Alex Forrest

Congratulations to Norwegian firefighters on an historic win. After a decade of fighting, Norway now leads Europe with legislation on firefighter cancers. UK firefighters still lack the crucial protection of presumptive legislation - we have meetings planned to ensure we get the issue moving in the UK.

Firefighters are dying as a consequence of fire contaminants, cancers and neurological diseases. The FBU will not rest until firefighters have the protection, health monitoring, compensation and recognition that they deserve.

I am immensely proud to be elected as the General Secretary of the Fire Brigades Union. I know our great union deserves and requires unwavering commitment to progress the issues that matter most to our members, to bring about improving the working lives and conditions of firefighters & control firefighters, and ensure that our members get to work in the safest conditions possible, in a sometimes already dangerous environment. As the General Secretary I will give that unwavering commitment. I will respect and protect the legacy of our Union, but I also know where our Union needs to move forward to. The issues that matter to our members today are different and similar to the issues that mattered to our members in 1918. We are guardians of the posts we occupy. I will ensure I strive to leave the Union to be in a better place tomorrow than today. I will ensure I strive to make sure that I improve the pay, terms and conditions and health & safety of today’s and tomorrow’s firefighters. Amongst many things, I stood on making sure Union leadership is visible and communicates effectively with members. In the coming days and weeks, as your General Secretary, I will communicate to members the work I am already undertaking. On a personal note, I’m deeply grateful for the support my wife, children, mum, family, and friends have given me throughout my career, starting as an 18-year-old following in my dad’s footsteps. Without their support and understanding, I couldn’t have pursued this journey, and for that, I’ll always be thankful.

Back to Canada after 3 weeks of work/educating the Australian Fire leadership-media-political leaders WE have began a world wide lobby here in australia about the Need for Occupational injury coverage for Motor Neuron Diseases/ALS&Parkinson’s Disease-We beg in Europe next week