His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) has published its latest inspection report on Greater Manchester’s fire and rescue service
The report rated the Service ‘Outstanding’ for Prevention and Values and Culture and ‘Good’ across the majority of areas
Inspectors praise service’s values-led approach, strong staff voice, visible leadership, and commitment to keeping Greater Manchester’s communities safe
In addition to the formal grading, inspectors praised the service’s strong foundations, a clear momentum towards excellence, and a positive staff culture that gives confidence in GMFRS’ direction of travel.
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said:
“Greater Manchester has a fire and rescue service we can be proud of. I’ve often said that GMFRS is one of the best services not just in this country, but anywhere. The inspectors’ findings reinforce this belief.
“I’m pleased that this strong inspection report recognises its outstanding prevention work as part of Greater Manchester’s Live Well approach, its outstanding culture and values, and consistently good performance across almost every other area.
“We know that Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service has undergone a fundamental change in recent years and our Chief Fire Officer and his leadership team continue to deliver a modern, professional and inclusive service that keeps our city region safe.
“Dave, his senior team, our firefighters and all of our support staff deserve every credit for this report and we will continue to support the service as it builds on this strong foundation.”
Chief Fire Officer Dave Russel said:
“Since joining the service as Chief Fire Officer I have been proud to lead the service on a journey towards being an outstanding fire and rescue service.
“I am really pleased that the inspectors have recognised our progress towards this goal, by awarding us ‘Outstanding’ ratings for the first time in our service’s history.
“I am particularly pleased to have been awarded these for our nation-leading work on prevention, helping us to use our resources in the most effective way, and in our service’s culture, which I made my number one priority when joining the service.”
