Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service among best performing in the country

A recent inspection report into the Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service (GMFRS) has revealed it to be the most improved service in the country, and now ranks among the best performing.

The latest inspection by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) into the service praised progress made to drive positive changes to operations and culture.

10 out of the 11 areas assessed by inspectors have now been rated ‘Good’, up from just three such ratings in GMFRS’s first inspection in 2018, which saw the service given ‘required improvement’ grades in seven areas. Six areas were also recognised by HMICFRS as demonstrating promising or innovative practice in the most recent inspection, with the new ratings making GMFRS the most improved fire and rescue service nationally, and among the best performing nationwide.

Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said:

“I am immensely proud to say that today, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service is one of the best performing fire and rescue services in the country.

“We know that the service of seven years ago has undergone fundamental change, and our Chief Fire Officer and his leadership team have relentlessly committed themselves to that mission. This report is a testament to their work, and to the tireless efforts of everyone within GMFRS to keep our city-region safe and deliver a modern, professional, inclusive service.

“Dave, his senior team, our firefighters and all of our support staff deserve every credit for the improvements they have driven. With their leadership, and the support and hard work of staff right across the service, GMFRS has turned a corner – and they will have our full backing as they continue on that path to even greater success.”

GMFRS Chief Fire Officer Dave Russel said:

“Our service has been on a significant improvement journey since I joined in September 2020, and I am the first to admit that journey hasn’t always been easy. But we have always been open and honest about the challenges we have faced, and about our determination to tackle them head-on and change for the better.

“This was our service’s third inspection in five years and the inspectors have been rigorous and fair in carrying out their work. I am pleased to say that we have already acted on the recommendations within this report, and I am confident that further progress will be reflected in our next inspection.

“Whilst we are delighted with this report, we are by no means complacent, and we know that improvement is a continuous journey. We will never rest on our laurels as a service, or shy away from defending our culture and values as we continue on that journey to ‘outstanding’. But today is a day when everyone in GMFRS can be proud of how far we’ve come together.”

The report comes just months after GMFRS was named ‘Emergency Service of the Year’ at the 2023 FIRE Magazine annual Excellence in Fire and Emergency Awards, along with awards for ‘Project of the Year’ for the adult fire-setters Atlas programme, and ‘Most Influential LGBTQ+ Individual’ for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager, Jax Effiong.

Also last year, GMFRS moved from 93rd to 50th position for leading LGBTQ+ inclusive employers and won a Gold Employer award from Stonewall; colleagues picked up NFCC awards in Protection and Prevention categories, including ‘Team Award’ for the Protection team.