ABM expands engineering and maintenance services for London Fire Brigade properties

by Building ManagementFeatured NewsProjects

London Fire Brigade expands facilities contract across estate

ABM has expanded its facilities and engineering contract with London Fire Brigade to cover additional operational and support sites across the capital.

ABM confirmed that its existing contract covering the north region of the London Fire Brigade (LFB) estate has been extended from February to include locations in the south region.

The expanded scope includes LFB’s headquarters, operational support centre and 999 call centre.

The original contract began in January 2023 following a competitive tender process and covered 51 stations across the north region.

Services delivered under the agreement include mechanical and engineering work, plumbing, fabric maintenance and specialist trade support.

This also covers heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, critical systems, building management systems and fuel delivery infrastructure.

Scope expansion includes headquarters and emergency call centre

Claire Page, Head of Property at London Fire Brigade, said: “Ensuring our buildings and critical systems are reliable and resilient is essential to supporting our firefighters and teams as they serve Londoners.

“The work delivered to date clearly demonstrates the technical capability, rapid responsiveness and deep understanding of our operational environment required to support the wider estate.”

Richard Sykes, SVP and President of ABM UK and Ireland, said: “We are delighted to be growing our partnership with LFB.

“Expanding this contract reflects the trust built through consistent delivery, strong collaboration and a deep understanding of the critical nature of London Fire Brigade operations.

“This is an important milestone for ABM and creates a strong foundation for a long-term partnership.”

ABM employs 15,000 team members across the UK and Ireland and provides facilities and infrastructure services across public and private sector estates.

The infrastructure time bomb: IFSJ explains why fire service facilities are falling behind modern risk

by Breaking NewsIndustry Comment

Confronting the dual crisis of ageing infrastructure and shrinking capital, by Duncan J. White

Across the municipal fire and rescue sector, there’s an uncomfortable truth we can no longer ignore; much of our infrastructure is reaching the end of its useful life, while the capital needed to replace or modernise it remains elusive.

Fire stations built in the 1950s and 60s are still serving as operational hubs in 2025, often with minimal adaptation to meet the demands of a modern, multi-hazard emergency service.

The consequences are visible every day.

Apparatus bays are too small for contemporary appliances.

Training grounds with limited scope for live fire or technical rescue exercises.

Facilities that fall short of modern health, safety, and inclusivity standards.

Add to that a growing list of deferred maintenance items, roof repairs, electrical upgrades, HVAC replacements, and the picture is one of quiet decline.

The cost of underinvestment

This is not due to complacency within the sector.

Fire services have long stretched limited budgets to keep frontline capability intact, often prioritising people and vehicles over bricks and mortar.

But the compounding effect of decades of underinvestment is now becoming clear.

When a critical building system fails or a facility becomes unfit for purpose, operational resilience and community safety are both at risk.

At the same time, the expectations placed on fire and rescue services have expanded dramatically.

The modern firefighter must be ready for structural fires, wildfires, road traffic collisions, hazardous materials, water rescues, and medical emergencies – all requiring specialised facilities, technology, and training environments.

Infrastructure built for a narrower remit can no longer support these realities.

Yet securing capital remains a persistent challenge.

Municipal budgets are under pressure from all directions, and long-term capital programmes struggle to compete with short-term political priorities.

In many cases, the lack of comprehensive asset management data makes it difficult to build a compelling investment case until failure becomes imminent.

Planning smarter and funding differently

To move forward, the sector needs a dual strategy: smarter planning and innovative funding.

Lifecycle asset management, supported by condition assessments, data analytics, and transparent risk reporting, can help authorities prioritise spending based on operational risk, not just budget cycles.

At the same time, exploring new funding mechanisms, shared emergency hubs, regional capital programmes, or partnerships with the private sector, could provide much-needed momentum.

Ageing infrastructure is not just an engineering concern; it’s a resilience issue.

Every year we defer renewal; the cost and risk grow.

The fire and rescue service has always been defined by preparedness.

Now, that preparedness must extend beyond response, to the very foundations of where and how we operate.

Stay safe!

This was originally published in the February 2026 Edition of International Fire & Safety Journal. To read your FREE copy, click here.