Fire Future Today 2025

2025

An anthology of ideas

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CONTENTS INTRODUCTION Foreword 4 Ian Moore OBE Contributors 8

ESSAYS Taking Stock of the Changing Face of Fire Safety Councillor Wendy Maples

10

Lessons From the Past Show Us the Way to a Brighter Future Andrew Ledgerton-Lynch OBE

14

To Act Truly Intelligently, We Must Not Rely Solely on the Artificial Andy Frankum

18

Jurassic AI Ethical Dilemmas Must Be Faced Head-On Steve McGuirk CBE

22

Online Harms Pose a Serious Threat to Mental Health in the Fire Service Sherine Wheeler

26

Grenfell Victims Will Never Receive Justice Until Individuals Are Held To Account Joe Delaney

30

Swarm Engineering Promises An Ethically-Sound Robotics Revolution Professor Sabine Hauert

34

Creating the Game Plan for the Future of Fire Safety Phil Garrigan OBE

38

Awaab’s Law Should Motivate Us All to Act Before Tragedy Forces Change Dr Sam Collier

42

AFTERWORD In Conclusion 46 Alex Norris MP

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—— Hello, and welcome to our 2025 edition of Fire Future Today anthology of ideas. As ever, it’s an absolute honour and privilege to be able to bring together so many forward-thinking leaders across our UK fire industry, and I invite you to enjoy their insightful essays, designed to broaden our collective minds, and co-create a better, safer tomorrow.

As you read through, you’ll start to recognise two themes across all of the opinion pieces. The first is how Artificial Intelligence is revolutionising our sector, and the second is how the UK has established itself as the global leader in fire safety.

There’s a key component that brings these two themes together, and that’s the importance of making the right decisions when the world is looking to you for guidance.

For now we stand at a defining moment in time. AI is changing our industry by the day, and this is just the start. How it impacts our future is to be decided, and we must show strong and thoughtful leadership.

FOREWORD

Welcome to the 2025 Edition of Our Fire Future Today Anthology of Ideas.

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“ I spend half of my time with providers of fire products and services, and the other half with users of these. This means I hear what challenges are being experienced by fire and rescue services and LGAs, while also discovering the best new solutions to these.”

But, let’s not bury the lede here. When I first joined the FIA nearly ten years ago, our fire sector was far from what it is today, and we should all be immensely proud of how all parts of our fire community have contributed to the UK’s peerless reputation overseas.

In the past decade, British fire equipment and services exports have risen by over 50%, and gone from the seventh to the third biggest security and safety export category for UK PLC. More importantly still, our country has made a vast difference in fire safety around the world, due to our higher fire standards.

Ultimately, every year our fire industry makes a big contribution to our national income, and saves tens of thousands of lives both here and across every continent.

It’s a huge success, and one that I don’t think has been recognised enough, both internally and externally.

That this has come just eight years after the devastatingly tragic events at Grenfell Tower is a testament to the hundreds of thousands of people across the UK working diligently every day to keep the public safe from fire.

It’s not said enough, but well done, and thank you, to each and every one of you.

As someone who has the fortune to spend half my time with providers of fire products and services, and the other half with users of these, I can tell you that your work is greatly admired all around the planet.

In the past year alone, the quality of our domestic fire safety has meant the FIA has been asked to consult with dozens of countries about improving their fire safety, and the level of respect for our fire community is humbling.

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In fact, it’s part of what drives us to do more, and be better, to ensure we continue to match the dedication of the people that make this possible.

That’s why this year we’ve done even more to advance fire safety in the UK and beyond, including continuing to push boundaries in our state-of-the-art Cheshire development, which has become the UK’s centre of fire excellence.

If you are inspired to learn more about any future fire concepts then we’d love to give you a hands-on demonstration of some of the most remarkable innovations in fire safety history, on show at our centre.

And, it’s this innate British trait to innovate better solutions that I believe has driven this exceptional success, and will continue to do so sustainably into the future.

Because, I believe that the in-built creativity, decency and groundedness we possess in our national psyche provides us with a unique perspective when it comes to calculating how to best utilise new technologies across our workforce.

“ We must be open to new viewpoints, and you’ll certainly get those from the expert essays across this year’s anthology. Each is a sector leader’s outlook on what a safer tomorrow can look like, and the most relevant issues we should expect to face on the journey to this better future” For example, while this role has allowed me to see technological advancements that appear to be from the pages of science fiction, I’ve yet to see a single use of AI in fire safety that delivers better results by directly replacing the role of well-trained people. Rather, I conclude, the key is to find uses of AI that allow these people to perform their jobs more effectively. It’s AI alongside people, not instead of.

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“ If you are inspired to learn more about any future fire concepts then we’d love to give you a hands-on demonstration of some of the most remarkable innovations in fire safety history, on show at our centre.”

How we, as a group of fire safety professionals, square this particular circle, amongst many others, is up to us. And, as we’ve become the world leaders in fire we must take this responsibility on our shoulders, as I know we will.

To do this, we must be open to new viewpoints, and you’ll certainly get those from the expert essays across this year’s anthology. Each is a sector leader’s outlook on what a safer tomorrow could look like, and the most relevant issues we should expect to face on the journey to this better future. Some may prove challenging to you, all of them are rooted in expertise.

I must conclude by thanking each of our authors for sharing their views, and I hope you find inspiration from these. And, even if you disagree with a proposed concept, I hope this helps you to understand the alternative perspective, and develop your own ideas further.

Ian Moore Ian Moore OBE CEO – Fire Industry Association

Our state-of-the-art centre of excellence in Northwich

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CONTRIBUTORS —— This publication brings together ten contributors from across the fire safety sector — campaigners, experts, and leaders, each offering insight into the issues shaping the landscape as it rapidly evolves. Together, their voices reflect a sector in motion: adapting, questioning, and driving change in real time.

SHERINE WHEELER

JOE DELANEY

COUNCILLOR WENDY MAPLES

ANDREW LEDGERTON-LYNCH OBE

PROFESSOR SABINE HAUERT

PHIL GARRIGAN OBE

ANDY FRANKUM

STEVE McGUIRK CBE

DR SAM COLLIER

ALEX NORRIS MP

Chair, Local Government Authority Fire Services Management Committee

Chair, National Social Housing Fire Strategy Group

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Former Editor of FIRE magazine

Executive Officer, Fire Sector Confederation

CEO, Fire Fighters Charity

Professor of Swarm Engineering, University of Bristol

Policy and Research Manager, Aico

Campaigner, Justice4Grenfell

Chair, National Fire Chiefs Council

Minister for Building Safety, Fire and Local Growth Fire Future Today 2025 | 9

COUNCILLOR WENDY MAPLES

Chair, Local Government Authority Fire Services Management Committee

Taking Stock of the Changing Face of Fire Safety The Chair of the LGA Fire Services Management Committee on the need for partnership thinking across all layers of government.

