Surrey Fire Service to Have 44 New Recruits by March

Published on: 13 Dec, 2018
Updated on: 13 Dec, 2018

Rosenbauer’s Concept Fire Truck Trialled at Surrey Fire and Rescue Service, Reigate Photo – Surrey County Council

By Rebecca Curley

Local Democracy Reporter

Surrey Fire & Rescue Service (SFRS) is to recruit more than 40 new firefighters by March 2019, according to the councillor in charge of supporting the service.

Since April this year (2018), the service has been leading a recruitment campaign which will result in 44 new recruits by the end of this financial year.

That will be a 10% uplift on the current workforce across the county.

SFRS recently underwent an inspection from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services.

The full report is due to be published this month, but a report that went to councillors at Surrey County Council’s (SCC) Environment and Select Committee on Wednesday (December 5) said initial feedback found there needed to be “greater effort on prevention and protection activity”.

The fire service is now working on a transformation programme which includes thousands of pounds worth of investment and more recruits.

Cllr Denise Turner-Stewart

Speaking at SCC full council meeting on Tuesday (December 11), Cllr Denise Turner-Stewart (Staines South and Ashford West), cabinet member for community safety, fire and resilience, said the council was supporting the service with new equipment.

The Tory councillor said: “The fire service is under a very significant transformation at the moment. We are investing over £900,000 over the next two years into generating and expanding the leadership programme.”

Rosenbauer’s Concept Fire Truck, a prototype electric fire engine that has barely any exhaust emissions, was based with SFRS at its Reigate HQ for three days in November.

Cllr Turner-Stewart added: “I think the evidence is there that Surrey County Council takes its support of Surrey Fire and Rescue Service extremely seriously and will continue to do so.”