The Fire Committee discussed the wellbeing of London's firefighters, noting concerns about the impact of contaminants and the need for improved health monitoring and PPE. The Committee also reviewed the London Fire Brigade's financial strategies, including the draft Reserves Strategy and Medium-Term Financial Strategy for 2026/27, and the draft Statement of Assurance for 2024/25, making recommendations to the Mayor on these matters.

Wellbeing of London's Firefighters

The Committee heard from experts and representatives from the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) and the London Fire Brigade (LFB) about the significant health risks faced by firefighters due to exposure to contaminants. Professor Rowena Hill from Nottingham Trent University highlighted that while research is ongoing, there is a clear link between firefighting and increased cancer rates, with firefighters being three times more likely to suffer from cancer. Dr Carolina Campodonico from the University of Lancashire noted that exposure to trauma is common, with over half of respondents in an FBU survey reporting mental health consequences from incidents. Dr Danielle Lamb and Dr Jo Yarker from the London Centre for Work and Health discussed the prevalence of anxiety and depression, with approximately a third of respondents showing signs of mild to moderate anxiety and depression. Burnout was also identified as a major concern, affecting nearly half of firefighters.

Concerns were raised about the adequacy of current research and the need for independent, longitudinal studies to fully understand the long-term health impacts. The FBU stressed the importance of health monitoring for both current and retired firefighters, advocating for presumptive legislation that would recognise cancer as an occupational hazard for firefighters.

The discussion also touched upon the challenges of contamination control within fire stations, with Karl Smith from the FBU highlighting a disconnect between policy and practice due to issues with training, PPE availability, and the infrastructure of older fire stations. The LFB acknowledged these challenges and outlined steps being taken, including updating the PPE contract and piloting new technologies like RFID tags for tracking PPE.

The Committee also heard from Dean Corney, founder of Walk and Talk 999, who shared his personal experience and the success of his initiative in providing a safe space for emergency service personnel to discuss their mental health.

London Fire Brigade National Framework Documents

The Committee reviewed the London Fire Commissioner's draft Reserves Strategy and Medium-Term Financial Strategy for 2026/27, as well as the draft Statement of Assurance for 2024/25.

Reserves Strategy and Medium-Term Financial Strategy 2026/27: The LFB faces significant financial challenges, with a projected budget gap of £12.2 million in 2026/27. This is partly due to the ongoing cost of the Modern Firefighting Training Programme, which was previously funded by reserves but now requires a sustainable long-term funding solution. The LFB has identified savings of £6.2 million for 2026/27 and is proposing limited investments totalling £3.8 million, including £1.8 million for operational training and firefighter development. The strategy aims to protect frontline delivery and regulatory capabilities while managing evolving risks, including those posed by climate change, terrorism, and new technologies. The Reserves Strategy indicates that the General Fund reserve is projected to increase over the coming years, aiming to return to the target level of 3.5% of core GLA funding.

Statement of Assurance 2024/25: The Statement of Assurance highlighted the LFB's progress in improving its performance, with HMICFRS rating the Brigade as 'Outstanding' for responding to major and multi-agency incidents. The report detailed improvements in operational competency, health, safety, and wellbeing, and governance arrangements. However, it also identified areas for improvement, including the need for greater awareness and consistent application of contamination policies, and further research into the health impacts of contaminants. The LFB is committed to transparency, publishing data on its website and the London Datastore.

The Committee recommended noting these documents and making reports and recommendations to the Mayor on the draft strategies and the Statement of Assurance.

Summary List of Actions

The Committee noted the completed and outstanding actions from previous meetings. One outstanding action from the meeting on 2 December 2025, regarding the Deputy Commissioner investigating the efficacy of tarpaulin mats used during decontamination procedures, was reported as completed. The Committee also noted correspondence sent to the Deputy Mayor regarding overdue responses on arson incidents and the LFC's key priorities.

Fire Committee Work Programme

The Committee noted its work programme for 2025/26, which includes a session on the wellbeing of London's firefighters and a Question and Answer session with the London Fire Commissioner and the Deputy Mayor for the Fire Service.