Local government is a vital part of the country’s response to fire safety challenges, keeping communities protected and driving improvements in our built environment, with mayors, councils and fire and rescue authorities at the forefront of that work.

As the national voice for local government, the LGA has been actively working on these issues for a number of years, drawing expertise not only from the LGA’s Fire Services Management Committee that I chair, but also the LGA’s Local Infrastructure and Net Zero Board and the Safer and Stronger Communities Board.

Cross working with these boards, and with other key sector organisations and government reflects our commitment to a partnership approach that we believe is instrumental to good local government and better outcomes for our communities.

From April 2025, responsibility for fire policy moved from the Home Office to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), which will further strengthen the ties between local authorities and the fire service.

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“ The plan set out the Government’s three objectives in remediating buildings: firstly to fix buildings faster, secondly to identify all buildings with unsafe cladding, and – at the heart of all this – to support residents.”

With specific regard to our built environment, we, and the sector, are responding to the Government’s plans around remediation as well as the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s recommendations and the requirements of the new Building Safety Regulator.

We welcomed the launch of the Government’s Remediation Acceleration Plan in December 2024.

The plan set out the Government’s three objectives in remediating buildings: firstly to fix buildings faster, secondly to identify all buildings with unsafe cladding, and – at the heart of all this – to support residents.

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The Plan included a number of announcements related to local government. In particular we look forward to the funding that government announced in the Plan to enable local authorities to double enforcement activity as well as the Government’s continued support for the Joint Inspection Team, which is hosted by the LGA and funded by government. The improved access to remediation funding for social housing, and the new powers planned in the Remediation Bill are also welcome, and we are keen that this bill be brought forward as soon as possible.

The Government’s response to the recommendations in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2, contains a number of important developments for fire and rescue services including the announcement that the Government will consult the sector on the establishment of a College of Fire and Rescue.

The LGA is supportive of a College and believes that it could perform a useful function in supporting the sector. The move of responsibility for fire policy from the Home Office to MHCLG was also a recommendation of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.

However, there are still a number of challenges for the sector to overcome.

In particular the sector continues to need funding and resources to address the issues raised around remediation on both enforcement and social housing.

Crucially the fire service in particular faces challenges around the recruitment of qualified staff to undertake inspection. This goes beyond remediation work and is also an issue in building control and enforcement under the Housing Act.

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“ In particular we look forward to the funding that government announced in the Plan to enable local authorities to double enforcement activity” The new regulatory system under the Building Safety Act has yet to prove itself and the LGA is aware of a variety of issues with it that need to be addressed. We recently wrote to the Fire Minister, Alex Norris MP, jointly with London Councils raising concerns that it is unrealistic to expect regulators to agree between themselves who the lead regulator will be for every residential building over 18 metres requiring remediation on a building-by-building basis, particularly in the capital where the majority of such buildings are located. We also drew attention to the unacceptable delays to Gateway two approvals, notably around remediation work.

In addition, we continue to work with the Government to facilitate the introduction of Residential PEEPs. This is a welcome move, and one that reflects the LGA’s calls in our response to the consultation on Emergency Evacuation Information Sharing.

The LGA is alert to the implications of devolution and the role of mayors in driving forward local remediation acceleration plans, and we will continue to work across the sector responding to any changes.

We will work to ensure that the challenges for local government are understood, the resources and powers that have been promised are provided and that remediation can be delivered.

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ANDREW LEDGERTON-LYNCH OBE

Former Editor of FIRE magazine

Lessons From the Past Show Us the Way to a Brighter Future The former FIRE Editor on lessons learned over a quarter of a century.

The shadow of Grenfell looms large in every discussion on the future of fire safety, serving as a stark and unforgiving reminder of failing to learn the lessons of history. However, in my 25 years as Editor of FIRE magazine, I have had ample opportunity to review the catalogue of near misses and catastrophes that prefaced Grenfell, firing warning shots from multiple contributors on the dangers of lessons going unlearned for generations.

It didn’t start with the Summerland catastrophe on the Isle of Man in 1973 when 50 people lost their lives in a holiday centre consumed by fire, but it was a singular point in history that served as something of a precursor to just about everything that happened at Grenfell Tower. Highly combustible, inappropriate materials, combined with inadequate escape routes foreshadowed a succession of high-rise fires and near misses. More recent tragedies include the Shirley Towers fire in 2010, in which two firefighters lost their lives, where compartmentation proved inadequate, as did fire doors. Lakanal House in 2009 proved even more devastating with the loss of six lives, this time driven by external cladding and the failure of fire stopping, with further injuries and loss of life exacerbated by confusing signage.

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“ I have had ample opportunity to review the catalogue of near misses and catastrophes that prefaced Grenfell, firing warning shots from multiple contributors on the dangers of lessons going unlearned for generations.”

The roots of the Grenfell tragedy are broader and more all-encompassing than just a catalogue of disasters, though, as charted in FIRE magazine over the decades.

That is not least in successive governments’ failure to revise Building Regulations, and the damaging impact of pendulum swinging philosophies throwing out the good with the bad. That of course refers to the thrust towards deregulation and “cutting red tape”, dismantling robust prescriptive fire safety regulations. Gaps in the regulatory framework were exploited by unscrupulous manufacturers, and “systemic dishonesty” was allowed to flourish, demonstrated by the flawed cladding at Grenfell Tower.

It has been the failure of successive governments to provide appropriate oversight of fire – evidenced by the splintering of responsibility across multiple government departments – that has handicapped fire safety for decades and continues to do so.

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It is why scrutiny of government oversight is pivotal – it could be argued the most important element of fire safety provision – that is too frequently overlooked.

In a letter from the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee to Secretary of State Angela Rayner in May, this indecision in oversight is brought to the fore, described as a “lack of independent national oversight mechanism”. Whilst welcoming the government’s acceptance of the Grenfell Inquiry Phase 2 recommendations, the committee draws a conclusion of which independent scrutineers are all too aware: there are inquiry recommendations and there is no oversight to ensure those recommendations are enforced. Subsequent scrutiny goes up in a puff of smoke! The ‘Hillsborough Bill’ to monitor public inquiry recommendations across all sectors is a most welcome addition to enable appropriate scrutiny and oversight.

