Agenda item

To receive the Chairman’s announcements (if any).

The Chairman announced that:

Doug Buchanan was attending his first meeting of the Authority since his appointment into the role of Area Commander Protection, Assurance and Development in September 2023. Doug joins from Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service, where he was Head of Response and Resilience. 

Today the Prince of Wales is visiting the Blue Light Hub to highlight the importance of supporting the mental health of emergency responders during the week of World Mental Health Day. The Prince will meet with a group of young people who have recently joined the emergency services. His Royal Highness will hear first-hand from those in the early stages of their careers about the challenges they face. The conversation will be focussed on the vital importance of equipping those working in the emergency services with the skills to help protect their mental health and build their resilience, and will be joined by broadcaster, journalist and psychologist Dr Sian Williams. Supporting the mental health of this community is a cause close to the heart of The Prince of Wales, as he saw first-hand the challenges emergency responders face on a daily basis whilst serving as a pilot with RAF search and rescue and East Anglian Air Ambulance.

Seven Apprentice Firefighters commenced on 29 August and a further eighteen started on 27 September.  This brings the operational establishment to 314, the first time it has been at this level for ten years. The recruitment campaign for eighteen Apprentice Firefighters is open until 5 November to  allow for a more targeted campaign and increased lead time for applications to be submitted. Successful applicants would start in late May 2024.

The service advertised for Crew Commander and Watch Commander transferees and invited three Crew Commanders to the Organisational Development Selection process on 2 October and a Watch Commander to the process on 5 October.

Members will have seen in the news reports that Luton Airport was closed overnight due to a significant fire in one of the short stay multi-story carparks.  Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service received calls to a fire involving a car on level three of the multi-storey car park at 8.47pm.

It is believed that the fire started in a vehicle that would have arrived shortly before this time, which rapidly spread to other vehicles and the building, in all affecting over 1200 vehicles and causing significant structural collapse of the car park.

Just after 10pm last night, Thames Valley Fire Control were contacted by Bedfordshire Fire & Rescue Service Control, requesting Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service (BFRS) resources to assist with this declared major incident.

An Aerial appliance supported by a Rescue pump was mobilised from West Ashland and remained on scene for a number of hours, until relieved by the Aerial Appliance from High Wycombe and Rescue Pump from Amersham.  Officers from BFRS were also mobilised to support BFRS resources.

BFRS resources were stood down at around 4am this morning.

At its peak there were 15 Rescue pumps, three aerial appliances and over 100 firefighters on scene at this incident.  Resources from Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire, and London Fire Brigade, along with Bedfordshire Police and East of England Ambulance all supported this incident.  Bedfordshire FRS will remain in attendance for a significant amount of time, BFRS will continue to support if further requests are received.

Reports state that a number of firefighters were treated for smoke inhalation, but all have thankfully been released from hospital (no one from BFRS treated).

Another great example of cross border working, where BFRS had supported over the border colleagues.

(Councillor Christensen joined the meeting)