An independent inspection was carried out by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS).
Inspectors praised KFRS for being “excellent in its performance in keeping people safe and secure from fires and other risks,” and it has once again emerged as one of the country’s top-performing fire services.
Inspectors assessed how KFRS responds to fires and other emergencies and protects the public during their visit last summer. They also investigated how the service supports its employees and volunteers.
KFRS received a ‘good’ rating in both of its core assessment pillars:
Effectiveness – effective emergency response and public protection.
People – how it treats its employees.
It received a ‘outstanding’ rating in the efficiency pillar:
Efficiency refers to how the service spends public funds and employs resources and equipment.
Not only does the report highlight the service’s ‘excellent performance in keeping people safe’, but it also says KFRS is ‘outstanding at promoting the right values and culture’, with ‘senior leaders as role models’ who ’embody a positive vision’. Inspectors discovered a ‘positive working culture throughout the service, with staff empowered and willing to challenge’.
I’m pleased and very proud that an independent body has assessed our performance in this way,” said Ann Millington, Chief Executive of Kent Fire and Rescue Service. Our teams worked extremely hard to raise the bar and were awarded ‘outstanding’ overall for efficiency, as well as in other areas such as culture and risk understanding.
“While this is a positive report, it is critical that we continue to improve and develop the services we provide to everyone. We are constantly striving to do more and be better.
“I am grateful to have such a strong, hardworking, and impressive workforce comprised of people who genuinely care and want to do the right thing. Every member of KFRS is dedicated to saving lives.
I’m delighted that Kent Fire and Rescue Service is among the top performing fire services in the UK following its HMICFRS inspection,” said Nick Chard, Chairman of Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue Authority. This is the result of the team’s hard work and dedication across Kent and Medway, who work together to save lives and provide a fire and rescue service to be proud of.
“I congratulate Kent Fire and Rescue Service on its strong performance across all three areas of our assessment,” said His Majesty’s Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services Roy Wilsher. The Service understands risk thoroughly and prioritises accordingly, demonstrating some very innovative and clear planning.”