The committee also criticises engagement with the Grenfell community, identifying ‘discontent over poor consultation’, and emphasising the need to ensure residents have a voice. The committee also highlights ‘significant capacity shortages’ in the building control profession, and states that the call for an independent panel on building control, chaired by Dame Judith Hackitt, is imperative.

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The committee states the need for a clear demarcation between regulatory and certification roles, with the current system full of ambiguities. The appointment of a Chief Construction Adviser to develop the regulator’s remit is overdue.

“ The committee draws a conclusion of which independent scrutineers are all too aware: there are inquiry recommendations and there is no oversight to ensure those recommendations are enforced.

Subsequent scrutiny goes up in a puff of smoke! ” Equally, the Building Safety Regulator is facing challenges with ‘70 per cent of applications rejected due to poor quality’, which speaks to the systemic issues within the industry, and the need for appropriate resourcing and power to enforce standards.

The Remediation Action Plan’s aim to complete remediation by 2029 is an improvement but the committee points out funding issues for social landlords and the requirement for ‘legislative backstops’ for non-compliant building owners.’

“ The future of fire has been comprehensively mapped out, the key now is embedding lessons learned, enabling enforcement and oversight and embracing technology to ensure the fire safety ecosystem continues to evolve to meet the needs of a complex, ever-changing society.”

The committee supports the ‘imminent introduction’ of the Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans for disabled residents and this is something which is, once again, a long overdue and necessary provision.

The committee also questions the decision not to mandate sprinklers in existing care homes, surely a dangerous oversight when it comes to prioritising vulnerable residents’ safety.

The shift of responsibility for fire safety from the Home Office to MHCLG will see no panacea, but it must maintain strong oversight and implement findings from the Home Affairs Committee’s inquiry into workplace culture, the committee urges. Fire and rescue service personnel are on the frontline and a healthy, supportive workplace culture is essential.

The committee has requested a comprehensive response from government within two months. Will it lead to the structural reforms required? Will lessons learned from the Grenfell Tower tragedy and the list of other catastrophes be finally encapsulated, engrained in regulations to ensure future generations are not exposed to the inadequacies of ill-fitting legislation?

The future of fire has been comprehensively mapped out, the key now is embedding lessons learned, enabling enforcement and oversight and embracing technology to ensure the fire safety ecosystem continues to evolve to meet the needs of a complex, ever-changing society.

The future of fire safety is therefore all about hindsight, foresight and oversight.

FIRE magazine is available from: fire-magazine.co.uk

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ANDY FRANKUM

Chair, National Social Housing Fire Strategy Group

To Act Truly Intelligently, We Must Not Rely Solely on the Artificial The UK’s social housing fire lead on finding the balance between progress and humanity.

It’s been nearly thirty years since I first set foot into our fire safety sector, and it’s been a period of remarkable change, and mostly for the better.

We have seen technological developments that we couldn’t have even conceived when I first started out.

We have seen our Fire and Rescue Services become the best in the world. And, we have seen smart new laws legislate out so many of the bad practices that caused so many fire issues.

But, there is one innovation that is by far the most inspiring to those of us who seek to prevent fires from even occurring, with near-limitless potential. I talk, of course, about Artificial Intelligence.

AI has already proven to be able to extinguish fires moments after they start, but what excites me most is the growing ability to identify risk areas before they become issues. This is the real game-changer.

But, one thing is greatly concerning me with the speed that AI is being co-opted into our industry, and it is the same challenge I have seen trip our industry up time and again; how do we maintain our humanity amongst this relentless drive for progress?

“ But, there is one innovation that is by far the most inspiring to those of us who seek to prevent fires from even occurring, with near-limitless potential. I talk, of course, about Artificial Intelligence.”

To illustrate, let’s start with an AI definition of fire safety: ‘Fire safety encompasses the procedures, infrastructure, and practices implemented to reduce the risk of fire, limit its spread, and protect people and property. It includes both preventing fires from starting and managing the effects of fires that do occur. Fire risks include human deaths.’

It is a factually correct answer, but it is far from complete. For, while AI has near infinite potential to save future lives, it currently cannot truly understand the human cost at stake.

I also asked AI to crunch some numbers, and it reported more than 9,500 domestic fire deaths in the UK in the sixteen years up to the Lakanal House disaster in 2009.

It then identified there were under 3,000 in the sixteen years since – a reduction of more than 70%.

For, while AI can do things no human can, humans can do things no AI can.

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The AI data-driven models recognise these numbers as “excellent progress”, and it’s hard to dispute that.

“ But, while machine learning knows that every one of these represents someone’s loved one, it fails to comprehend what that really means. And, herein lies the real risk.”

But, while machine learning knows that every one of these represents someone’s loved one, it fails to comprehend what that really means. And, herein lies the real risk.

This provides us with the ability to think about the cumulative impact, and ensures we protect against looking too holistically at safety, and miss key details, allowing us to get to the root causation.

For, now at least, AI works best when working alongside trained professionals. It can provide skilled operators with pages of graphs and numbers, but we must ensure that we do not allow ourselves to see things as just zeros and ones, as our computers do.

We can then create an informed, joined-up strategic approach, alongside other sectors that connect to ours.

How do you react to those figures? Was your response that of a machine, or a human?

We know that we as humans learn our lessons most thoroughly when we feel something, as well as know it, and I fear the continuing rise of AI can bring a grim contemporary meaning to Stalin’s infamous quote that ‘one death is a tragedy, a million deaths are a statistic’.

Despite the ubiquity of data-led technological solutions, we must always remember that we are in the business of keeping real people safe, and when anyone loses their life in a fire it should never be seen as a statistic. It should always hit us hard, and drive us to make the world safer for everyone.

Those are the lessons that count the most, and those are the lessons that will generate the most thoughtful and effective fire safety future.

So, what needs to happen today to make that future possible?

We must start by using the human desire to do whatever is needed to save lives. This should always underpin everything we do, every day.

For example, we are experiencing a chronic housing shortage in the UK, and successive governments have promised mass home-building projects. These plans to build not only millions of homes, but also tens of thousands of accompanying buildings, from new schools, to medical centres. It’s our job to keep everyone safe, but if we don’t talk to each other, and share that critical data, then we can’t do that as well as we should be.

Therefore, I conclude that the AI revolution is a unique opportunity for our industry to not only work together better than ever before, but to also engage all kinds of other sectors, for the cumulative benefit of all.

I encourage this change across all sectors, but I strongly call for and encourage this with landlords and registered social housing providers to drive higher quality standards and do what the Building Safety Regulator is doing.

AI is giving us an opportunity to keep people safe that would have seemed like the stuff of sciencefiction in my early days in our industry. How we use it is up to us, but we must always put our humanity at the centre of our decision-making.

We then must use this motivation to identify which parts of the vast amount of data from fire incidents and deaths are actually helpful to our understanding of risks, and be open to looking at tangential data from other sectors that have the potential to impact our own.

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STEVE McGUIRK CBE

Executive Officer, Fire Sector Confederation

Jurassic AI Ethical Dilemmas Must Be Faced Head-On The FSC Executive Officer on why it’s critical to talk about the upcoming AI revolution, before it’s too late.

Last year I invoked Jurassic Park and other classic nineties’ films as allegories of the most potent issues impacting the fire sector. For this year’s sequel, I return to cinema’s most famous dinosaur island to remind us all of relevant words from Jeff Goldblum’s prescient Dr Malcolm to the park’s owner; “Your scientists spent so much time wondering if they could, they never stopped to think if they should”.

Let’s be frank, AI is not just coming, it’s here. And it’s impacting our lives more every day. And, just like every other industry, if we don’t have adult conversations about its ethical considerations now, we place our fire safety at great risk.

That’s not to say that AI is a predatory Tyrannosaurus Rex, with no place in our future. Quite the opposite, in fact. It will be a vital part of a safer tomorrow. But, there are many burning ethical issues about its most appropriate use, and it’s critical that leaders across the UK fire sector are thoughtful and deliberate in choosing how to apply AI’s vast potential.

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“ That’s not to say that AI is a predatory Tyrannosaurus Rex, with no place in our future. Quite the opposite, in fact. It will be a vital part of a safer tomorrow.”

For example, we’re seeing how AI can identify certain potential fire risks in social housing and commercial buildings more effectively than even the most talented human. This pre-emptive usage has been proven to reduce fires, as trained people can inspect the identified risk, and deal with it accordingly. This makes our nation safer, as well as the lives of our firefighters.

But, unless properly governed, the continued trend of AI reliance has the potential to create even bigger problems down the road.

If we look outside of our shores, we can see an example of this in real time. In the US, it’s estimated that ten per cent of the population either work for, or in service to, the trucking industry. That’s everyone from the drivers and mechanics, to the motel and roadside diner workers.

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However, fully-autonomous driverless trucks are now operational, and working on Texan roads.

It’s easy to see why this is attractive to shipping and haulage companies, as they don’t need to pay people to drive the trucks, and machines don’t need to sleep, so they don’t need to abide by legally mandated rest periods. It’s far quicker and cheaper to move goods thousands of miles.

But, it also means one in ten Americans will feel its real human impact. Many will lose their jobs. The ‘lucky ones’ will likely face pay cuts at a time of high cost of living. And, what happens when something malfunctions, and an accident occurs?

Is this progress? Is this the right path for us to take as a sentient species capable of thoughtful decision making?

I don’t have the answers to these questions. No one person does, or at least no one person should. But, it’s vital that we apply a collective microscope to our own sector, and understand what ethical dilemmas we will be facing over the coming years, and come to sensible conclusions together.

That’s why the Fire Sector Confederation is committed to convening leaders across our sector as frequently as possible, to work as one coherent and connected set of people, and proactively manage the role of AI in UK fire safety.

Autonomous driverless trucks in Texas

“The Fire Sector Confederation is committed to convening leaders across our sector as frequently as possible, to work as one coherent and connected set of people, and proactively manage the role of AI in UK fire safety.”

We’ll be hosting events, meetings, and any other occasions that allow us to get together for open dialogue, where we can develop a true understanding of our different perspectives, and put in place considerate guidelines to shape our future.

And, a key element that will be present at all of these talking opportunities is our belief that we as a sector embrace the desire to adapt from the status quo, and be open to working alongside incredible new technologies.

As a Chief Fire Officer for 17 years and Executive Officer of the Fire Sector Confederation I have seen first hand how dedicated the whole of the UK fire industry is to keeping people safe – from our brave Fire and Rescue Services to our brilliant innovators in the commercial sector. That’s why we are known around the world for being the absolute best in the world for fire safety.

However, if there is one thing that I’d recognise as a major area for radical improvement, it’s in our collective ability to adapt to oncoming change.

For example, this could mean firefighters taking on new responsibilities, like incorporating paramedic skills into their training.

To conclude, I head back to the movies, and to the second highest grossing film of all time, Avengers: Endgame. In the denouement, the villain, Thanos declares the coming devastation to be ‘inevitable’.

However, in our case, while AI is inevitable, as long as we start talking it does not need to become devastating.

Let’s get talking.

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SHERINE WHEELER

CEO, Fire Fighters Charity

Online Harms Pose a Serious Threat to Mental Health in the Fire Service The Fire Fighters Charity CEO on the new digital threat to the people within the fire sector.

At Fire Fighters Charity, we’re committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of the UK’s fire services community.

Many serving and retired personnel, along with their families, face unique physical, emotional, and social challenges – often without timely access to the tailored care and support needed to meet the distinct health and wellbeing demands arising from their service.

Last year, we helped over 10,000 individuals with their health and wellbeing, with our trusted information accessed more than 20,000 times. Over 1,000 people were able to look after their wellbeing and navigate to the best service for their needs when we launched our Mental Wellbeing Self-Assessment tool.

Exposure to high-stress situations, trauma and disrupted sleep are recognised risk factors for the mental health of those working in fire services and these risks persist long after service. Now we see that – as with all emergency services and indeed in local politics and elsewhere – people who are in public-facing roles or prominent in communities are increasingly being subjected to threats, abuse and harassment online. This is a very real risk to the mental health of those working in fire services.

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“ Now we see that – as with all emergency services and indeed in local politics and elsewhere – people who are in publicfacing roles or prominent in communities are increasingly being subjected to threats, abuse and harassment online.”

Receiving threats, abuse and harassment is not just distressing, it can be deeply isolating and destructive, creating long-lasting and pervasive impacts on the individual and their family. We see that people can be left questioning their competence, their capability, and even their worth – all while feeling shaken about their sense of physical safety.

These harms are being felt acutely by senior leaders and managers as individuals balancing the demands of public visibility with the responsibility of their team’s wellbeing and safety and making complex, often time-pressured decisions. The personal toll of this can be significant, yet it often goes unspoken and unsupported.

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While experiencing trolling, threats, or online abuse can be deeply damaging to mental health, individuals are often reluctant to share what they are experiencing – perhaps because they fear stigma or judgement at work, or because they do not want to worry their families. We see that people across ranks and roles have experienced this. We know that some are turning up to work masking anxiety while experiencing persistent sleeplessness and feeling they need to censor their views and opinions out of fear of retaliation. We’re increasingly hearing this from leaders who are quietly shouldering the personal and professional weight of online harm.

