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Chief Fire Officers' Association 
THE CHIEF FIRE OFFICERS' ASSOCIATION (CFOA)
The Chief Fire Officers' Association (CFOA) exists to provide a national and professional voice for senior officers in the UK Fire and Rescue Service (FRS). The organisation is committed to assisting and supporting its members in their leadership role, as well as working to drive the fire and rescue agenda at the national level and to advise and support colleagues in central and local government and partner agencies.
CFOA works tirelessly in partnership with others to ensure that fire and rescue issues remain high in the public consciousness.
Our mission and values
Formed in 1974, the association is a charitable company limited by guarantee whose mission is to reduce the loss of life, personal injury and damage to property and the environment by improving the quality of fire-fighting, rescue, fire protection and fire prevention in the United Kingdom.
Fundamental to the success of CFOA are four basic values which balance the traditional approach of public service with the requirements of a modern and changing society. These are: service to the community, valuing our personnel, embracing diversity and working for continuous improvement.
The association offers strong leadership for the sector and acts as a focal point for the professional advice that drives and contributes to the development of national and local policy.
Working with key decision-makers
The association regularly engages with a range of bodies to address important issues for the sector. These bodies include the Local Government Association (LGA), Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE), Fire Protection Association (FPA), other emergency responders, key public agencies, the Third Sector and central government.
CFOA strives to place itself at the heart of debate and works with key decision-makers in communicating the views and priorities of its members. Chairmanship of the FRS Practitioner’s Forum and regular meetings with the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) gives the association the ability to guide and shield the service through this period of continuing change. Our relationship with key external stakeholders is also improving, through closer working with the FRS’ Business and Community Safety Forum.
Emerging demands
Cultivating these types of relationships is vital to the continued promotion of the fire and rescue agenda, especially against the backdrop of emerging issues such as climate change, resilience and civil protection and adapting services to meet the needs of local communities.
CFOA believe that these issues will present significant challenges for the FRS over the next 12 months, and a key objective of the association is to ensure that additional demands placed on services are sufficiently supported and financed.
Flooding and resilience
Climate change is having a more visible and pronounced affect on our communities. The service responded professionally and effectively to the devastating floods, which occurred during summer 2007, but research suggests that responders will face these occurrences and the effects of climate change more frequently in the future.
CFOA has already worked closely with CLG (our lead government department) in considering the cost and implications of responding to such incidents. Further work needs to be undertaken this year, in partnership with external agencies and local councils, to co-ordinate effective civil protection scenarios and to ensure the robustness of our infrastructure.
Fire and rescue services play a vital role preserving and protecting regional economies and providing resilience and business continuity during major incidents. The association looks forward to receiving clarification on our statutory responsibility in the case of floods and water rescue in order that we can develop strategies and policies alongside partner agencies to deal with the adverse impacts of climate change as well as accidental pollution.
Equality and diversity
Incidents such as the terror plots from July 2007 and the attacks which took place in 2006 place additional demands on the frontline resources of public services by raising tensions between cultures and within communities. Such issues present different considerations than those presented by climatic events.
The association will continue to work closely with the police and other emergency responders, as well as with the government, in addressing security and resilience issues. We will continue to ensure that personnel are trained to use new equipment safely and effectively and that all new burdens are fully financed and sustainable.
The association will continue to support and monitor the implementation of the FiReControl and FiReLink projects, which will support resilience and ensure a robust emergency infrastructure.
CFOA is committed to encouraging social cohesion. The association has demonstrated this by working to attract greater diversity within our workforce and by harnessing a range of different skills and experience, which are more reflective of the communities we serve. Once again the association is re-emphasising its pledge to realise the benefits that a more diverse workforce offers in delivering high-quality and efficient community-focussed services.
The local agenda
The Local Government White Paper and Act make clear the government’s expectations in relation to local engagement. The association is actively working to implement the spirit of these proposals into the day-to-day operation and culture of the FRS. This focus on sustainable communities and a personalised agenda has initiated a wave of transformation across all local public services from which the FRS is not immune.
CFOA will work to promote the spirit of the Local Government Act and ensure that our members are aware of the scale of change the government is demanding from local service providers. The association will continue to promote a collaborative approach to local target setting, through engagement in the Local Area Agreement (LAA) process. We will ensure local services play a full and active part in the formulation of new Agreements, which are due to commence in April 2008.
An effective and innovative partner
It is the association’s aim that the government and public recognise the effective and innovative partnership role and expertise that the service provides. This includes making our communities safer through fire-prevention work, programmes involving vulnerable and disadvantaged young people, encouraging responsible citizenship and initiatives to improve road safety.
The involvement of the service in developing and shaping our communities makes perfect economic sense at a time when downward pressures and finance constraints are focused on a holistic approach to delivering public services.
The association is constantly pushing for improvement across the sector, aiming to support its members to achieve collective and individual progress. The organisation is well placed to do this, with its cadre of highly talented operational and non-operational specialist staff.
Biography of Steve McGuirk, CFOA President
Steve joined the Greater Manchester (GMC) Fire Service as a junior firefighter in 1976; subsequently, he served in both Royal Berkshire and West Midlands.
He moved to the West Midlands in 1989 and served around Birmingham and in headquarters until he was appointed Deputy Chief Fire Officer of Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service in 1998. He was appointed Chief Fire Officer in 1999.
Steve has undertaken higher education whilst in the fire service and now holds a Masters Degree in Management, an Honours Degree in Political and Social Science, and a BSc in Fire Safety, Technology and Management. He Attended the Civil Service ‘Top Managers’ Programme in 2002. He has been a member of the Institution of Fire Engineers for many years and served on the International Council in the 1990s.
Steve has been a board member of the Chief Fire Officers' Association (CFOA) for over six years, leading for the Association on HR and equality matters. He is now President of CFOA.
Steve has undertaken a unique assignment in fire and rescue terms; for over nine months, in 2004, he was both ‘interim’ Chief Fire Officer of South Yorkshire as well as Chief Fire Officer of Cheshire.
He was awarded the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in 1996, the Queen’s Fire Service Medal in 2002, and the CBE in 2005 for his work in South Yorkshire.
He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts Manufactures and Commerce (RSA).
Steve McGuirk,
CFOA President 2007–08
Tel 01827 302300
Website: www.cfoa.org.uk |
