 | |
| Operational area | |
|---|---|
| Country | England |
| Address | Hertford, Hertfordshire, SG13 7LD |
| Agency overview | |
| Established | 1925 (1925) |
| Employees | 1,000 |
| Chief Fire Officer | Alex Woodman[1][2] |
| Facilities and equipment | |
| Stations | 29 |
| Website | |
www | |
Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service (HFRS) is thestatutoryfire and rescue service for thecounty ofHertfordshire,England. HFRS covers an area of 1,514 square miles (3,920 km2) and a population of 1.19 million.[3]
The service headquarters is located inHertford whilst the Training and Development Centre (JESA (Joint Emergency Services Academy)) and Fire Control Centre are located inStevenage. It is administered by a Fire Authority which is an internal part ofHertfordshire County Council. The service is led by Chief Fire Officer Alex Woodman, who was appointed in September 2021.
In December 2005, the service dealt with what is thought to be the largest fire since World War II following anexplosion at the Buncefield oil depot nearHemel Hempstead. The incident saw a large scale national response involving many UK fire services.
HFRS has 29fire stations and 40fire appliances.[3] The stations use a number of crewing models:[4]
The protection area includes four large settlements with a population between 50,000 and 100,000:Hemel Hempstead,StevenageWatford, and the city ofSt Albans.[3]Almost 89% of residents live in urban areas, comprising 32% of the county; while the remaining population live in the 67% of the county that is rural.[4]
Every fire and rescue service inEngland and Wales is periodically subjected to a statutory inspection byHis Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS). The inspections investigate how well the service performs in each of three areas. On a scale of outstanding, good, requires improvement and inadequate, Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service was rated as follows:
| Area | Rating 2018–19[5] | Rating 2021–22[6] | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Effectiveness | Requires improvement | Good | How effective is the fire and rescue service at keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks? |
| Efficiency | Requires improvement | Requires improvement | How efficient is the fire and rescue service at keeping people safe and secure from fire and other risks? |
| People | Requires improvement | Good | How well does the fire and rescue service look after its people? |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |