Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service praised by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate

Oxfordshire firefighters have received praise from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS), following a recent inspection.

Inspectors assessed how effectively and efficiently the service prevents and protects the public against fires and how well it looks after staff.

The Inspectorate awarded Oxfordshire three ‘good’ ratings in its effectiveness, efficiency, and people categories.

Rob MacDougall, Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service’s Chief Fire Officer, said: “To gain three grades of good is a massive achievement, particularly with the many challenges of COVID-19.

“I want to thank everyone from the firefighters on our stations, our officers and managers, our support staff and our control operators in the Thames Valley Fire Control Service. Without their fantastic levels of commitment and dedication, we would not be able to achieve what we do in protecting our community, reducing harm and saving lives.”

Councillor Jenny Hannaby, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Services and Safety, said: “I am delighted to see the dedication and hard work of our fire and rescue service is recognised by the Inspectorate, including positive comments about the culture of the service.

“The inspection also recognised the work of increasing the safety of our residents through prevention activities, such as making people safer in their home, and education in schools. Likewise, it’s fantastic that protection work is praised, this is vital in ensuring workplaces are safe for the public and employees.

“Recent high temperatures demonstrated the extreme challenges that exist for our fire and rescue services. We can give residents reassurance, backed by the Inspectorate, that Oxfordshire has a modern service, with a positive culture, well placed to meet these challenges.”

Rob MacDougall, Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service’s Chief Fire Officer, added: “It is also right to recognise the contribution of our partners including the blue light services as well as the health trusts and voluntary sector. By working together, we will achieve our vision to be outstanding services that are community focussed and forward thinking; trusted, inclusive, and sustainable. This also supports Oxfordshire County Council’s wider vision of a greener, fairer and healthier county.

“As part of Oxfordshire County Council, one of the factors in our performance is the support we get from our broader teams. As a learning organisation, we welcome independent inspection and despite our strong performance, the Inspectorate has helped us identify areas for further improvement which will feed into our development and delivery plans.”

Fire and rescue services in England are subject to independent inspection by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS). This comprehensive inspection in undertaken by a large and well trained team of inspectors who examine all aspects of performance. This includes operational response, prevention and protection services, the culture of the service and how staff are looked after.

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