The Firefighters Podcast

#382 What Happened at Grenfell with expert witness Steve McGuirk

Pete Wakefield

On 14 June 2017, the Grenfell Tower fire in West London claimed 72 lives and exposed critical failures in building safety and fire preparedness. Over 250 firefighters faced unimaginable conditions as the fire spread rapidly due to combustible cladding, turning Grenfell into a turning point for our sector.

Today’s guest is Steve McGuirk, former fire chief, expert witness to the Grenfell Inquiry, and Executive Officer of the Fire Sector Federation. With nearly 50 years in the fire service, Steve has led through major change, tragedy, and challenge, and continues to push for lessons from Grenfell to lead to real, lasting change in our profession.

In this episode, we explore:
 – Commanding complex incidents under pressure
 – The need for tough, realistic training
 – Shifting culture and accountability within services
 – The role of technology in a safer future
 – What Grenfell teaches us and what must change.

Grenfell challenges us to prioritise truth, learning, and action to prevent another tragedy.

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