Bullying, harassment and discrimination allegations reported in every fire service in England, report reveals

Published

2 years ago

March 31, 2023

admin

Allegations of bullying, harassment and discrimination have been reported in every fire and rescue service in England, a report has found.

Examples included two male firefighters joking with a female colleague that they were “going to rape her,” and the three of them acting out the rape together. On another occasion, a senior officer referred to a black colleague using the n-word.

Inspectors found examples of racist, homophobic and misogynistic behaviour in a quarter of services in England, with the behaviour often excused as “banter.”

The sector is described as a “boys club,” and people said they felt uncomfortable about reporting bad behaviour for fear of reprisals. The fire inspectorate warned that recent headlines about misconduct may be just the tip of the iceberg.

Roy Wilsher, of His Majesty’s Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services, said of misconduct cases over the past 12 months: “More than half of those concerned inappropriate behaviour, such as bullying and harassment, associated with a protected characteristic. This is shocking enough but I am not confident that this is even the whole picture.”

“Our findings shine a light on deeply troubling bullying and harassment in fire and rescue services across the country – and I fear this could be just the tip of the iceberg.

“I can’t guarantee there’s no predators or racists, homophobes or sexists within the Fire Rescue Service. But what I can guarantee that if our recommendations are implemented, things will improve,” he told Sky News.

The report calls for background checks on all firefighters and staff, and new misconduct standards to be introduced. This is to include a national barred list. The sector needs to “get a grip” on how it handles misconduct, the inspector said, adding it “cannot wait another day before it acts”.

‘I did get pressured into sleeping with a colleague’

Sky News spoke to a female firefighter who said she was pressured into sex by a male colleague.

“I haven’t discussed it before, but there was a time after an evening out that I did get pressured into sleeping with a colleague when I didn’t want to. If I was sober I would never have consented to it,” she told Sky News.

“After that, my mental health was really bad. I regretted it so much that I let myself get that drunk – I didn’t expect to get upset… last year I actually made an attempt to take my own life because of how he made me feel.”

The firefighter said she was repeatedly sent explicit photographs from male colleagues.

“I try and avoid people that have sent me pictures like that now. And I try and act as normal as possible… but it’s always at the back of my mind.”

One of the images shows a male firefighter sitting on a toilet showing his private parts. He is wearing a navy blue t-shirt that appears to be his uniform.

The female firefighter said: “A lot of sexual favours asked for. A female colleague was pinned in the corner by more than one firefighter and demanded sexual favours. Another was sexually assaulted by a colleague as he walked past. Then he took photos of her changing.”

Sky News has seen text message exchanges between female colleagues which paint a disturbing picture of their experiences.

The Home Office called the findings in the report “deeply concerning” and promised to address bad culture across the sector.

‘Failure to address discrimination and harassment goes right to the top’

FBU general secretary Matt Wrack said: “Firefighters have the right to work without fear of being mistreated because of their gender, ethnicity, sexuality, disability or neurodiversity – or bullied or abused while doing their job.

“It is clear, both from our experience and from the contents of this report, that the failure to address discrimination and harassment in the service goes right to the top.

“Some Fire Service leaders are part of the problem, and have systematically failed to address discrimination, harassment and bullying in the service.

“This report corroborates those experiences.

“It details how racism, homophobia and misogyny are routinely ignored, or even instigated, by people at the very top, and that firefighters are scared to speak out.

“Complainants have found themselves under investigation or subject to disciplinary proceedings.”

Mr Wrack said the FBU would “take a leading role in transforming the culture” of the service.

UK

Girl, 10, and father, who died in caravan park fire in Lincolnshire named

Published

10 hours ago

April 6, 2025

admin

Girl, 10, and father, who died in caravan park fire in Lincolnshire named

Two people who died following a fire at a caravan site near Skegness have been named by police.

Lincolnshire Police said 48-year-old Lee Baker and his 10-year-old daughter Esme Baker, both from the Nottingham area, were killed in the blaze.

However, formal identification is still yet to take place and “could take some time”, the force said.

Emergency services were alerted to a fire at Golden Beach Holiday Park, in the village of Ingoldmells, at 3.53am on Saturday.

