Cleveland Fire Brigade has welcomed the findings of its latest inspection by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), published today (Wednesday 23rd April). The service wishes to thank HMICFRS for their report and all their staff who have contributed and supported the inspection process.
The publication follows on from a 10-week inspection in Autumn 2024 and provides a valuable opportunity for the Service to reflect, celebrate the successes and to learn and improve.
The Service’s performance was assessed across 11 key areas, receiving ‘Requires Improvement’ in three areas, ‘Adequate’ ratings in four and ‘Good’ ratings in four others. The outcome is positive for the Service and will be supported by a clear action plan to address the recommendations.
Chief Fire Officer Peter Rickard said:
“I welcome the findings of our latest HMICFRS inspection, and I want to take this opportunity to thank every single member of staff for their continued dedication, professionalism, and pride in the work we do. I accept the HMICFRS findings in full and am pleased that the positivity of our staff and our commitment to keeping our communities safe has been recognised.
“While we are proud of the areas where we are performing well, we fully acknowledge the areas identified for improvement. We will be producing an action plan to address these and many of the actions will form part of our new Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP), which we are currently developing. We remain committed to learning, evolving, and supporting both our staff and communities even more effectively.”
The Chair of Cleveland Fire Authority, Councillor David Coupe said:
“As Chair of Cleveland Fire Authority, I welcome the findings of the latest HMICFRS inspection and am proud of the dedication shown by everyone across Cleveland Fire Brigade.
“The inspection process plays a vital role in ensuring accountability and helping to identify where we can improve. We fully support the Service’s ongoing efforts to address the areas identified, particularly through the development of the new CRMP, which will ensure we continue to meet the needs of our communities
“The Authority will continue working closely with the Service’s leadership to maintain high standards and drive forward progress, ensuring our teams continue to respond swiftly to emergencies, deliver essential prevention advice and support local businesses on fire safety.”
Ultimately, most people will never need to call on our services, but if they do, they expect a fast response and reassuringly our response times are one of the fastest in the Country. In 2023/24, Cleveland Fire Brigade attended building fires in an average of 7 minutes for the first appliance and 10 minutes for the second appliance. *
* The Home Office reports that the national average response time for dwelling fires was 8 minutes and 5 seconds and for primary fires was 9 minutes and 4 seconds.
These figures demonstrate that Cleveland Fire Brigade continues to exceed national averages, ensuring our communities receive prompt and efficient emergency response when it’s needed most.
Looking ahead, the new CRMP will be co-created with our communities. The insights from this inspection will also help us focus on the right priorities and deliver services that truly reflect local needs. Working in partnership remains at the heart of everything we do – and we will continue using data, feedback, and insight to protect and support the people of Teesside.
If you would like to be involved in shaping future plans, please contact: communications@clevelandfire.gov.uk.
You can read the full HMICFRS Inspection Report here: https://hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/publications/frs-assessment-2023-25-cleveland/
