In simplest form the Fire Standards Board oversees the identification, organisation, development and maintenance of professional standards for fire and rescue services in England, ensuring that consultation has been undertaken with experts and stakeholders and that every standard undergoes an independent quality assurance process. The outcome is that standards set the benchmark, provide the framework and impetus for continual improvement to literally raise the bar for FRS performance. The service needs standards.

Born out of the fire reform agenda in 2016 as part of a suite of initiatives that included the reintroduction of the inspectorate, the Fire Standards Board was a central component of the reform agenda, although it was felt by government that it had to be driven by the sector. “The reform agenda needed to be owned by the sector and not by Whitehall, with the sector empowered to shape and develop reforms and become ‘self-transforming’.” With that raison d’etre Suzanne assumed the mantle with some gusto.

 

Read the full article on our digital issue, page 17-20.

Not yet a subscriber? Sign up to FIRE magazine today from just £35 per year.