The impact of these harms can go largely unnoticed and the signs that someone is struggling to cope are not always dramatic or visible. Our confidential psychological care and support is essential to addressing the psychological impacts of online harms, but it is not enough on its own.

“ It is affecting more people than we realise, and the silence around it can be just as harmful. It doesn’t need saying that isolating and deeply hurtful campaigns of online harm can lead to devastating consequences.”

At Fire Fighters Charity, we are calling for the mental health risks posed by online threats, abuse and harassment to be formally and collectively spoken about and responded to across the fire services community. We are hopeful to work together to address this issue openly. It is affecting more people than we realise, and the silence around it can be just as harmful. It doesn’t need saying that isolating and deeply hurtful campaigns of online harm can lead to devastating consequences.

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“ This is about creating an environment where people feel safe to speak, where we are honest about what the impact of service really looks like and where no one feels that asking for help is letting anyone down.”

We are hopeful to work together toward shared language, clear expectations for how these experiences are acknowledged and responded to by the fire services community, even when they fall below the criminal threshold, and a culture in which asking for help is seen as a clear indicator of strength not of weakness.

The mental health toll of being targeted in this way can be one of the most challenging chapters in someone’s career; we all need to treat this with the same seriousness we would apply to a physical injury.

This is about creating an environment where people feel safe to speak, where we are honest about what the impact of service really looks like and where no one feels that asking for help is letting anyone down.

We are proud to offer our high-quality care and support when it is needed most; our help is free of charge, confidential and without judgment – always. Our Crisis Line is available 24/7 on 0300 373 0896.

Fire Fighters Charity Crisis Line: 0300 373 0896

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JOE DELANEY

Campaigner, Justice4Grenfell

Grenfell Victims Will Never Receive Justice Until Individuals Are Held To Account The Justice4Grenfell and Grenfell Action Group campaigner on why practical law changes are not enough without personal accountability.

“We are concerned here today not so much with the law as with justice. One of the difficulties for all of us, whether we be lawyers, magistrates or Ministers of the Crown, is to reconcile law and justice. If one has to go, let us be quite certain that, for the safety of the State, it must not be justice.”

The above quote was made by James Ede, MP for South Shields, during a House of Commons debate about a horrific event moments from Latimer Road tube station. But, for anyone thinking this refers to Grenfell Tower, think again.

Instead, this actually refers to a miscarriage of justice that led to an innocent man, Timothy Evans, being wrongly convicted of a 1949 murder, and sentenced to death. It was a case so appalling, it led to the abolition of capital punishment in the UK. The murder Mr Evans was so unjustly accused of took place at 10 Rillington Place – a mere 250 metres from where the remains of Grenfell Tower still stands.

And, while the two tragic incidents are separated by nearly seventy years, there are many similarities.

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“ While the people on the poverty line gave all they could, the local authority appeared to us local residents to be more focused on the PR disaster befalling its reputation than the humanitarian one that was unfolding.”

For example, in both 1949 and 2017, the goodness of our community shone through, with people coming out on the streets to help those whose lives had been so abruptly destroyed. The power of collectivism saw neighbours mix with those from further afield, drawn to the area to try to support in whatever ways they could.

On both occasions, however, while the people on the poverty line gave all they could, the local authority appeared to us local residents to be more focused on the PR disaster befalling its reputation than the humanitarian one that was unfolding.

This last observation may seem mere hyperbole to some, but is the common viewpoint from those for whom Grenfell was not a horrific news item, but simply home.

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Both incidents saw significant law changes designed to prevent similar tragedies happening in future, but a profound question links the two – what can possibly be considered justice for the victims who had everything taken from them? Who really has taken the responsibility for the calamitous series of preventable events that led to the worst UK fire tragedy in decades?

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry Report Phase One recommendations certainly set out stringent futureproofing measures that appear to be taken seriously by the Fire and Rescue Services. This is sincerely welcomed by those of us with a personal connection to Grenfell.

However, the wider fire sector appears to be less willing to embrace this once-in-a-generation chance to radically improve fire safety, by following all Phase One recommendations. We are firmly of the belief that any organisations slow to implement the recommendations must be publicly called out, where it happens, when we hope the weight of public disapproval will ensure complete adherence to these measures.

Furthermore, my desire is for better enforcement of the new and existing regulations, far greater transparency about how these regulations are determined, and full disclosure of all stages of the decision-making and decision-taking processes. This means better communication from public bodies, both local and national, openly sharing what influences any addition, amendment, or removal of regulations.

We also need far harsher punishments for those who breach them, which we feel is a significantly lacking area of recommendations thus far.

My dealings with the regeneration proposals for Grenfell Tower date back to when I moved onto Lancaster West Estate seven years before the disaster. Back then I and many other residents had real concerns about the fire safety of the council-operated buildings in the area, which were dismissed by authorities at that time. These included a power surge issue, which was thoroughly catalogued in the Grenfell Action Group blog.

I have profound regrets about not pursuing matters more, and this drives me to ensure what happened on 14 June 2017 never happens again.

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There’s a wider sociological perspective, also, that we believe can be linked to future key failings that led to so many of our friends and family dying at Grenfell.

It’s what some local authorities call ‘regeneration’, but feels more like social cleansing to those of us being displaced by newer, wealthier residents.

Of course we need progression in our communities, but there has to be a better way of improving the lives of residents than systematically pushing out people that have lived in an area for generations because they can’t afford to live there any more. I believe that many of the mistakes and oversights that allowed a residential tower to become a disaster waiting to happen can be traced back to local government decisions that prioritised the wealthy and punished the poor.

We can’t turn back the clock, but we can – no, we must – learn all the lessons from Grenfell, and these extend far past practical building safety protocols. They are intrinsic to how we serve our communities and how we care for people.

This is why transparency, accountability, and culpability are all I ask for. Long before Timothy Evans’s fate was sealed in 1950, and 72 people died so horrifically in Grenfell Tower, personal accountability too often remains non-existent for the leaders and decision-makers whose risky decisions so profoundly affect the lives of others.

As the next phase of recommendations beckons, we welcome the practical changes that create a safer future. But knowing the truth of wrongdoing is not the same as knowing someone was held accountable for that wrongdoing.

The burden of proof to convict corporate management of manslaughter is higher than that of the UK criminal court, and requires demonstrating a person was deliberately negligent, whereas an individual can be convicted of ‘joint enterprise’ if simply found to be part of a situation by being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Without legislation that finds individuals guilty of mismanagement, we will not even come close to providing the justice deserved by those souls taken from us, who cannot demand it themselves.

