Improvements at West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service have been highlighted in the latest inspection report published today by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services.

The inspection carried out last autumn, highlighted “significant progress in many areas” but recognised that the service has further work to do to build upon these improvements.

Chief Fire Officer, Sabrina Cohen-Hatton, said: “I am so proud of all of our staff who have helped see our service embark upon our improvement journey. And I am even more delighted that HMICFRS has recognised all of the work that has been put in to change course since our last inspection.

“This is of particular note when considering that everything we have achieved has been delivered amid the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, at a time when all emergency services were under increasing pressure to ensure our communities remained safe.

“When we embarked upon this improvement journey in 2019 we knew that everything would not change overnight. It was vital that we laid strong foundations on which to build these improvements to ensure they would be sustainable and support the delivery of each of these programmes of work to ensure their success.

“The service has received significant investment from the county council to allow us to target the areas for improvement effectively, and I am delighted the inspectors recognised our service to be efficient and good value for money for the public. I’m so very pleased that the dedication of our staff to deliver on our improvement journey has been recognised by HMICFRS.”

You can read the full inspection report here: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmicfrs/publications/frs-assessment-2021-22-west-sussex/