Minutes:
One year commemoration of the Russian /Ukrainian war. Today marks the anniversary of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. A national one minute silence will be held at 11 am to show our solidarity with and support for the Ukraine.
Firefighter Barry Martin. Firefighter Barry Martin of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service was seriously injured whilst fighting a large-scale fire with colleagues in a building in Edinburgh, sadly passed away on Friday 27 January as a result of his injuries. The Chair, Vice-Chair, and Chief Fire Officer joined Fire Service colleagues at headquarters and across Fire and Rescue Services nationally, in observing a one minute’s silence in his memory on Monday 13th of February 2023. The thoughts of the Service and Authority are with his family, friends and colleagues.
Pay offer. Central government has presented a revised pay offer for the grey book establishment of a 7% pay increase for 2022/23, and a further 5% increase effective from July of this year. The FBU has recommended acceptance but are now balloting their members. It‘s decision is anticipated by 6 March 2023.
The Chair took part in negotiations and requested it be noted that credit was due to both sides in negotiating and reaching a compromise and a sensible way forward. It is hoped that this example, and the importance of discussion will be a catalyst for similar issues across the country.
The Firefighter’s Charity. In 2022 alone, Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service raised over £111,000 for the Firefighter’s Charity, from a range of fundraising events and activities. This included the climb of Mount Toubkal where a team of female firefighters raised over £12,000, and a donation of £1,000 by former Chief Fire Officer John Buckley. The Chair congratulated all fund raising colleagues for their excellent work.
His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS). Uche Ihiekwe, the new Service Liaison Lead, visited the Service on 7 February, ahead of the next inspection which is anticipated in the autumn of 2023, and was briefed on current delivery activity, including Futures 2025 and the Fire Cover Review. The Service has made huge progress since the initial inspection and the Chair requested that his thanks to everyone involved in this achievement are recorded.
Recent serious incidents. Since the last Fire Authority meeting, firefighters have attended serious incidents, including one in Mansfield in which a woman in her 50s died, and another in Sutton in Ashfield, in which a man in his 80s perished. The Service has engaged with affected communities and is supporting the welfare of firefighters who attended the incidents.
The last full Authority meeting before local elections. The Chair thanked all members of the Authority, regardless of political persuasion, for the good work, which has evidently been carried out in good faith and for the benefits of the Service and the citizens they represent. Councillor Dave Trimble and Councillor Nicola Heaton, were specifically thanked for their service to the Authority and their local authority, as they were not standing again for election
Later in the meeting, prior to exclusion of the public, Councillor Dave Trimble commented that whilst he had been a Councillor for many years, he had only fairly recently joined the Fire and Rescue Authority but recognised the high level of passion for the Service and commitment to citizens that shines through across the board by Fire and Rescue Authority members, the Service staff, and the Trades Unions, and acknowledged this as truly fantastic, first class and achieving great work.
With regard to the ferocious fire in Edinburgh in which firefighter Barry Martin was seriously injured and died as a result, Councillor John Clarke MBE requested that a breakdown of the incident is presented to members, not necessarily in a formal context, as there was serious concern that the building in question and its contents appear not to have been appropriately managed, and provided a very hazardous environment in which to fight a fire. It is suggested that once further information is received consideration be given to lobbying for legislation to require the controlled management of vacant properties, including building and storage sites. It is not reasonable that the lives and safety of firefighters are potentially put at risk by unnecessary fire hazards. It is important that lessons are learned as a result of this tragic incident.