County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service has been named the fastest predominantly rural fire service in the UK, following a recent inspection.
Firefighters were praised for the way they respond to fires and emergencies as the service was rated as "good" in an independent review by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS).
The report, which was published on Friday, January 20, looked at how effectively and efficiently the service prevents and protects the public from, and responds to, fires and other emergencies. It also examined how well the service looks after its people with the fire service rated “good” in all three areas.
CDDFRS chief fire officer, Steve Helps, said: “I am extremely proud of the service, our overall inspection results mean we are one of the highest performing fire and rescue services in the UK, a reflection of the hard work and dedication of all CDDFRS staff.
“The service has been through a significant amount of change in recent years and continues to evolve and change and it is one of my top priorities to promote a positive culture across the organisation. Overall, I am pleased that the inspectorate has recognised how effectively and efficiently we operate as an organisation."
Inspectors were impressed by the number of home fire safety visits carried out, stating it was over three times the national average. The service was also praised for the way it looks after its most vulnerable residents, highlighting that a revisit was completed within twelve months, ensuring residents feel protected from fire risk.
Inspectors were also impressed with the pioneering decontamination wash facility at the service training centre that ensures fire equipment is properly cleaned after incidents and training.
Durham County Councillor John Shuttleworth, chairman of the County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Authority, said: “I welcome this assessment of County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service by HMICFRS, this is an amazing achievement, grading us as “Good” in 10 out of 11 areas."
The service has been advised to make some improvements in how it carries out enforcement activity that may lead to prosecutions and legal action, ensuring staff feel skilled enough to investigate businesses that may not be following fire legislation.
CDDFRS chief fire officer, Steve Helps added: "CDDFRS is a learning organisation, and we welcome the areas the HMICFRS have identified to help us improve further our service, it is encouraging that we recognise most of the areas of improvement highlighted in the report.
"Since our inspection, we now take a more proactive approach to monitoring and checking compliance of business premises who we have served enforcement notices against, to ensure the continued safety, from fire, of employees and visitors to these premises.
“I am confident that the improvements we have already implemented and the plans we have in place for the future will make our service even better for the communities we serve.”
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