Latest fire service inspection report published

Inspectors have found Essex County Fire and Rescue Service (ECFRS) is improving the way it keeps people safe. 

ECFRS is good at understanding and preventing fires and other risks in Essex and has been rated as good at future affordability. There is no longer a cause for concern for protection work, with inspectors recognising the hard work that has taken place with businesses, high rise buildings and the rural community to reduce risk. 

The report from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) comes following an inspection in October last year. 

The inspection was the Service's third assessment in as many years and looked at effectiveness and efficiency, and how well ECFRS looks after its people. 

Inspectors said progress was continuing and highlighted that the Service's prevention work focussed on those that needed it the most, as well as partnership and collaborative working. The cultural journey and progress ECFRS has been on over the last eight years was recognised but must continue. 

 Inspectors also said the Service uses data well and understands how to keep people safe and secure from fire and other risks, but it needs to do more to improve the availability of fire engines to make sure response to incidents is better. 

Chief Fire Officer/Chief Executive Rick Hylton welcomed the report and said it was an ‘important milestone on our improvement journey.’ 

He said: “We have been working hard to improve and the work we are doing is keeping people, homes, and businesses safer. We have sound financial plans in place which ensures you get value for money from your fire and rescue service, and we are continuing our journey of improving our Service to make it an inclusive and safe place to work. 

"I was particularly pleased to see our work on preventing risk and using data highlighted. We are identifying vulnerable people in our communities who we know are more at risk of being killed or seriously injured in a fire and are visiting their homes to offer advice and support to keep them safe. A previous cause for concern from inspectors around our protection function has been removed and this is testament to the great, proactive work our teams are doing.” 

Roger Hirst, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex, said: “This report is a strong, steady, positive step forward for Essex County Fire and Rescue Service.

“Since the PFCC took on joint governance in 2017, our fire and rescue service has progressed to be an organisation seen by inspectors as providing a good service to the public. We have a clear aspiration to be among the best fire and rescue services in the country.

“Transformation does not happen overnight and this turnaround has been achieved through hard work from the Service. There is more do, but this report shows we are facing and moving in the right direction.”

You can read the full inspection report here: Effectiveness, efficiency and people 2023/25 – Essex County Fire and Rescue Service - His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (justiceinspectorates.gov.uk) 

Gradings for our most recent HMICFRS inspections in 2018/2019, 2021/2022, 2023/2024 

Effectiveness: 

Efficiency: 

People: