‘There has been significant progress’: Fire chiefs respond to critical report
The commissioner in charge of North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service has responded to a critical report which found it needed to make urgent improvements.
His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services graded some aspects of the service as ‘inadequate’ and raised concerns about its ability to respond to fires.
North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoë Metcalfe welcomed the report and said she was committed to making the service a success.
She said she had appointed a new Chief Fire Officer and Deputy Chief Fire Officer: “I am very confident that together, we will lead the service into a strong and sustainable future.”
“Together, the Chief and I have already implemented a rigorous ongoing programme of improvement,” Ms Metcalfe said.
“The Chief has also put into place immediate plans to address the two causes of concern raised which HMICFRS will review later this month when we welcome them back on 30 January.
“On behalf of the public, I have been clear with the Chief Fire Officer that I will be very disappointed if their re-inspection does not produce more positive findings.”
You can read her full statement here.
Statement from Jonathan Dyson, Chief Fire Officer, on the HMICFRS Report:
“While this is a very disappointing outcome, it is not a reflection of the hard work and dedication that our staff show, every day, to keeping our communities safe, and feeling safe.
“The Inspectors have said that we are good at preventing fires and other risks and responding to major and multi-agency incidents.
“Much of what the Inspectors have focused on relates to service-level policies and practices.
“We do need to acknowledge that the Inspection came at a time of significant change for our service. We were just coming out of Covid and transitioning to a new Chief Fire Officer.
“Since taking up my position as Chief Fire Officer in July 2022 I remain very aware about what needs to improve and I’m confident that, along with my newly appointed leadership team, we’ll deliver the HMICFRS improvement plans and service transformation. We are absolutely committed to making significant progress over the next two years.”