London Fire Brigade to establish lessons learned process

A new Operational Learning Policy, aligned to the National Fire Chiefs Council Good Practice Guide has been developed, and was published in December 2025. The policy provides effective arrangements for collecting, considering and implementing lessons learned from previous incidents (local, national and international), inquests and investigations. The revised arrangements present an agile approach to learning including key performance indicators for the early and timely distribution of risk critical learning and the completion of formal structured debriefing.

LFB commissioned an independent peer review by Kent Fire and Rescue Service to assure that the revised LFB Operational Learning process aligns with the Operational Learning Fire Standards criteria to address this recommendation. The review concluded a ‘substantial’ assurance outcome to meeting the criteria contained within the Operational Learning Fire Standard, with 8 criteria receiving a ‘substantial’ assurance rating and one receiving a ‘reasonable assurance’ rating.

This recommendation is now complete and has been fully discharged.

The London Fire Brigade (LFB)

London Fire Brigade (LFB) completed consultation on its Operational Learning Policy (PN825 and associated documents) and the policy was published in December 2025. The policy covers effective standing arrangements for collecting, considering and effectively implementing lessons learned from previous incidents (local, national & international), inquests and investigations. The arrangements set out an agile approach to learning including key performance indicator’s  for the early and timely distribution of risk critical learning and the completion of formal structured debriefing.

LFB continues to use the Operational News Flash methodology as an agile system for sharing and adopting new learning.

LFB is developing a peer audit to be completed in Q4 2025/26 to provide assurance against the 113.58 recommendation and LFB’s approach to organisational learning.

LFB is also engaging with the broader NFCC GTI 2 assurance workshop programme, and the LFB workshop is scheduled to take place in February 2026. The workshop will provide an insight into how other fire and rescue services are approaching the GTI 2 recommendations, including the organisational learning recommendation directed specifically to LFB (but applicable to all FRS) and provide assurance that the LFB approach is effective and sustainable.

The LFB Business Assurance Team will also be conducting a review of the GTI 2 improvement activity, commencing in early 2026, and will be completed and a report submitted by the end of Q4, 2025/26.

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC)

Throughout 2025, the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) developed and progressed an action and delivery plan to address the recommendations, sharing it with key stakeholders. This work was informed by a survey of fire and rescue services to identify gaps and support needs.

During the same period, the NFCC consulted on, approved and published an Organisational Learning Good Practice Guide, following an extended consultation. The NFCC also published an interim Organisational Learning Library and set out proposals for a future system, subject to available funding and resources.