More than three years after the publication of the values and culture review, and with changing domestic fire risks and increasing concern around wildfires, the fire and rescue service continues to operate in a period of sustained change.

Reflecting on his time in the role so far, Phil Garrigan described the experience as demanding but positive. “It’s been intense,” he said of the role, which he took on after serving as Chief Fire Officer in Merseyside. “But hugely rewarding.”

During his early months, Phil focused on understanding the organisation and engaging widely with the sector. He spent time “trying to get under the skin of the organisation” while connecting with fire and rescue services and stakeholders across the country, including trade unions and government departments. This broad engagement reflects the scale and complexity of the national fire system.

Funding and reform
Funding remains a key concern for fire and rescue services. While Phil described the most recent financial settlement as “significantly better” than initially expected, he acknowledged that financial pressures remain.

Over the past decade, fire and rescue services have lost around 11,000 firefighters. “I’m not suggesting that we need 11,000 back,” he told Catherine, “but we certainly need significantly more to protect the communities that we serve.”

When budgets tighten, fire chiefs must make difficult decisions to balance risk, demand and resources. Station closures are one possible response, but Phil highlighted that other options may include adjusting duty systems or reconfiguring estates, which can sometimes improve response times. “You have to cut your cloth accordingly,” he said.

At the same time, discussions around structural reform are increasing. With policing exploring consolidation and more fire services moving under mayoral governance, questions around scale and efficiency are re-emerging.

“The most important thing is our outcomes for the communities that we serve.” Phil Garrigan.

He noted that services may face challenges if they are either too small to operate effectively or too large to remain connected to local risks. Any structural changes, he suggested, should ultimately be assessed against their impact on public safety.

Culture and professional standards
Cultural reform has been a defining focus across the sector in recent years. Following the inspection report on values and culture, which outlined 35 recommendations, fire and rescue services have been working to strengthen leadership standards, misconduct processes and feedback mechanisms.
Phil believes progress is being made and highlighted the role played by fire leaders, the Ministerial Advisory Group, employers and the inspectorate in maintaining momentum.

The introduction of professional standards functions across services has been a visible change. While some brigades had established arrangements, others have had to develop new capacity. “You’ve got to embed the systems into practice,” Phil said, adding that follow-up inspections are important to ensure reforms lead to meaningful and lasting change.

However, he also emphasised that cultural improvement is an ongoing process. “I don’t think we’re there yet… I don’t think cultural change and shift ever goes away.”

The NFCC is currently exploring ways to measure progress more consistently, including the development of a cultural dashboard that could bring together indicators such as grievance data and staff survey feedback.

Resilience and emerging risk
Resilience is also rising up the sector’s agenda, particularly in response to climate change. Phil reflected on the extreme heat experienced in 2022, when he helped coordinate support following 15 major incident declarations. “We were stretched. It was quite an uncomfortable period.”

Wildfire incidents have continued to increase since then. In response, the NFCC is piloting a national wildfire capability that could provide specialist support to services without dedicated resources and may evolve into a formal national asset if successful.

Emerging risks are also changing the nature of domestic incidents. Fires involving lithium batteries, for example, are creating new challenges for prevention and response.

Phil also believes fire and rescue services could play a stronger role in supporting community preparedness alongside the voluntary sector. While Local Resilience Forums currently provide the main framework, he suggested the sector could become “a real pivotal partner” in coordinating preparedness activities if appropriately supported.

Underpinning these challenges is the need for improved digital infrastructure and innovation. Phil acknowledged that fire has experienced “a disinvestment in the infrastructure that supports fire” compared with other emergency services.

Working across the system
Looking ahead, Phil emphasised the importance of collaboration across the wider fire system. “It’s not just about operational response,” he said, noting the vital contributions of prevention and protection teams, control room staff, governance bodies and industry partners.

“We’re all on the same pitch. We’re all playing on the same side.”

He also encouraged open dialogue across the sector. “If you think you can make a change, you can have an impact, and you can keep people safer than they are now, then let’s talk, and let’s do something about it.”

As the sector faces continued financial pressure and a changing risk landscape, he believes progress will depend on recognising how different parts of the system work together and remaining open to improvement.

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