Fire Brigades Union general secretary Steve Wright has welcomed Labour conference backing for the recruitment of 5,000 firefighters and nationally recognised wildfire training.
The vote gives the union’s campaign renewed support within the party following a summer that sharpened concerns about the fire service’s ability to respond to wildfires and other emergencies.
Wright said firefighters were central to the country’s safety and that Britain needed to be better prepared for wildfires, floods and other risks. The union is also seeking investment in suitable protective equipment.
The conference decision is party backing for the FBU’s demands, not a government funding announcement or a confirmed recruitment programme. Wright said the union would now press ministers to put firefighter staffing and resilience at the centre of their plans.
