As Chief Fire Officer I stand beside the Authority and members of staff in looking forward to a bright inclusive and modern future for the communities of South Yorkshire. 

We aim to establish a community engagement as our primary focus.  The Service must act, and be seen to act, as an integral part of local communities in the way it addresses local need.

Although we are immensely proud about the quality of our operational response we will now also be judged on our ability to prevent fires and other emergencies occurring.  This marks a sea change in all aspects of service delivery; in the way we get involved in the wider community safety issues by working closely with partner organisations and local authorities; in the way we identify community need and respond with preventative activities and community education to ensure the fire, accident or emergency does not occur; and in the way we listen and consult with members of our communities and our front-line workforce to ensure that we keep our strategic plans real and relevant.

In short, a lot of change is presently being managed within South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue.  We feel that the changes we are putting in place will significantly enhance your safety and the safety of your community.