In a statement issued through police, a member of the Baker family said: “Lee and Esme were excited to be spending the first weekend of the holidays together.

“We are all utterly devastated at what’s happened.

“This loss is incomprehensible at the moment, and we ask for people to give us space to process this utterly heartbreaking loss.”

A GoFundMe page set up for the victims’ family described the father and daughter as “two peas in a pod” who were “both happy-go-lucky people who loved life”. It has so far raised more than £3,000.

The police force, together with Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue, are continuing to investigate the cause of the blaze.

Detective Inspector Lee Nixon said: “We believe we might be close to arriving at a working hypothesis.

“We are working hard to validate the facts available to us to be able to provide answers for the family and loved ones of those who were very tragically taken by this fire.

“Yet the evident intensity of the fire has made this task incredibly challenging.”

Dan Moss, from Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue, said: “Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the family at this time.

“Our Fire Investigation Team is working with colleagues from Lincolnshire Police, and a full investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.

“Once investigations are complete, local fire crews and our community fire safety team will be on hand to talk to people in the area and address any fire safety concerns they may have, at what will be an upsetting time.”

UK

Man arrested over wildfire that triggered ‘major incident’ in Northern Ireland

Published

11 hours ago

April 6, 2025

admin

Man arrested over wildfire that triggered 'major incident' in Northern Ireland

A man has been arrested by police investigating a “significant” wildfire that triggered a major incident in Northern Ireland.

More than 100 firefighters and 15 fire appliances were deployed on Saturday to Sandbank Road, Hilltown, to tackle the blaze which is believed to have been caused deliberately, fire chiefs said.

Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) said the fire had a front of approximately two miles “including a large area of forestry close to property”.

It was extinguished at 2.53am on Sunday and the major incident status lifted, the NIFRS said.

“The cause of this fire is believed to have been deliberate,” chief fire and rescue officer Aidan Jennings said.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland said on Sunday that a 25-year-old man had been arrested “on suspicion of arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered, and non-related driving offences”.

“He remains in custody at this time as enquiries continue into the circumstances surrounding the fire,” the force added.

Various fires erupted across England this week amid uncharacteristically warm and dry conditions for the time of year.

On Saturday, helicopters were deployed to tackle Scotland’s fourth wildfire this week, with police saying a blaze “which started in the Newton Stewart area has spread northwards and is expected to reach the Loch Doon area of East Ayrshire around 12am on Sunday”.

Police Scotland added: “As a precautionary measure members of the public are asked to avoid the Loch Doon area and anyone who may be camping in the area is advised to leave.”

Elsewhere in England, Devon and Cornwall Police said they were assisting the fire service with temporary road closures on the A30 in the Bolventor area as they tackle “a number of fires” on moorland.

In Dorset, Moors Valley Country Park was forced to close after multiple wildfires broke out there on Wednesday.

Separate incidents were then reported at Upton Heath in Poole on Wednesday, and nearby Canford Heath in the early hours of Thursday.

Friday was officially the warmest day of the year so far – with temperatures in the south of England reaching 23C (73.4F) – the highest since 21 September last year, according to the Met Office.

The weather conditions triggered a “severe” wildfire rating for parts of the UK on Tuesday.

UK

Man shot dead in Stanley, County Durham

Published

11 hours ago

April 6, 2025

admin

Police are investigating after a man was shot dead in County Durham.

Officers were called to an address in Elm Street, Stanley, at about 5.20pm on Saturday after reports of a “disturbance”, Durham Constabulary said.

A man in his 50s was found to have been shot and despite the efforts of paramedics he was pronounced dead at the scene.

His family have been told and are being supported by specially trained officers.

Specialist crime scene investigators are at the scene, and officers are carrying out house-to-house enquiries.

A cordon is in place and is expected to stay there for some time.

Detective Superintendent Neil Fuller said: “This is a truly shocking incident in which a man has been shot and has sadly died.”

He added: “Residents may see an increased police presence in the area. I would like to thank them for their support while we carry out this investigation.

“Our thoughts are with the man’s family at this time.”

Durham Constabulary has urged anyone who witnessed the incident or has dashcam footage or CCTV to contact the force.