A Critical Analysis of Barriers to Practical Training and Exercising in UK Fire Service Control Rooms: Evidence‐Informed Recommendations for Enhanced Operational Preparedness

ABSTRACT Persistent weaknesses in training for UK Fire and Rescue Service control rooms may undermine operational preparedness, despite their critical role in emergency response. Public inquiries and inspections repeatedly highlight inconsistent, underdeveloped training provision. This study examines barriers to practical training and proposes evidence‐informed strategies to strengthen readiness. Using a pragmatist mixed‐methods design, the study integrates descriptive survey data from 143 self‐selected staff across 16 control rooms, semi‐structured interviews with 10 managers and training leads, and Freedom of Information data from 36 services. This study combines organisational patterns with the lived experiences of Fire Control personnel and managers. Findings reveal interconnected cultural, organisational, logistical, and technological barriers, including marginalisation of control roles, fragmented governance, weak accountability, staffing shortages limiting protected training time, and outdated systems constraining realistic practice. These findings suggest that barriers extend beyond simple resource constraints and may reflect wider organisational and cultural challenges. The study contributes to the literature by suggesting that governance arrangements, organisational recognition, and accountability may influence whether learning opportunities are created, protected, and sustained within Fire Control environments. These findings suggest that preparedness may be influenced by the organisational infrastructure that supports learning, rather than by training design alone. The study recommends stronger governance, greater recognition of Fire Control as a risk‐critical function, dedicated training capacity, realistic scenario‐based learning, enhanced collaboration, and wider use of immersive technologies to strengthen preparedness, professional development, and interoperability.