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‘Suffolk should be proud of its fire service’ says inspector after ‘good’ rating
Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service has been rated 'good' in its latest government inpection report Picture: SUFFOLK FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE - Credit: SUFFOLK FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE
Suffolk’s fire service has been rated ‘good’ in a recent government inspection – with firefighters praised for doing a “very good job to keep people safe”.
Suffolk's chief fire officer Mark Hardingham said he is pleased with the latest report Picture: GREGG BROWN - Credit: Gregg Brown
Suffolk's fire service has been rated 'good' in a recent government inspection - with firefighters praised for doing a "very good job to keep people safe".
The findings come from a report published by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) which visited Suffolk's service earlier this year.
Rating the county's provision as 'good' for its effectiveness, efficiency and leadership, chief inspector Zoë Billingham said: "Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service is doing a very good job of keeping people safe from fire and other risks. "I am pleased to report that the services is performing well across the three areas of our inspection.
"This is an excellent result and testament to the hard work of the service."
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However, the report did suggest the service requires improvements to the way it prevents fires, and how it protects the public through fire regulation, as staff have "limited" work in the area.
Ms Billingham added: "While it (the service) carries out a range of preventative measures such as safer home visits, it needs to do more to ensure that these are all properly evaluated and quality assured.
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But she added: "The people of Suffolk can be proud of their fire and rescue service. I am confident that the service will also further improve and look forward to seeing how it has progressed in a years time."
Mark Hardingham, chief fire officer for the county, said: "The 'good' rating we have been given is pleasing and positive for our first inspection. This is down to the hard work and dedication of all our staff and I'm extremely proud to be their, and Suffolk's, chief fire officer.
"The inspection has reported a balance between what we do well and what we need to do better, much of which is already in hand and some of which will be new work.
"We will never stop working to ensure we provide a good and professional fire and rescue service to Suffolk's communities whenever they need us."
The service will next be inspected in 2021, with Suffolk county councillor Richard Rout proposing to increase the service's budget by £500,000 plus inflation in 2020.