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PROFESSOR SABINE HAUERT

Professor of Swarm Engineering, University of Bristol

Swarm Engineering Promises An Ethically-Sound Robotics Revolution The AI Innovator, Professor Sabine Hauert, on the rising role of autonomous robots to transform fire safety around the world.

As ethical dilemmas swirl around the use of AI in driverless cars and trucks, risking the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people around the world, there has been less moral debate in sending humanless machines into highly dangerous environments.

This is understandable, and we have seen this deployed through a range of military uses for some time now.

However, the global fire sector has been somewhat slower to embrace this technological advancement that promises to deliver more effective firefighting, with radically less personal risk to firefighters.

But, after successful trials over the past year, we are at a stage where this concept is ready to step off the pages of science fiction, and become a life-saving reality for our immediate future. And the future of firefighting is swarm engineering.

For the uninitiated, swarm engineering is effectively teaching a group of machines to work in tandem, to complete a task. Imagine a flock of birds or colony of ants working independently, but as a team. And crucially, like birds or ants, in-built AI provides the ability for these machines to adapt in their approach if conditions alter.

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“ I have had the fortune to apply this technology to multiple industries.

However, it’s our pioneering work with Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, alongside the University of Sheffield, and Windracers that I think is the most transformative example” As a professor in this discipline at the University of Bristol, I have had the fortune to apply this technology to multiple industries. However, it’s our pioneering work with Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, alongside the University of Sheffield, and Windracers that I think is the most transformative example I’ve seen of its potential scale and service to the human race.

In summary, swarm engineering now has the potential to coordinate large numbers of flying robots to monitor and mitigate wildfire before they grow out of control.

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In swarms, robots react to their local environment (including sensing fires, other robots, and optimal take-off and landing sites) to coordinate in a distributed way using onboard intelligence, leading to systems that can easily scale up or down in numbers of robots and adapt to changes in a resilient way. This makes them ideal for deployment in challenging real-world situations.

“ These aircraft could cover huge areas the size of California during the high-risk season to detect fires while they are still small, and then coordinate to extinguish the fires.”

Over the past five years, our collaborative team has been trialling a new swarm of ULTRA aircraft by Windracers that can travel large distances – up to one thousand kilometres – while carrying one hundred kilograms of extinguishing payloads.

We’ve demonstrated in simulation that dozens of these aircraft could cover huge areas the size of California during the high-risk season to detect fires while they are still small, and then coordinate to extinguish the fires.

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Our real-world tests have shown the smaller numbers of robots operating as a swarm, automatically detecting a controlled fire using AI and onboard cameras, and extinguishing it using a payload of water balloons dropped from a self-flying cargo aircraft.

We’re now competing against thirty teams around the world as part of the global XPRIZE competition to find and mitigate wildfires in under ten minutes. It’s still early days using this technology, but now’s the time to be pushing the frontier of what is possible with swarming, AI, and the latest in avionics to fight wildfires.

These systems, however, will only be useful if they can be trusted.

We've spoken to over fifty firefighters from around the world to understand how current drone operators in firefighting services could become swarm operators in the future, and how best to design interfaces so they can monitor and control the swarm.

It was reassuring to see how open they were to the technology. For them, it was important to provide live feeds of the fire once detected, so the firefighters could use their expertise to direct the swarm to tackle the fire with the best strategy.

“ Beyond catching small fires early, we are now also simulating swarms of smaller robots that operate in huge numbers – it can be thousands – to deliver highprecision extinguishing payloads in parallel over large out-of-control fires.”

Beyond the human element, we’re exploring how to specify, verify and validate swarm behaviours to make sure they operate as expected and are safe.

We also recently wrote an article with Alan Winfield, Professor of Robot Ethics, providing an ethical framework for the deployment of swarms, including for firefighting, in real-world applications with special consideration to individual, societal, and environmental risk. This allows us to consider important elements of safety and privacy, while also unlocking environmental gains by offsetting emissions caused by large wildfires.

Whether we focus on large or small aircraft, early detection or large fires, the regulatory environment remains a bottleneck to deploying these systems in reality, and trials take a lot of resources and time. As part of the recent UK Smart Machines 2035 strategy, there is a push to improve our ability to innovate and adopt robotics technologies across sectors in the UK by making it easy to test and validate in relevant environments.

And the uses of robots in firefighting go well beyond detection and mitigation to include information gathering, guiding people to exits, or entering dangerous environments to provide support.

It's an important time to be working on autonomous technology to monitor and mitigate fires. But, this can only be part of the solution, and more concerted effort is needed to bring together stakeholders with expertise in policy, prevention, firefighting, societal considerations and technology.

Beyond catching small fires early, we are now also simulating swarms of smaller robots that operate in huge numbers – it can be thousands – to deliver high-precision extinguishing payloads in parallel over large out-of-control fires. For this, we’re simulating real-world data of existing fires that have been recorded over the years across the world, including the most recent fires in California.

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PHIL GARRIGAN OBE

Chair, National Fire Chiefs Council

Creating the Game Plan for the Future of Fire Safety The NFCC Chair on why the wider fire sector must make the right choices at this critical crossroads.

There’s something nostalgically bittersweet about the feeling of a grand old institution moving from one storied chapter to its next.

In fact, the word nostalgia derives from the Latin for ‘homecoming’ and ‘pain’, and those who have waved a child off as they fly the nest will understand the accuracy of that potent combination.

It’s a sensation I experienced as a lifelong Everton Football Club fan this past season, as every game represented one step closer to the men’s team leaving its century-old home of Goodison Park for a state-ofthe-art new stadium in the Bramley-Moore Dock.

For Goodison wasn’t just some bricks and mortar around a grass rectangle. For 132 years, that gloriously unique ground was the stage for the joys and miseries of generations of Blues – albeit more of the latter in recent decades.

It may be crumbling in places, lacking the finesse of sports venues in 2025, but it’s a monument to the heart and soul of a real community, and to leave it behind represents real risk.

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On the one hand, it’s an opportunity to join the elite, and provide a platform to become a major player once again. It opens up massive new revenue streams, with more than 13,000 additional Evertonians able to attend matches, and provides the club with the chance to be seen as relevant by a global audience of Premier League fans. It’s a game-changer, literally.

But, on the other hand, it’s taking what the club means to fans, and hoping this meaning can be transplanted into this bold new vision. In some ways it’s both evolution and revolution at the same time, and that’s not an easy thing to manage.

