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Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service recognised for significant progress in culture and protection

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In its revisit published today (Friday 7 March), His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) has acknowledged substantial progress made by Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS) in establishing a positive workplace culture and embedding its values.

HMICFRS visited the Service between 7 to 9 January to review the progress against the Service's ambitious action plan. During this visit, HMICFRS removed two of the three causes for concern.

Notably, the values and culture cause for concern was removed. The Service was recognised for having significantly improved and embedded its target values and culture among its workforce. The Service’s extensive efforts to embed the workplace charter has ensured that the values and behaviours are embraced by the workforce.  Embedding its target values and culture has been further supported by senior managers being more visible and approachable and displaying the Service’s values.

Considerable wellbeing support is available; and training to address inappropriate behaviours has been well received with the workforce confident to challenge should they see or hear anything inappropriate.

HMICFRS recognised the overall positive changes in workplace culture and values and the Service’s continued ambitious plans.

The protection cause for concern was also removed following the revisit to the Service. HMICFRS commended the improvements in the GFRS protection services, observing that effective resources are now in place to support all aspects of the protection function. The Service is on track to meet its risk-based inspection targets and has introduced robust enforcement procedures, including increased inspection visits and 24 hour a day, seven day a week duty fire safety support.

Additionally, the Service has made good progress in its third cause for concern in promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). Although not all staff fully understand the importance of EDI; ongoing training and engagement in this area was recognised to have led to improvements including an increase in staff declarations of diversity data.

Mark Preece, Chief Fire Officer for GFRS, said: “Our communities and workforce are at the heart of what we do, and I am pleased to see the progress we have made reflected in HMICFRS recent revisit in which two causes of concern, culture and protection, have been closed and removed by HMICFRS.

“As a Service, we have faced challenges, but we are united in our efforts to learn and improve. We collectively created and launched our workforce charter in 2023, and colleagues actively demonstrate these values and behaviours.

“Changing and embedding culture is a gradual process, and we are yielding lasting and positive results.

“We are an ambitious Fire and Rescue Service with ambitious plans. We will continue to build on this positive feedback from HMICFRS, and I thank them for their support and recognition of our significant progress.

“I am proud of the hard work and dedication shown by my colleagues and what we continue to achieve.”

Cllr Dave Norman, cabinet member with responsibility for the fire and rescue service, said: “I am pleased to see HMICFRS recognise the improvements made by the Fire and Rescue Service in closing two causes for concern.

“I have seen the hard work and dedication of our Chief Fire Officer, Mark Preece and the leadership team to transforming the Service and ensuring lasting, meaningful change.

“I share the Chief Fire Officer’s pride in the Service’s dedicated workforce and I am pleased to see HMICFRS recognising the extensive progress made.

“Gloucestershire County Council continues to support and invest in the Fire and Rescue Service to provide the workforce with the best possible equipment, training and resources to respond to emergencies and protect our communities.”

GFRS is currently recruiting on-call firefighters. If you want to help keep your community safe and be part of our team, find out more by visiting Recruitment at Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service - Glosfire