Norfolk Fire Service 'must improve' its fire prevention

The fire brigade was rated as "requires improvement" in three areas of its service

A fire service has been told its ability to prevent fires must get better despite improvements made.

Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service was rated as "requires improvement" at preventing fires by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS).

But inspector Lee Freeman said it was evident the service had made improvements since a report in 2022.

Chief fire officer, Ceri Sumner, said it had been "a real team effort".

The HMICFRS report rated the service as "good" in three areas, "adequate" in five and "requires improvement" in three after an eight-week inspection in September and October 2023.

Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service has made improvements since it was last inspected in October 2021

It revealed the service had increased its fire prevention department from three members of staff to 15, and was praised for making "high priority" improvements.

However, inspectors noted that there was not a "clear, risk-based approach" to directing prevention activity towards those most at risk from fire.

The service needed to ensure staff were "appropriately trained" for their roles and that it needed to do more to make sure they viewed internal promotion processes as open, transparent and fair, the inspectors stressed.

But, Mr Freeman said he was encouraged to find a "significant increase" in both resources and time allocated to reducing risk.

"There is a positive working culture throughout the service, with staff feeling empowered and willing to challenge poor behaviours when they come across them," he wrote.

"Overall, the service has improved since our last inspection, but there is still more to do."

'Fully committed'

Ms Sumner said she was proud of work undertaken to improve the service since it was last inspected in October 2021, with the subsequent report stating it was "inadequate" at preventing fires.

"We know we still have more work to do, particularly in targeting our prevention activities, improving how we evaluate the quality of our work and attracting a more diverse workforce," she added.

"We are fully committed to continuing to do the best for the people of Norfolk."