Almost 1 in 6 'experience bullying at fire service'

The Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service staff survey showed 17% of respondents had experienced bullying or harassment

Almost one in six members of a fire service experienced bullying or harassment, a staff survey showed.

According to an annual report from Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service, 17% of respondents reported being harassed by colleagues in the previous year.

The service has previously been criticised for how it handled bullying, and inspectors said last year that while improvements had been made, more work needed to be done.

Chief fire officer Ceri Sumner told the BBC all concerns raised were taken "really seriously". She added that "a lot" had been done to ensure all staff had a "positive experience".

"We've done a lot to try and make sure people are supported," said chief fire officer Keri Sumner

In 2019, a report by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) highlighted concerns over bullying in Norfolk.

Last year, inspectors said "good progress" had been made addressing it, and the service was "acting against poor behaviours in the workplace".

However, they warned that some staff did not report bad behaviour "because they felt nothing would happen".

Following a national report in 2023, which warned of bullying at every fire service in England, HMICFRS made 35 recommendations, including improved background checks on recruits and better systems to help staff raise concerns.

'We take everything seriously'

"We've done a lot over the last three years to ensure that everybody who comes and works in Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service has a positive experience," said Ms Sumner.

She said the service had "embedded" a national "core code of ethics" and added an "anonymous speak up line" for staff to raise concerns.

Insisting "we do take everything seriously", Ms Sumner said the service also had a professional standards manager to investigate misconduct.

According to the annual Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service Statement of Assurance report, in 2024/25, "there were 16 misconduct and 15 gross misconduct investigations to investigate".

The report also said between 2020 and 2024, the service - which has also been criticised for a lack of diversity - had increased its number of female firefighters from 24 to 52.

That meant women accounted for 6.6% of its firefighters.

Norfolk County Council's cabinet – which oversees the work of the fire and rescue service – is due to discuss the report.