Did you know we sometimes use drones at incidents? Using drones helps increase our situational awareness of fires and helps our Incident Commanders to develop tactics to tackle them london-fire.gov.uk/about-us/servi…
Our drones are permitted to fly up to 400ft above ground level, or higher in an emergency, and can fly as fast as 50mph. They can also act as a loudspeaker to give instructions or reassurance and shine a bright spotlight in dark or low light conditions
Our drone team took just nine months to become operational. In 2018, a bespoke course was run to train our team of drone pilots who were qualified within one week. We now have eight drone pilots who are available 24/7
On its first day of being available for incidents, the team received an order to attend a fire at a leisure centre. The drone footage helped to identify that objects which looked like gas cylinders on the roof were actually rolls of felt, saving unnecessary resources
Since that first callout, our drone team have been to around 300 incidents, including fires, people in the water and various missing person incidents both in #London and in other counties london-fire.gov.uk/about-us/servi…
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@Ben2Toovey The #Bromley fire is a very visible blaze and our 999 Control centre has received 95 calls alerting them to the fire. Crews are using our 64 metre turntable ladder to tackle the fire. london-fire.gov.uk/incidents/2022…
Four fire engines and around 25 firefighters have been called to a fire on Castor Lane in #Poplar. More info to follow
Firefighters are currently tackling a fire at an electrical substation in #Poplar. A 25-metre cordon is in place as a precaution whilst crews work to make the scene safe london-fire.gov.uk/incidents/2022…
The DLR line is suspended and Rotherhithe Tunnel is also closed whilst crews continue to tackle the fire at an electrical substation in #Poplar. Some people may also be affected by power outages london-fire.gov.uk/incidents/2022…
Ten fire engines and 70 firefighters are dealing with a very visible fire on #Whitechapel High Street. Please avoid the area if possible. Follow this account for the latest information.
We now have 15 fire engines and around 100 firefighters dealing with the fire on 17th floor of a block of flats on #Whitechapel High Street. One of our 64 metre ladders has also been sent to the scene london-fire.gov.uk/incidents/2022…
We have declared a major incident in response to the volume of 999 calls being taken about #StormEunice related incidents. Firefighters are still meeting the needs of our communities, but declaring a major incident allows us to focus our resources. orlo.uk/OLoBY
We've introduced batch mobilisation, meaning calls where there is a risk to life are prioritised and crews then attend other calls as non-emergencies when they can. Control took 550 calls between 1030 and 1300 – more than the average number usually taken in a 24-hour period.
Control has taken a number of unhelpful calls, including to a trampoline which was blowing around in a garden. Please listen to our advice and only call 999 if there is an emergency or if there’s an immediate risk to life so crews can respond to people who really need our help
Fire investigators are today issuing an urgent warning following a spike in ferocious fires caused by e-bike & e-scooter batteries in #London Our FI team has seen a rise in such incidents recently & have issued advice on what people should do to keep safe london-fire.gov.uk/news/2021-news…
Bikes & scooters are often stored in escape routes or communal areas which can affect people's ability to escape in a fire. One piece of advice is to store them somewhere away from a main through route. Always use the correct charger for the product & buy from a reputable seller
Batteries should always be charged on hard flat surfaces where heat can dissipate. Make sure you unplug your charger once it’s finished charging and always follow instructions when charging. We would advise not to leave them unattended or on charge while people are asleep.
Ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters are attending a fire at railway arches near to #ElephantCastle railway station. Please avoid the area and close all doors and windows
Please follow this Twitter account for up to date information about the #ElephantCastle fire.
Three commercial units underneath the railway arches are completely alight and four cars and a telephone box are also alight near #ElephantandCastle Railway Station. Road closures are in place and people are advised to avoid the area and keep windows and doors closed