London Fire Brigade put in special measures after ‘discrimination and bullying’ exposed
14 December 2022, 10:26 | Updated: 14 December 2022, 11:01
The London Fire Brigade has been placed into special measures after a report found the service was ‘racist and misogynistic.’
The brigade has been moved into ‘advanced monitoring’ by His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Fire & Rescue Services.
It comes after concerns over "unacceptable behaviour" including discrimination and bullying.
His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services said LFB will now face a so-called "enhanced level of monitoring" by inspectors.
The London Ambulance Service is now the only one of the three key emergency services in London not in special measures.
In an independent report last month, incidents of misogyny, racism and bullying were exposed in the London Fire Brigade.
The review published last month found the fire service has "dangerous levels of ingrained prejudice against women" while colleagues from minority backgrounds are "frequently the target of racist abuse".
The shock report by Nazir Afzal, former chief prosecutor, found female firefighters had been groped, beaten and their helmets filled with urine.
Some male firefighters who visited women’s homes for safety visits went through drawers looking for underwear and sex toys, a female firefighter told the report.
In one incident logged in the report, a black firefighter had a noose put over his locker and in another, a Muslim had bacon and sausages stuffed in his pockets and a terrorist hotline sign posted on his locker.
After the move into special measures, London Fire Commissioner Andy Roe said: "I recognised that LFB's culture needed to improve which is why I commissioned the Independent Culture Review and took immediate actions when it was published last month.
"Our external complaints service is supporting colleagues and a zero-tolerance approach to discrimination, harassment and bullying means all staff know what behaviours aren't tolerated.
“Change is happening now and from the face to face meetings I've been having with firefighters and other staff shows there is a passion to make sure our culture works for everyone.
"We welcome the additional support as part of the Inspectorate's enhanced monitoring programme and I look forward to working with them and other partners to monitor progress and change in the future."
Susan Hall AM, leader of the GLA Conservatives, who sits on the London Assembly panel which holds LFB to account, said: “It is unacceptable that on Sadiq Khan's watch, both the Met Police and now the London Fire Brigade have been put into special measures.
"A culture of abusive and appalling behaviour should not have been allowed to grow unchallenged in both of these organisations, and it is time that the Mayor stopped sitting on the sidelines and took action to stop it.
“Like all Londoners, I was shocked and saddened by the findings of Nazir Afzal’s review and the horrific cases of misogyny, racism and bullying that it uncovered.
"Sadiq Khan must take responsibility and reform the London Fire Brigade to ensure this behaviour is rooted out completely.”
