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After Grenfell, firefighters demand safety
Matt Trinder talks to firefighter BARRY JACKSON about his call for routine health monitoring of the front-line workforce, which was overwhelmingly endorsed at the FBU conference last month after years of campaigning
EXHAUSTED: Firefighters break from attending the burning tower, June 14, 2017
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BARRY JACKSON has been a firefighter for nearly 30 years. As a member of the London Fire Brigade (LFB), he was one of the first to attend the horrific Grenfell Tower blaze, which devastated a west London tower block six years ago today.
The terrifying fire killed 72 people, injured at least as many and left hundreds homeless. The impact on the local community in North Kensington, where the very poor live streets away from the very rich, was massive.
But for Jackson, a workplace health and safety rep, the tragedy was another reminder of the inadequate – and sometimes non-existent – protections for firefighters as they risk their lives to save ours.
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The FBU is demanding 52 weeks of full pay for women firefighters, highlighting the unique health risks they face — and the continuing need to recruit and retain more women if policies like this are still not in place, writes SEONA HART
