Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Fire Authority has confirmed that Deputy Chief Fire Officer and Chief Operating Officer Jason Thelwell will be appointed as Chief Fire Officer next year.

Jason will succeed Mark Jones, who will complete his five-year term in January 2015, and retire in February after a short hand-over period and a 30-year fire and rescue service career.

Jason, aged 43, who lives in Milton Keynes, joined Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service as Assistant Chief Fire Officer in May 2010 after 17 years with Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service.

Councillor Adrian Busby, Chairman of Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Fire Authority and its Executive Committee, commented: “I am delighted that Jason has been successful in his application for the position of Chief Fire Officer on the retirement of Mark Jones and I look forward to working with Jason as we continue on our journey.

“Mark’s legacy has provided us with an immediate successor, who we are confident will continue to build on the remarkable success story of the past five years with the excellent team which he and Mark have assembled.”
 

Commercial buildings, non-domestic and multi-occupancy premises in England and Wales are already forced to undertake a 'suitable and sufficient' fire risk assessment carried out under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

While the overwhelming majority of premises do this, if the assessment is thought to have been carried out to an insufficient extent, the Responsible Person can face an unlimited fine or up to two years in prison.