I share this, as I believe we are at a similarly transformative moment for another historic pillar of our society – the UK’s beloved, and critically important, fire and rescue services.

Since the world’s first organised municipal fire brigade was established in Edinburgh in 1824, brave men and women have kept the nation safe from the devastating dangers of fire, and now, 201 years later, we find ourselves at a crucial crossroads. We can continue our existing path, arguably one determined by disinvestment, or we can collectively choose a better, different future.

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We can choose a future where we create safer spaces in every sense, for our working personnel and the public we serve.

We can choose a future where technology works in tandem with firefighters and the wider fire safety sector, keeping all parts of the fire safety chain connected.

We can choose a future where knowledge is centrally coordinated, and the very best techniques are taught to firefighters by the very best trainers.

But this brighter tomorrow doesn’t come without risk.

Anyone who has worked in our fire and rescue services will attest to what it means to be part of a team that has one vitally important mission – to save lives. It’s an incredibly powerful bonding experience, where both your colleagues, your service number and the badge on your uniform imprint themselves on your heart.

“ Anyone who has worked in our fire and rescue services will attest to what it means to be part of a team that has one vitally important mission – to save lives.”

We need to drive reform, improvement and consistency – we need to secure the funding to deliver this ambition at pace and be steadfast in securing the best possible model to achieve it – in a financially turbulent and changing world.

Interestingly, when I joined over three decades ago, I joined Merseyside Fire and Civil Defence Authority, who knew we may be revisiting that principle 35 years on.

To remain content with the status quo is simply not good enough for our fire and rescue service.

That means making tough decisions sometimes, exploring reforms in a changing world, both in service delivery and, as importantly within the infrastructure that underpins the sector’s ability to think strategically and apply it consistently.

At NFCC, we have begun to ask ourselves uncomfortable questions in respect of the inconsistencies we see. Having different approaches to the same things makes no sense – neither in most cases is it efficient or effective.

This is, of course, one of the best things about the job.

But it also carries with it an emotional weight that can significantly affect our decision-making when analysing what is the best future direction. Can we, like I hope Everton FC discovers, make the move to a better new place, whilst maintaining that critical essence you only get from being part of a life-saving team?

Logic states that on most occasions there should be one universal way to deal effectively with an issue (recognising that this has its risks too – complacency), a single way of combating our modern firefighting challenges, a single procedure which mitigates risk and improves public safety – but in reality, we have some FRSs that are learning faster.

I think so for one reason – we have a clear North Star, which guides us. And I believe it is the same driving force behind everyone who works in any part of the UK’s fire safety sector – namely, to do whatever we can to keep people safe, not just from fire but from everything that has the potential to cost lives.

I accept that this is often due to the limitations in funding and competing demands across public service provision, but we need to offset this, maximising our collective power to tackle the challenges of a modernday fire and rescue service. We also need to do this in a more inclusive and consultative manner, a point I am sure the wider sector and our representative bodies would agree with.

Our work through the pandemic is a real example of the incredible support we can provide to our communities when they are in need.

The relevance of our fire and rescue service depends on its ability to evolve to reflect the changing risks we face. We need to be adaptable, resilient and insightful.

To do the right thing, for our communities when they need us most – a point I will return to shortly.

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Lack of investment in the central functions of the fire and rescue service, no investment in research, no capital investment and a lack of government vision are undoubtedly some of the reasons for that inconsistency, but services need to recognise their responsibilities too and so does the National Fire Chiefs Council I lead.

Returning to the footballing analogy, I am confident we can do something about it by further enhancing the work done by my brilliant NFCC team, building on the strong foundations already laid (Liverpool FC seem to have done all right in this regard). We can also act on the Grenfell Tower Phase 2 recommendations by furthering the creation of a centralised College of Fire — one that becomes the world leader in fire research and sector improvement. This is a bit like Everton’s move to a new stadium, you could argue.

This represents real strategic progress based on ambition, but of course both need money to varying degrees, and to be informed by the sector’s needs.

Change is good, but only when the case for change is established – consistency and effectiveness are two good places to start.

Whatever the final outcome, the central functions of the fire and rescue service should be managed by the finest minds, people who can identify the absolute best strategies, techniques, and equipment available today, and in anticipation of our future.

We could then ensure that the public needs are surpassed, and our firefighters are equipped for the future.

That’s not to mention the levels of cost-savings we could gain through the collaborative approaches in research, policy development and procurement.

To do this takes some significant restructuring of people, organisations, and budgets, which is both difficult and places our special connection at risk.

However, it ultimately delivers against our collective purpose, our North Star, and I believe can be done in a careful way that avoids diminishing what the fire and rescue service means to us all, and in fact enhances it.

After all, we all want what’s best for the public, and, by association, our people.

This joined-up way of thinking was a key element of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 Report recommendations, and it has been a source of great positivity that our fire sector has taken these so seriously, as I knew we would.

It is clear that the sector’s response to the Phase 2 report will be equally focussed upon fast learning, progressive thinking, and collaboration between all parts of the fire safety system. Communication across organisational boundaries is crucial here and I know we will all continue to treat this with the most extreme diligence and dedication.

There is a reason that the UK is admired around the world for its quality of fire safety, and we should be proud of this. But that reputation is hard won and easily lost. We need to act now, reinvest, and share a vision for the wider sector, which reflects the ambitions of our fire and rescue service and, importantly, meets the needs of our communities now and into an uncertain future.

Next year (2026), we are honoured to host the World Fire Congress, where over eighty countries will travel to the UK to share best practices across all disciplines of fire safety.

It will be with Jennie Logan and Martyn Sadler in mind, alongside every other firefighter who lost their life while saving another’s, that we will undertake this work, seeking to find global solutions to the risks our firefighters and our communities face, sharing our ideas, innovation and our passion with the world.

Everton Football Club’s motto is ‘Nil Satis Nisi Optimum’, meaning ‘nothing but the best is good enough’. I cannot think of a more fitting phrase to describe our next chapter of UK fire safety, and look forward to working towards this with our friends from across the wider fire sector.

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DR SAM COLLIER

Policy and Research Manager, Aico

Awaab’s Law Should Motivate Us All to Act Before Tragedy Forces Change The Aico Policy and Research Manager on why Awaab’s Law must spark lasting change, not just reactionary reform.

There’s a frequent question asked by those of us who work every day in the business of keeping people safe; why does it so often take a tragedy to create the biggest societal improvements?

It’s an important thing to ask, as it implies that we as a society often need the harshest lessons to understand the frailty of our existence.

On a more hopeful level, it also suggests that our human empathy is strongest at times of adversity, inspiring a collective desire to prevent others from enduring the same suffering.

