Grenfell Tower Investigation and Review Team (GTIRT)

What does Grenfell Tower Investigation and Review Team do?

Established in 2017, GTIRT is headed by Assistant Commissioner (AC) Andy Bell. The team examine our response to the Grenfell Tower Fire and make observations and recommendations to the Brigade based on its findings. GTIRT also assists both the Metropolitan Police with their investigation into the fire and supports the Brigade’s participation in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.

GTIRT reports

The Brigade established the dedicated Grenfell Tower Investigation and Review Team (GTIRT), led by AC Andy Bell, immediately after the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017. The team carried out a comprehensive evaluation to identify lessons to be learnt and to ensure they were implemented. Andy retains strategic responsibility for Grenfell related matters and remains the legal client for the Brigade while Deputy Assistant Commissioner Julian Spooner is responsible for the day-to-day management of the team.

The Grenfell Tower Investigation and Review Team has produced two reports.

Moving forward and monitoring progress

AC Bell is responsible for ensuring that the areas of improvement identified by GTIRT are addressed, and that the work we are doing to implement the recommendations made by the Grenfell Tower Inquiry is kept on track. AC Bell delivers this function through the Brigade’s Project Management Office which sits within our Transformation Directorate.

Progress is monitored against each Inquiry recommendation and against the recommendations made to the Brigade by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS). Actions identified within our wider Transformation Delivery Plan are also monitored. As well as being reported internally, we regularly report to the Mayor of London and the Home Office on all of the improvement activity we are undertaking across the Brigade.

Key areas of improvement

We have been making improvements to our high rise firefighting response since immediately after the Grenfell Tower fire, as well as acting on GTIRT’s recommendations and the recommendations made in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 report. Key improvements completed and underway include:

• Pre-Determined Attendance – We now send more fire engines to high rise incidents. Five fire engines and an aerial appliance are automatically sent . Where multiple calls and a cladding fire has been reported, this increases to 10 fire engines and an aerial appliance.
• New equipment – New fire escape hoods and high rise grab packs are being used to protect residents from toxic smoke, drones have been introduced to provide an aerial view of incidents and three extended height 64 metre aerial appliances are due to come into service this year. We have also introduced Urban Search and Rescue WASP devices (Warning Alarm for Stability Protection) for structural monitoring of buildings.
• Training – New systems for validating training and maintaining skills and competence have been rolled out for all firefighters, officers and control officers. We have also reviewed our Incident Command Training.
• Control improvements – We are introducing measures to ensure our control room is at the heart of our operational response and this includes improving communication between the control room and the incident ground. The management of our 999 control room has been restructured and Control staff have undertaken Fire Survival Guidance refresher training.
• Improved policies and procedures - We are developing the best procedures, training and equipment for firefighters to tackle fires in buildings where fire safety measures in the building fail and to build trust with high rise residents. We have reviewed our high rise firefighting and fire survival guidance policies and are introducing a new Evacuation and Rescue policy.
• Breathing apparatus and radio sets - We are replacing and upgrading our fire ground and breathing apparatus radio sets and introducing lighter breathing apparatus.
• Information gathering – The Brigade is overhauling the way it gathers, records and shares operational risk information across the Brigade.