The new chief fire and rescue advisor – Sir Ken Knight – has put public safety at the top of his priorities when he took up his new post at the beginning of the month.
The Fire and Rescue Advisor’s Unit has been set up to provide professional advice in to ministers and civil servants, as well as further developing and improving the fire and rescue service to meet modern challenges. As well as disseminating good practice to fire and rescue services, it will also undertake some of the work previously undertaken by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Fire Services.
“This is an exciting time for the fire & rescue service already effectively delivering its traditional firefighting response,” said Sir Ken. “It is now significantly engaged in regulatory fire safety and community safety work, as well as training for and responding to a wide range of incidents from widespread flooding to terrorist attacks.
“My new unit will be playing an active part in moving forward the government’s agenda, where I know the modern fire and rescue service can add so much value and make a positive difference in local communities.
Taking up Sir Ken’s former post as commissioner of the London Fire Brigade is Ron Dobson, who was previously the Brigade’s acting director of operational policy & training. Alongside his responsibilities for operational emergency and community fire safety, he will oversee the fire safety legislation of some 700,000 premises across London.
