This episode with Ben Selby from the Fire Brigades Union takes a clear and honest look at the pressures facing the UK fire and rescue service, from funding cuts and the loss of around 12,000 firefighters since 2010 to the real-world impact seen in places like Oxfordshire and Dorset and Wiltshire. We explore the strain on on-call systems, the need for national standards and how workforce changes, duty systems and family support are shaping the modern job.

The conversation also dives into firefighter health, contamination and the move toward health monitoring, alongside a critical discussion on water infrastructure, flow rates and the risks of relying on a system firefighters do not control. This is a grounded, wide-ranging discussion about safety, resilience and what the future of the fire service could look like if the current trajectory continues.

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Me & Rhiain Akin of London Fire Brigade explore the reality of domestic violence within the fire service and why it must be recognised as a workplace issue, not just something that happens behind closed doors.

Drawing on her own experience as a victim survivor and her work leading the Phoenix support network, Rhiain breaks down the many forms domestic abuse can take, from coercive control and emotional manipulation to financial and physical harm, and explains how these experiences directly impact performance, wellbeing and safety on the job.

Together, we unpack the stigma, shame and cultural barriers that stop firefighters from speaking up, the hidden impact on colleagues and families, and the responsibility we all carry to look out for one another. This episode also highlights the practical steps organisations can take to support their people, from policy and training to flexible working and safe leave, and shows how small actions like listening, believing and asking the right questions can make a life changing difference.

Find Rhiain HERE

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William Wood Watches - Discount code FFPODCAST gives the user 10% off full range on website

FIRST TACTICAL- tactical gear for elite operators

GORE-TEX Professional Clothing

MSA The Safety Company

JAFCO

IDEX

FIRE & EVACUATION SERVICE LTD

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***The views expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers. Our partners are not responsible for the content of this episode and does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.***

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How much attention do you actually pay to the uniform you wear every day?

The trousers that don’t fit right.
The seams that go.
The fabric that fades.

In this episode, im chatting with Claire Wilford, Head of European Sales at First Tactical to unpack a question most of us have never really asked:

What does good uniform actually look like?

Because across the UK alone, hundreds of millions are being spent on first responder kit every year…So why are so many still dealing with gear that doesn’t perform?

CONNECT WITH CLAIRE HERE

SEE FIRST TACTICAL HERE

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Please check out our Partners supporting this episode are

William Wood Watches - Discount code FFPODCAST gives the user 10% off full range on website

FIRST TACTICAL- tactical gear for elite operators

GORE-TEX Professional Clothing

MSA The Safety Company

JAFCO

IDEX

FIRE & EVACUATION SERVICE LTD

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

***The views expressed in this episode are those of the individual speakers. Our partners are not responsible for the content of this episode and does not warrant its accuracy or completeness.***

Please support the podcast and its future by clicking HERE and joining our Patreon Crew