This psychological phenomenon is known as PostTraumatic Growth. This is the process experienced by both communities and individuals in the wake of devastating events, as they seek to learn from the awful incident, and create positive, better futures.

We can see examples of it throughout our history.

For example, the devastation of British cities during The Blitz highlighted deep social inequalities and the need for better public services. This directly led to the founding in 1948 of the National Health Service, offering free healthcare at the point of use, transforming our society.

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“ This psychological phenomenon is known as Post-Traumatic Growth.

This is the process experienced by both communities and individuals in the wake of devastating events” Likewise, in 1966 the Welsh mining town of Aberfan was devastated when a coal spoil tip caused the tragic deaths of 144 people, mostly children. The shock of this inspired major changes in health and safety regulations, and the restructuring of how coal tips were managed. It also increased public awareness of industrial negligence.

And, on October 27th this year something important is set to happen, which contemporarily illustrates this responsive move to improve safety: the introduction of Awaab’s Law. Awaab Ishak lived in social housing in Rochdale, and was just two years old when he tragically died on 21 December 2020 from a severe respiratory condition, caused by prolonged exposure to black mould in his home, due to (preventable) inadequate ventilation.

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Awaab’s family had repeatedly reported the damp and mould since 2017, but little action was taken.

The coroner’s inquest concluded that the poor living conditions directly led to his death, sparking widespread public outrage and calls for reform.

Subsequently, from October 2025, Awaab’s Law will legally require social landlords in England and Wales to investigate and complete any emergency repairs, including those involving damp and mould, within 24 hours of notification under Section 10A of the Landlord & Tenant Act 1985.

“ These changes are part of a broader shift toward enforceable standards in housing safety. Alongside Awaab’s Law, the government is also updating the Decent Homes Standard” Social landlords must follow clear new timelines under Awaab’s Law. Once implemented, they’ll have ten working days to investigate reported health or safety hazards such as damp or mould, provide a written report within three working days of the investigation’s conclusion, and then commence repairs within five working days of issuing that report if a significant hazard is found. Full repair completion is required within a reasonable timeframe.

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Any emergency hazards must be addressed within 24 hours, and if necessary, tenants should be rehoused while repairs are undertaken.

Beyond 2025, the law’s scope is expected to expand, to cover additional hazards such as excess cold or heat, structural issues, fire and electrical risks and hygiene issues. By 2027 it will encompass the remaining dangers listed in the HHSRS (excluding overcrowding).

The government has also signalled an intent to extend Awaab’s Law to the private rental sector as part of the forthcoming Renters’ Rights Bill. In parallel, the Scottish Government has announced plans to introduce its own version of Awaab’s Law and it appears as though Wales will follow suit, recognising the need for stronger housing safety standards across the UK. These changes are part of a broader shift toward enforceable standards in housing safety. Alongside Awaab’s Law, the government is also updating the Decent Homes Standard for the first time since 2006, to apply across all rented accommodation, including the private sector. This revised standard is intended to work in tandem with Awaab’s Law and the updated HHSRS, ensuring that tenants in both social and private housing benefit from clearly defined, enforceable minimum standards for homes.

In short, Awaab’s Law has the potential to transform home safety across the UK, but only if it is implemented successfully. There remains a real risk that overstretched landlords may struggle to meet the new obligations without adequate support and resourcing.

This is of course a positive direction, but it should not take such a devastating event for change to happen.

And that, I believe, is why technology has such a critical role to play in making our homes safer.

Most tragic accidents involve some element of human error. When safety relies solely on people, there’s always the risk that something will be missed. No individual, however skilled or well-intentioned, can anticipate everything.

The growing use of data and AI across all industries represents almost unlimited opportunities for us to reduce, or even eliminate, this risk of human error, and create a new, better landscape of pre-emptive risk profiling, rather than the reactive approach that led to these tragic events.

For example, we can now provide social housing managers with sensors and dashboards that monitor the air quality of their housing stock, and proactively identify those homes at risk of damp, mould and other issues. This allows for early intervention, long before conditions become harmful.

“ In short, Awaab’s Law has the potential to transform home safety across the UK” Similar technologies can enhance fire compliance, as well as monitor public buildings, such as schools, where poor air quality has been shown to hinder brain development and cause lasting health issues.

This technology isn’t replacing people, but empowering them to be able to do their jobs better than ever before, and make vast improvements that save and better lives, preventing harm before it occurs. And this is just the start. As technology and AI continue to evolve and understanding develops, so too will our ability to detect risks, predict hazards, and prevent future tragedies.

As with any innovation, this raises important ethical considerations, especially when renters may feel uncomfortable by their landlord monitoring the home environment. That’s why it’s essential to engage all stakeholders, maintain full transparency with tenants, and implement these technologies collaboratively, while ensuring responsible data use and governance.

As we continue working towards a safer future, we must always remember Awaab and the lives lost in Aberfan, and all those whose lives were cut short by preventable harm. Their memory should drive us not only to act, but to act early.

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AFTERWORD

In Conclusion —— This anthology has showcased the depth of expertise, innovation, and ambition that defines the UK’s fire sector today. The ideas shared here reflect a sector that is not only responding to change—but helping to lead it, both at home and internationally.

And this year, it arrives in the context of a significant shift in how we approach fire safety within government. The recent Machinery of Government change, which moved responsibility for fire and rescue policy from the Home Office to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, is more than a structural shift. It represents a fresh opportunity to rethink how fire safety is delivered across the built environment. By bringing fire policy closer to housing, planning, and building safety, we can take a more holistic approach—embedding safety from design through to delivery and long-term planning.

This change also underpins our wider programme of reform. We are focused on strengthening strategic direction, modernising governance, and supporting leadership and professional development.

But we know that lasting change doesn’t come from government alone. It must be shaped by those with deep, practical experience—people who understand the realities on the ground and are already driving innovation across the sector.

Alex Norris MP Minister for Building Safety, Fire and Local Growth

“ By bringing fire policy closer to housing, planning, and building safety, we can take a more holistic approach—embedding safety from design through to delivery and long-term planning.”

That’s why collections like this are so valuable.

I want to thank the Fire Industry Association for bringing together such a rich and diverse set of perspectives.

Your contributions will help inform the next phase of reform and ensure the UK continues to lead the way in fire safety—through innovation, professionalism, and a shared commitment to protecting lives.

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The Fire Industry Association is the UK’s leading authority on the most effective solutions for today’s and tomorrow’s fire safety challenges.

For complimentary advice about the future of fire please get in touch.

Visit us at: fia.uk.com Email us at: info@fia.uk.com