Collaboration can help deliver a fire service of which everyone can be proud.
My number one priority is to work with all fire and rescue services to provide an open, inclusive, and welcoming culture for everyone.
Recent reports in the media – along with the findings in HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services’ (HMICFRS) recent spotlight report on culture – have been shocking.
The allegations of bullying, harassment and discrimination paint a stark and damning picture of the cultural issues across fire and rescue services.
Any form of discrimination, bullying or harassment is completely unacceptable in a modern-day fire and rescue service and must not be tolerated. These behaviours need to stop – and stop now.
Now is the time to act together – and quickly – to deliver transformation and culture change.
The change will also need to build on some of the fantastic culture and inclusion work that fire services and their staff are already delivering for their staff and local communities.
Just a few weeks ago, the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) held a culture and inclusion event that brought together almost 200 people from across fire and rescue services, the LGA, the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners and other stakeholders.
This was one of the best attended events we have ever held, highlighting everyone’s commitment and ambition for change.
It was clear there was a determined focus on improving culture and inclusion, and acknowledging the issues we must face head on.
The NFCC is also establishing an independent external expert advisory panel which can provide challenge to ensure we deliver against our culture commitments.
At the conference, I committed to publishing a new plan within a month, setting out clear actions and milestones.
This includes a commitment to ensuring every fire service has an independent, confidential reporting line, meaning staff and the public can report concerns with the confidence that they will be heard, and action will be taken.
Work on culture and inclusion has been under way for a long time.
The NFCC has a longstanding relationship with the LGA and National Employers. A key piece of work is ‘Fit for the Future’ that sets out our ambitions for a 21st century fire and rescue service.
One of the improvement objectives states: “An inclusive culture is at the heart of every fire and rescue service. They are a welcoming and supportive place to work for the widest variety of people from all backgrounds.”
This work is continuing and is at the heart of our work – not just on culture but further reforms.
In addition, NFCC has produced a range of leadership development and other culture and inclusion products for fire and rescue services to use as they continue to improve.
Fire service leaders know that cultural change is critical and there is a wealth of collective intelligence and perspectives inside and outside of the fire service that we are drawing upon.
By harnessing learning and addressing difficult issues together, we can work to ensure we have a fire and rescue service that everyone is proud to be part of.
I want the public and every member of staff to see and experience a service that values diversity, equality, inclusion, aspiration and fair challenge.