WIREDGOV

Commenting on the findings of His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary’s Annual Assessment of Fire and Rescue Services in England 2024–25, APCC Joint Leads on Fire and Emergency Services Collaboration, Danielle Stone and Ben Adams, said:

“We welcome the Chief Inspector’s recognition of the improvement seen in a number of areas including building safety checks, the measures taken in response to the Grenfell Inquiry phase one recommendations and the numerous examples of good practice highlighted during inspections. But we share the Chief inspector’s concerns about the weaknesses by fire service leaders in some parts of the country in addressing long-running deficiencies in workplace culture and inclusion and retention issues, particularly of on-call officers.  We continue to support HMICFRS’s repeated call for operational independence for chief fire officers.

“Fire and Rescue services are continuing to evolve and adapt to the changing threats to public safety whilst striving to improve workplace culture. The changing face of the built environment means the service needs to be more closely involved in planning decisions for housing and infrastructure projects to ensure fire safety. And, in a year that has seen more reported wildfires than ever before, not to mention the perennial risk of flooding and other extreme weather events, the need to invest in and modernise our fire services so they are fit for the future has never been more acute. Police, Fire and Crime Commissioners and Deputy Mayors will continue to work closely with fire chiefs, local communities and Government to support reform of the sector whilst pressing for fairer funding. 

“Sir Andy highlights the opportunities that lie ahead for the service from the Government’s plans for devolution in England. We also recognise the potential that these reforms can bring, including realising the potential for wider collaboration – with the NHS, for example – in addressing some of the issues highlighted by HMICFRS. But it is essential that the service readies itself now in order to derive the maximum benefit for the public and the service. 

“We would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the fire and rescue services across the country and the dedication they show. The tragic loss of Oxfordshire firefighters Jennie Logan and Martyn Sadler in the Bicester Motion fire in May is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by fire crews every day.”

Notes

• Danielle Stone is Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner for Northamptonshire
• Ben Adams is Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire
• The State of Fire and Rescue: The Annual Assessment of Fire and Rescue Services in England 2024–25 can be found on the HMICFRS website