire Authority meeting, the cuts proposals were overwhelmingly rejected 17-2.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
On this day in 2022, 17 firefighters died in the Matanzas oil storage facility explosion in Cuba. Cuban Ambassador Ismara Mercedes Vargas Walter has joined us at FBU head office to launch the 'Firefighters for Cuba' t-shirt, marking the anniversary of this tragic incident.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Kent fire and rescue service plan to cut the frontline while the rest of the UK burns. The FBU will fight every station closure, every appliance removed and every job they try to axe. Firefighters duty is to protect the public, and that’s exactly what FBU members are doing. Cuts kill!
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
With over 700 wildfires raging across the UK since the start of 2026, Kent FRS are proposing cuts to firefighters, stations and appliances. FBU members will rally outside Kent County Council tomorrow to demand that these proposals are scrapped.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
It was only last week that we were paying tribute to the two French firefighters who lost their lives battling a forest fire near Bordeaux. Now, just seven days later, three more firefighters in Greece have lost their lives tackling wildfires.
The Guardian reports: Three firefighters killed on Crete and in mainland Greece as Europe battles wildfires. Repeated heatwaves and strong winds alarm experts, who warn blazes are becoming harder to quell.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
#WeRemember firefighter Hector Keeley, who lost his life in the line of duty on this day in 1950. At the time of his death, Hector had been a firefighter for 20 years. He attended many incidents, including fires during the Blitz in London.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
A decade of Tory austerity axed 12,000 frontline firefighters. Now wildfires are surging, and we don't have the crews to fight them safely. We need 5,000 more firefighters now. The FBU is urging government to convene a National Wildfire Summit to build national resilience.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
FBU members turned out for Belfast Pride over the weekend. While the day was one of pride and celebration, we were deeply saddened to learn of the attack on Pride in Berlin on the same day.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
July is on course to be the driest in nearly 200 years, with droughts declared across Wales. The Met Office has predicted that UK summers will be 60% drier by 2070. And yet there aren't enough firefighters to deal with faster-growing and more frequent wildfires.
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Fire Brigades Union @fbunational.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
🚨 Firefighters are battling a huge wildfire on the Isle of Wight, with mainland crews travelling across the Solent to assist. This is why we need a UK-wide strategy on how we deal with wildfires. Firefighters deserve real investment and national standards to respond to incidents like these safely.
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