The region's firefighters are to get a pay rise after agreeing to extra training to respond to terror attacks. The move ends a bitter dispute and comes after a report by a government inspector in December claimed that Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service remained unprepared to respond effectively to a terrorist attack, four years after the Arena bombing.
At the inquiry into the bombing of Manchester Arena, GMFRS were severely criticised for its response on the night of the attack. Firefighters, including a team with specialist training for such an event, were held back from scene for two hours.
Now all firefighters in Greater Manchester and London have agreed to respond to Marauding Terrorist Attacks (MTA) after a ballot of members by the Fire Brigades Union - the only services in the UK to do so. Negotiations are continuing regarding other brigades. Until now, GMFRS firefighters had volunteered for specialist terror training.
