Hope unleashed from a firefighter

October 30, 2019

With news of the official report into the Grenfell Tower fire being released today Gaby Doherty, author of Grenfell Hope reflects on the courage shown by the firefighters as well as the criticism they faced for the policies they operated under.

There were so many acts of courage and bravery that night. Under Fire Service policy, you are limited for safety reasons in the number of times you can wear a breathing apparatus. But people went on volunteering, in essence breaking the rules. Others were taking their breathing apparatus masks off to try and conserve air, and risk smoke inhalation on the way up. This is extremely dangerous, and I saw some very fit firefighters I know coming out of the building completely exhausted.

I was encouraged to see how colleagues and friends all pulled together with a common goal, far beyond the call of duty...Our control room staff, who are the unseen side of the Fire Brigade (the heroes in headsets), had exceptional challenges. Some were in direct contact by phone with people trapped on the upper floors, and had to inform these families that we were trying our hardest but might not be able to reach them.

The extract above has been taken from Grenfell Hope by Gaby Doherty, below she gives her thoughts on the criticism that followed this event and on the report that is due to be released.

While the firefighters selfless bravery has been praised, the policies they operated under have been explicitly criticised. Our actions are only as good as the framework we operate under and their frameworks have been attacked and blamed for the high cost of loss of life. It shows that we can risk our lives daily for important causes but if we are constrained by flawed systems we will fail to thrive and help others to do the same.

However what has not been engaged fully with is the flawed systems that have led to the fire brigade’s lack of resources and training and the low quality of the materials used in the building work. The refurbishment (including the cladding) and the persistent deafness by the housing services to the prophetic fears of the residents are not to be forgotten but are they a feature of thIs report? Methinks not. Only time will tell with a full reading of the report and not just gleaned scraps pre-released by the press.

Another factor we cannot forget is the press’ immoral behaviour as they have once again broken trust by leaking the details of the report in advance thus stealing from the victims again their chance to have any space or dignity as they consider this 1000 page document with less time than they were alotted before the press exposed the results.
It feels like more abuse of vulnerable people who have suffered so greatly already.

Yes, the fire fighters should have removed the “stay put” policy earlier but let us not forget the inferno that raged, the confusion and chaos and lightening unprecedented speed that the fire spread. They would normally have had 2 hours containment within one flat, it was out of control across the building within an hour. We await the second phase of the report hoping and praying for justice, not even fully sure what that might look like.