Gloucestershire Fire Service rated good in five of ten areas

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 21 Oct, 14:02 · Archive

Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service has been rated good in five areas by government inspectors, with adequate grades in the other five.

Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service has been rated good in five areas by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), with adequate grades in the other five. The good ratings came for understanding fire and risk, public safety through fire regulation, best use of resources and future affordability, allocation of skills, and ensuring fairness and diversity. It was rated adequate for preventing fire and risk, responding to fires and emergencies, responding to major incidents, promoting values and culture, and leading people effectively.

The service has made significant improvements since its last inspection in 2023. These include introducing a new workplace charter that sets out values which staff fully understand, an improved approach to community risk management planning informed by data, and strengthened recruitment processes. The service has also shown a strong and proactive approach to equality impact assessments.

However, inspectors found areas of concern. There are parts of the county where prevention activities are not being carried out consistently, and resources should be dedicated to meet fire risks in rural areas. Additionally, staff need to be more familiar with high-risk sites in their local areas to be better prepared for fighting fires and carrying out rescues safely. Temporary Chief Fire Officer Nathaniel Hooton acknowledged the progress made whilst noting there is more work to do.

How it is being reported

• Inspection at Gloucestershire's fire service 'shows how far we have come'There has been significant progress since its last inspectionGloucestershire Live · 21 Oct, 13:47
• Fire service making progress, say inspectorsGloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service is graded good in five out of 10 areas by government inspectors.BBC Gloucestershire · 21 Oct, 13:18

In this story: Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service · His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services · Kathryn Stone · Nathaniel Hooton · Gloucestershire

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