Grenfell Inquiry Report: Joining up the thinking and the action

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FIRE Correspondent Catherine Levin reports on the reactions to the publication of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 Report and finds that while the temptation is to retreat behind closed doors and find individual solutions to the recommendations, a joined-up approach is the only way forward

REPORT

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Grenfell Inquiry Report:

Grenfell

Government & Politics

Joining up the thinking and the action

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ir Martin Moore-Bick describes the events of June 14, 2017 in forensic detail. They cannot be read without a quickening of the heart and a trepidation that is almost palpable. Knowing that 72 people lost their lives on that day and the bereaved, survivors and residents have to live with the memory of what happened makes this hugely significant and important report one that must not be relegated to the annals of history and forgotten over time. The Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 Report is a salutary reminder to all fire and rescue services that competence, training and communication are core tenets of not only the response to incidents but are fundamental to risk planning in all parts of the business. Thinking of protection, prevention and response as separate activities within a fire and rescue service is no longer acceptable; fire and rescue is a complex blend of all three and the need to analyse the hazards and controls at all stages is critical to public safety. The Grenfell Tower fire powerfully demonstrated that when controls fail and hazards are unimpeded, the consequences can be fatal. Planning is fundamental to the business of fire. Identifying risk and knowing how to respond is bread and butter to fire and rescue services. Not

knowing that Grenfell Tower was wrapped in flammable cladding was not London Fire Brigade’s fault. Responding to the largest fire since the blitz was a massive challenge and one that will hopefully never happen again. Of course, there is plenty to learn; of course, some things did not work as they should. The report contains 46 recommendations that are all about change and improvement, but whether they add up to cultural change remains to be seen and is dependent on whether the response is truly joined-up or simply a sequence of activity in silos. “Change cannot be achieved over night; this is a massive task that goes beyond changing policies and procedures. This is about cultural change on a massive scale. This is a sector wide issue.” Fiona Twycross AM is the Deputy Mayor for fire in London. She talked about cultural change in her response to questions from the London Assembly after the publication of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 Report. At the meeting on November 5, London Fire Commissioner Dany Cotton and Assistant Commissioner Andy Bell were joined by NFCC Chair Roy Wilsher, NFCC Protection lead Mark Hardingham and FBU General Secretary Matt Wrack.

“This demonstrates how complex fire safety is and each recommendation must not only be considered by London Fire Brigade but by government, every fire and rescue service and every residential building owner and manager across the UK” London Fire Brigade Commissioner Dany Cotton

www.fire–magazine.com  |  December 2019/January 2020  |  11


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