Avon Fire & Rescue Service has announced the appointment of Richard Welch, formerly Deputy Assistant Commissioner at London Fire Brigade, as their new Assistant Chief Fire Officer. Welch is set to take up the role later this year following a selection process conducted by the People and Culture Committee’s Employment Panel on August 9.
Councillor David Wilcox, Chair of the Employment Panel, commented on the recruitment: “We were delighted with the number of high-quality applications for the Assistant Chief Fire Officer vacancy. After a thorough recruitment process, we are confident Richard is the right person to help lead the Service forward on its journey of continuous improvement.”
Chief Fire Officer Simon Shilton added, “Congratulations to Richard on his success in such a competitive process. His vast experience will undoubtedly boost the effective and efficient services we provide our local communities. He’s a fantastic addition to the team.”
Richard Welch began his fire service career in 1996 with London Fire Brigade, working across South East and South West London. He led the Local Intervention Fire Education (L.I.F.E) project in East London, which earned him the Mayor’s London Day Award in 2003.
His career progression includes promotion to Station Manager in 2009 at East Ham and Poplar Fire Stations, followed by roles as Borough Commander for Bexley, Southwark, and Lambeth. In 2017, he rose to Deputy Assistant Commissioner, focusing on regulatory fire safety. Between 2019 and 2022, he served as Deputy Assistant Commissioner for London’s South East and North East areas.
Welch has extensive experience managing high-pressure situations. He was Incident Commander during the Grenfell Tower disaster and the Parsons Green terrorist attack, both classified as Major Incidents. He has received multiple awards for operational bravery, leadership, and community service. Additionally, Welch is a former RNLI lifeboat crew member and holds a bronze bravery award.
On his appointment, Welch said, “I’m absolutely delighted to be joining Avon. This is a fantastic service filled with brilliant people doing brilliant work. I can’t wait to meet everyone and use my experience to make our communities safer and strengthen the Service.”
Outside of work, Welch is a family man with four grown sons and five grandchildren. He enjoys cycling and travelling in his spare time.
Originally published by UKNIP.
