Staff shortages mean one in six London fire engines are 'out of service', union claims

Staff shortages mean one in six of London's fire engines are out of service, a union claims.

Figures released by the Fire Brigades Union reveal 23 engines were out of action each day in July out of London's fleet of 142. London’s only fireboat has also been unavailable 13 times this month.

Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union general secretary said: "One year on from the devastation of last summer’s wildfires, cuts are still leaving the fire service unprepared.

"This is putting lives and homes at risk. Londoners should be furious that in the capital city of one of the richest countries in the world, firefighter numbers have been cut so badly that more than 20 fire engines are sitting idle every day.

"This is a disaster waiting to happen again. "As we continue to face the impact of the climate emergency, we will continue to face an increasing number of wildfires and extreme weather events.

"We need a UK-wide wildfire strategy, but above all we need proper investment and funding for the fire service. Building resilience starts with having enough firefighters on the frontline."

London Fire Brigade has disputed the figures saying between 1 July and 19 July, 16 fire engines out of 142 out of action - equating to around 1 in 9.

LFB Deputy Commissioner Dom Ellis said: "We’re increasing recruitment to get more trainee and transferee firefighters through the door, so that we can have as many of our appliances on the run as possible.

"We are also using strategic forecasting of risk to match our resources to demand. Our control officers continue to mobilise firefighters to emergency calls every day to ensure London is covered and respond to emergencies ."

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...