This section is an extension of who we are and what we do which provides information on our roles and responsibilities; and the information here focuses on the main services the London Fire Brigade (LFB) provides.
Information of the main services provided by LFB: fire and rescue emergency response, community fire safety, emergency planning, legislative fire safety. A brief explanation of the provisions of special services and charges (that may apply) is also covered.
We will always take urgent enforcement action when we believe public safety is being put at risk in buildings. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 came into force on 1 October 2006. It greatly increased the number of premises for which we have enforcement responsibility. The law applies to all non-domestic premises and was the biggest shake-up of fire safety legislation for more than 30 years.
The premises it applies to include offices, shops, care homes, community halls, pubs, clubs, restaurants, schools, marquees, hotels, hostels, factories and warehouses.
Responsibility for complying with the order rests with employers in the workplace, but could also be on an owner or occupier. As well as enforcing fire regulations, we are also the licensing authority for the storage of petroleum in London to make sure those keeping and dispensing petrol do so in a safe manner which is unlikely to cause risk to the public or environment.
Current LFB guidance notes on fire safety, produced for your safety covering a range of fire safety topics. The LFB has developed a new range of teaching resources to aid teachers to provide fire safety education to primary school children.
The LFB has the discretion to charge or not to charge for some services by virtue of section 19 of the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004. It is agreed Authority policy to charge for certain special services as detailed in the Authority report for review of fees and charges (pdf document).
The LFB has the power to charge for releasing people from lifts or effecting entry to a lift at these non-emergency incidents, and from 1 November 2009 began to charge lift owners or operators on the tenth lift release at the same building within a twelve month period. See reducing lift calls.
Press releases issued by the LFB and details about the different news and campaigns we are currently involved in.
