Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service is pleased with its improved performance as detailed in a report published this week by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS).

HMICFRS visited Hertfordshire early in 2022 to inspect the work of the service under three pillars: Effectiveness, Efficiency, and People. Since the last report in 2018, the service has moved from ‘Requires Improvement’ in all three pillars to a ‘Good’ rating in two out of the three areas of inspection.

In the report, the Inspectorate once again acknowledged the strength of the service’s emergency response arrangements, the skills and professionalism of its firefighters and incident commanders, as well as recognising the high standard of training to ensure the continued delivery of a strong and effective emergency response.

The service’s contribution to national response arrangements was also judged to be good, remarking on the quality of our specialist equipment and, once again, the expertise of our staff.

The report highlighted innovative practice in the Fire Protection department, noting that the service has “strong links and engages well with regulatory partners and local businesses” and that it “contributes to improving local business productivity with guidance and advice.”

In its report, HMICFRS also highlighted areas that require improvement, including some elements of the service’s fire prevention work, efficiency, and diversity of its people.

Cllr Morris Bright MBE, Executive Member for Community Safety at Hertfordshire County Council, said: “We are really pleased that HMICFRS judged Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service to be ‘Good’ in two out of three areas, recognising the improvements made to the service since its first inspection in 2018. Residents can rest assured that we are delivering a high-quality emergency response and that we are well-prepared for major incidents. The results of this inspection are a great encouragement as well as strong evidence that the service is heading in the right direction.”

Chief Fire Officer Alex Woodman added: “I am extremely proud of all the hard work, dedication, and effort of our teams to strengthen the organisation and deliver improved services for our community. The recognition of this by His Majesty’s Inspector is welcomed by the entire service and affirms our resolve to focus further improvements on the areas of recommendation.”