Fire and Rescue Service Culture Under Scrutiny by NFCC
In recent weeks, the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has emphasised efforts to improve the culture within the UK's fire and rescue services (FRS).
Addressing issues related to the FRS culture, the NFCC stated: "Misogyny and all forms of hateful and derogatory language are entirely unacceptable and have no place in UK fire and rescue services.
"Our top priority is to address poor culture wherever it exists and ensure that our sector is a safe and welcoming place for everyone to work. While significant steps have been taken to address poor behaviour, progress across the sector is not happening quickly enough. We recognise that those who bravely speak out do so not just for justice but also for change, ensuring others do not endure the same behaviour.
"Following recent allegations reported in the media, it is right that our sector is subject to public scrutiny. The NFCC remains committed to improving the culture of our fire and rescue services and offers unequivocal support to those who have been courageous enough to speak out."
This statement came after ITV revealed that the chief and assistant chief fire officers of Shropshire Fire and Rescue shared derogatory messages about female colleagues.
In response, the NFCC launched three new equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) toolkits on 29 April 2024 as part of their commitment to embedding EDI across the fire sector. These toolkits, part of the People, Culture, and Leadership programme, cover supporting disabled colleagues, menopause awareness, and religion and belief in the workplace. They aim to assist in delivering the NFCC Culture Action Plan and provide guidance to remove barriers preventing people from thriving in the workplace.
NFCC EDI Lead Kathryn Billing stated, "We are grateful for the support of experts in the sector who contributed to the development of these toolkits and everyone who responded to consultations that helped refine and expand them. I encourage everyone at every level in the fire and rescue service to use the toolkits and the full suite of EDI resources to embed the values of inclusion and equality in their service. We recognise now more than ever that culture change must happen quickly, and these tools highlight good practices to support this transformation."
The NFCC also recently published an update on the progress of its Culture Action Plan, highlighting significant steps needed while detailing positive impacts in the sector. Over the past year, NFCC representatives have presented evidence on their cultural work to the Home Affairs Select Committee and the Welsh Senedd's Equalities and Social Justice Committee. The NFCC has collaborated closely with HMICFRS to support ongoing inspections, as well as with national employers and trade unions. Although the NFCC cannot mandate specific actions by fire and rescue services, HMICFRS has noted the adoption of NFCC tools and guidance as evidence of positive practice implementation.
NFCC Chair Mark Hardingham commented on the update:
"Tackling poor culture remains the number one priority for the NFCC. We have taken, and continue to take, concrete steps to root out poor behaviour, and we are beginning to see the impact this is having in the sector. However, we are under no illusions about how far we still must go. We have witnessed, often firsthand, the disillusionment many people feel when progress is too slow or inconsistent across the sector. At the NFCC, we accept without caveat that good culture relies on good leadership. While there has been significant activity across fire and rescue services focused on improving culture, our message today is that much more remains to be done."