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P1-19

Train control room staff on evacuation advice changes

Grenfell Tower Inquiry · Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Phase 1 Report · Issued 30 October 2019 · Addressed to: National Fire Chiefs Council

Government responseUK Government: Accepted (Jan 2020)

DeliveryHome Office says completed (Feb 2025)

Recommendation, verbatim from the inquiry

●Inquiry recommendation, 33.15f

Control room staff receive training directed specifically to handling such a change of advice and conveying it effectively to callers.

Grenfell Tower Inquiry, Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Phase 1 Report · 30 Oct 2019 Source PDF →

Published evidence summary

AI-generated evidence summary

In February 2025, the Home Office reported that this recommendation had been completed across fire and rescue services (Home Office, Feb 2025). It recorded that a National Fire Chiefs Council survey found all 43 English services had completed the action, while the London Fire Brigade confirmed that training for control room staff was complete and embedded through exercises (Home Office, Feb 2025).

Sources

Home Office, Feb 2025

AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 26 Sep 2026.

Government response

●UK Government · Accepted · 21 Jan 2020

Words of: HM Government, Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report: Government response (CP 1248), presented to Parliament by the Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, 26 February 2025

The government accepted in principle all the Phase 1 recommendations directed at central government. The Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick presented the formal response to Parliament on 21 January 2020, committing to swift and decisive action including new duties on building owners and managers to provide information to fire and rescue services, install premises information boxes, conduct regular inspections of lifts and fire doors, and equip buildings with evacuation signal facilities. The government stated it had already taken action in advance of the report and was actively looking beyond the remit of these recommendations.

Response document: Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report: Government response

Delivery

●Home Office says completed · 26 Feb 2025

Status for fire and rescue services: complete

The National Fire Chiefs Council surveyed all fire and rescue services (with the exception of the LFB) in England about their progress against the recommendations. In relation to 33.15f (which is linked to recommendation 33.15e), All 43 services have completed this action.

Status for London Fire Brigade: complete

The LFB has reported that recommendation 33.15f has been completed. Training for all Control staff has been given and the learning embedded by participation in a series of high-rise firefighting exercises.

From: Progress against the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 recommendations, February 2025

Site note: This is the Home Office's thematic update on progress against the Phase 1 recommendations. Its introduction says it includes updates from the relevant government departments and assurances received from the National Fire Chiefs Council, London Fire Brigade and other emergency services on their progress. The status line and the passage are the Home Office's compilation of what those bodies reported to it; where the passage gives a status for fire and rescue services and a separate one for London Fire Brigade, both are shown as printed.

Earlier statements on delivery (0)

●Home Office · 16 Sep 2024

Status for fire and rescue services: In Progress

The National Fire Chiefs Council surveyed all fire and rescue services (with the exception of the LFB) in England about their progress against the recommendations. In relation to 33.15f (which is linked to recommendation 33.15e), 42 of 43 services have completed this action.

As with recommendation 33.15e, Northumberland FRS expects to have completed this by December 2024.

Status for London Fire Brigade: Complete

The LFB has reported that recommendation 33.15f has been completed. Training for all Control staff has been given and the learning embedded by participation in a series of high-rise firefighting exercises.

From: Progress against the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 recommendations, September 2024

Site note: This is the Home Office's thematic update on progress against the Phase 1 recommendations. Its introduction says it includes updates from the relevant government departments and assurances received from the National Fire Chiefs Council, London Fire Brigade and other emergency services on their progress. The status line and the passage are the Home Office's compilation of what those bodies reported to it; where the passage gives a status for fire and rescue services and a separate one for London Fire Brigade, both are shown as printed.

●Home Office · 5 Feb 2024

Status for fire and rescue services: In progress

In October 2023, the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) surveyed all fire and rescue services (with the exception of the LFB) in England about their progress against the recommendations. In relation to 33.15f (which is linked to recommendation 33.15e):

95% of services (41 services) said they have completed this recommendation.

2% of services (one service) has made the necessary changes but are still training their staff.

2% of services (one service) aligns to guidance but have not reviewed policies.

Status for London Fire Brigade: Complete

The LFB has reported that recommendation 33.15f has been completed. Training for all Control staff has been given and the learning embedded by participation in a series of high-rise firefighting exercises.

From: Progress against the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 recommendations, February 2024

Site note: This is the Home Office's thematic update on progress against the Phase 1 recommendations. Its introduction says it includes updates from the relevant government departments and assurances received from the National Fire Chiefs Council, London Fire Brigade and other emergency services on their progress. The status line and the passage are the Home Office's compilation of what those bodies reported to it; where the passage gives a status for fire and rescue services and a separate one for London Fire Brigade, both are shown as printed.

How this page is built

The recommendation and the government responses are verbatim from primary documents. Delivery statements and other bodies' findings are shown in their own words, each with its source. The summary is written by this site and labelled as such. The Index does not paraphrase sources or characterise intent; it records what has been published.