National Update - Summer 2026
FRSA Summer 2026 Member Update
This has been an incredibly busy summer for all of us. From fighting wildfires to successfully challenging proposals to close On-Call fire stations, to engaging directly with national government on the future role of firefighters, we continue to ensure that our members have a strong voice in decisions affecting the fire and rescue service.
Wildfires – Investment Needed Now!
The increasing number and severity of wildfires across the UK has shocked everyone. Our members have been at the forefront of the front-line response.
Climate change means hotter and drier conditions are making these incidents become increasingly frequent, complex and prolonged. Firefighters are often operating for extended periods in difficult terrain and extremely demanding conditions.
The FRSA has called for greater investment in specialist wildfire equipment, firefighter training, resilience and sufficient staffing levels.
Reducing firefighter numbers while operational demands are increasing is the wrong direction of travel. Prolonged wildfire incidents require sufficient personnel to rotate crews, manage fatigue and maintain emergency cover elsewhere. For the On-Call longer and more frequent incidents mean greater periods away from primary employment, placing additional pressure on the employers whose support enables many firefighters to respond.
Concern has been expressed at the fall in numbers of On-Call firefighters. There is no doubt that the On-Call Duty System has been neglected over many years by both central and local government. This must change and we will continue to press for better terms and conditions and pro-active recruitment campaigns by fire authorities.
The risks are changing. The funding, equipment and workforce available to firefighters must change with them.
Protecting On-Call Fire Stations
This summer saw important successes in Kent and separately, Dorset & Wiltshire, where proposals threatening On-Call fire stations were stopped.
In Kent, proposals would have closed four On-Call fire stations and removed four On-Call appliances. Our officials in Kent worked with firefighters, elected members and other stakeholders to challenge the proposals and highlight the implications for public safety, operational resilience and firefighter welfare.
In Dorset and Wiltshire, the Chief Fire Officer put forward plans to close eight On-Call stations, claiming he needed to make a saving of £1.2m pa. Through our lobbying of local elected members, MPs and the fire minister plus support from the general public, the plans were placed on hold while alternative routes were explored to source the required savings, raising questions as to why this hadn’t taken place beforehand.
We believe these outcomes send an important message.
Where there are challenges with recruitment, retention or appliance availability, the answer should be investment, leadership and effective workforce planning not the managed decline of the On-Call Duty System.
We will continue to not only defend this vital part of the UK’s emergency response capability but seek its expansion.
Shaping the Future Role of Firefighters
The Association has also been engaging directly in England with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government as it considers the future role of firefighters and Fire and Rescue Services in Civil Protection, Civil Resilience and Community Preparedness.
A formal public consultation is planned for Spring 2027, with discussions taking place now to help shape the Government’s proposals.
The work includes consideration of how the role of firefighters should evolve and expand, and the implications for the workforce including the On-Call Duty System as well as capability, governance and funding.
The FRSA has also been involved in discussions concerning Marauding Terrorist Attacks and the wider contribution firefighters could make to national resilience.
Our position is straightforward: if Government expects firefighters to do more, the resources will have to follow.
Any expansion of the firefighter role must be supported by sufficient staffing, appropriate training, equipment, funding and proper consideration of pay and conditions. It must also not undermine the Service’s existing prevention, protection and emergency response responsibilities.
We will continue to ensure that the experience of our members and particularly On-Call firefighters is represented as these proposals develop.
Firefighter Health and Wellbeing
We are members of the government led Task and Finish Group in England on firefighter health and wellbeing, where we are representing members directly in developing national policy. We believe that this will have an impact across the United Kingdom.
A key part of the work is the development of a ‘Firefighter Health and Wellbeing Concordat’, designed to provide a shared framework for improving health and wellbeing outcomes for firefighters and operational staff.
The work is considering issues across a firefighter’s career, including prevention and early intervention, occupational health, leadership and culture, trauma support, long-term occupational exposure and support into retirement.
Importantly it has been recognised that there needs to be a flexible process to ensure that both Wholetime and On-Call firefighters have appropriate access to health and wellbeing support.
Alongside this, the Department of Health and Social Care is commissioning a review of the available research into firefighter health, identifying gaps to inform future work on firefighter health monitoring.
We welcome the focus on firefighter health and wellbeing and will continue to contribute to this work to help ensure that it leads to practical and meaningful improvements for firefighters.
Protecting the On-Call Duty System from Zero-Hours Reforms
The Association has also responded to the government’s consultation on reforms to zero-hours and similar contracts.
We support the objective of tackling exploitative employment practices. However, we have made clear that the On-Call Duty System is fundamentally different from conventional zero-hours employment.
On-Call firefighters are contracted to provide emergency response capability and availability. The actual hours worked depend upon emergencies occurring and therefore cannot be predicted or guaranteed.
Some On-Call stations attend fewer than 20 incidents a year while others attend more than 500 – applying conventional guaranteed-hours arrangements to emergency response would create serious unintended consequences.
We have advised the government to specifically recognise the unique position of On-Call firefighters, either through an exemption or separate provisions for emergency response work.
We have also highlighted the importance of primary employers, whose goodwill in releasing staff to respond to emergencies remains fundamental to the success of the On-Call system.
New English Minister – New Opportunity
Following the appointment of a new Prime Minister, responsibility for the fire and rescue service in England now sits within a new ministerial team, with Baroness Blake of Leeds CBE the new minister for fire.
We are seeking early engagement with Baroness Blake to ensure that the issues affecting our members remain firmly on the government’s agenda.
Our priorities include protecting and investing in the On-Call Duty System, securing appropriate funding for emerging risks, influencing the future firefighter role, and ensuring that any reforms recognise the operational realities faced by firefighters.
Matthews Pensions
We will be recording another podcast with Claire Johnson from the Blue Light Pension Team at the LGA.
This will provide an update on the Matthews Second Option Exercise so make sure you are subscribed to our podcast, Priority Message.
If you are aware of any colleagues that might be missing out on potential life changing amounts of money – please direct them to the FRSA. Similarly please make sure that you yourselves are adequately advised and protected.
Looking Ahead
The work undertaken this summer demonstrates the value of strong, independent representation.
We have helped defend On-Call fire stations locally while ensuring the union has a voice in national discussions that could shape the Fire and Rescue Service for years to come.
Our message remains consistent:
If more is expected of firefighters and the Fire and Rescue Service, the workforce, funding, training and equipment must follow.
We continue to represent our members, challenge decisions where necessary and engage constructively with fire and rescue services and government to help build a safe, properly resourced and resilient fire and rescue service.
Protecting Firefighters, Protecting Their Communities.
FRSA YouTube channel
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