More than 30 firefighters injured in Aylesbury
As pressures on emergency services continue to rise, newly obtained data shows just how many fire service staff have been injured while carrying out their duties in Buckinghamshire.
In Aylesbury, 31 firefighters have been injured over the past three years, while throughout Buckinghamshire the figure rises to 100.
The figures have been obtained by Accident Claims Advice, whose experts say typical injuries include burns, smoke inhalation, musculoskeletal injuries, slips and falls, and impact injuries caused by collapsing structures or falling debris.
Firefighters in the UK face some of the most physically demanding and high-risk working conditions of any public service job. Whether responding to structural fires, road traffic collisions, or hazardous material incidents, staff are routinely exposed to heat, smoke, unstable structures, heavy equipment and psychologically traumatic events.
According to official data for England (year ending March 2024), there were 2,408 ‘on-duty firefighter personnel injuries’ recorded.
Of these injuries, around 40% occurred during operational incidents such as fires, rescues, and other emergency attendances.
Several national reviews have highlighted that reduced staffing levels, increased incident complexity, and ageing infrastructure can contribute to higher-risk environments.
Accident Claims Advice also obtained figures on the main injury causes logged by the Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service across its overall service area over the past three years.
Handling, lifting, and carrying were the most common causes, resulting in 26 injuries, fire smoke heat explosions, which led to 16 injuries.
Speaking about the need for increased investment, Adam Taylor, Fire Brigades Union national officer, said: “Too often firefighters are not being provided with the basic equipment and training they need to keep themselves and the public safe.
“Without proper PPE, firefighters face an impossible choice between heat stroke and exposing themselves to burns, either from flames or the sun.
“We urgently need investment to sort out this problem. We also need national standards on equipment and training, as well as response times and crewing levels.”
Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service currently operates 19 fire stations across Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes, serving over 800,000 people in towns such as Aylesbury and High Wycombe.
The most staff injuries were recorded in Milton Keynes and Aylesbury, with 31 each, followed by the Fire Service College, Moreton in Marsh, which logged 15.