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Principal Officers

Interim Chief Fire Officer - Nathaniel Hooton

Nathaniel was appointed as Interim Chief Fire Officer and Executive Director of Community Safety on 1st October 2026. He had previously served as the service's Deputy Chief Fire Officer.

Nathaniel started his career in Cornwall, serving the communities of Cornwall between 2000 to 2017 in various key roles. He then moved to Cumbria as an Area Manager and Strategic Incident (Gold) Commander. During this period with Cumbria Nathaniel also undertook a Temporary Assistant Chief Fire Officer role.

Nathaniel is a Fellow of the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE) and a Senior Examiner for the IFE, holds a Master’s degree in Leadership and a Degree in Business Administration and Finance alongside multi fire service specific qualifications and skills.

Nathaniel is committed to GFRS, the people, the communities we serve and is passionate about people reaching their goals.

Nathaniel currently lives in Brimscombe (Stroud) with his partner and continues to explore the beautiful county of Gloucestershire whilst learning about its history, culture, and communities.

 

ACO Mick Berry

Temporary Deputy Chief Fire Officer -  Mick Berry

Mick was appointed to the role of Temporary Deputy Chief Fire Officer on 1st October 2026.

Mick joined GFRS as Assistant Chief Fire Officer in April 2026 from Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service, where he spent 28 years working across a wide range of operational and leadership roles. He began his career as an on‑call firefighter in 1997, before becoming a wholetime firefighter and progressing through the service to Area Manager.

In his previous role at Northamptonshire, Mick held responsibility for Service Delivery, alongside previous senior roles in Business Services. He has significant experience in managing large budgets, supporting His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) activity and delivering Community Risk Management Plans.

 

Temporary Assistant Chief Fire Officer - Amy Bailey

Amy was appointed to the role of Temporary Assistant Chief Fire Officer in October 2026.

Amy joined Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service as an Area Manager in 2025 from Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service, where she served for more than 20 years. She began her career as a wholetime firefighter in 2002 and progressed through a range of operational and leadership roles, leaving Hereford & Worcester as a Group Commander in response.

Throughout her career, Amy has worked across Prevention, Protection and Response, alongside specialist roles as a Training Instructor and Fire Investigator. She has extensive experience leading service improvement, organisational change and community risk reduction activities, with a strong focus on delivering better outcomes for both communities and employees.