We would like to offer our sincere congratulations to all those honoured in the Queen’s Birthday 2022 Honours list. It goes without saying, we are proud of staff across fire and rescue services for their outstanding dedication and commitment to the people they serve.
The list below highlights people from fire and rescue services who received a Birthday Honour.
Queen’s Fire Service Medal (QFSM) For distinguished service:
Michael David CRENNELL QFSM, lately, Chief Fire Officer and Chief Executive, Avon Fire and Rescue Service. Mick demonstrated the Nolan principles of public life by establishing external and independent investigations into longstanding allegations and transparency, listening to criticism and jointly working with complainants to resolve differences. He invested time in engaging with external partners and politicians to listen and respond but also to communicate steps for improvements. He also took on the national role of leading on collaboration, representing the UK fire service on a national and international level. At the same time, he also led the organisation through an LGA peer review, HMICFRS inspection and a huge cultural change program.
Stephen OWEN-HUGHES, M.B.E. QFSM, Chief Fire Officer, Surrey Fire and Rescue Service. His drive and enthusiasm for the improvement of the Service, and its ability to keep Surrey as safe as possible, which was considered failing by HMICFRS, have been powerfully shown since becoming CFO. He has greatly improved the response times of fire engines while realigning resources and inculcated a more positive culture among his staff. He has played a leading role in developing integrated transport and fleet arrangements across 3 FRSs and 2 Police Forces across Surrey and Sussex to enable financial efficiencies and improved resilience
Timothy John MURRELL QFSM, Drone Manager, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service. In 2016, headed a project which saw Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service become the first service in the sector to purchase and use a drone at operational incidents. After a number of incidents in Lancashire where fires broke through roofs unexpectedly to firefighters stood on them, Tim saw the opportunity to make firefighters safer through introduction of a drone. Tim led the procurement process, ensured that the drone met the needs of the organisation, created training packages with the Civil Aviation Authority and put together risk assessments and service policies which ensures that the drone not only helps with firefighter safety but also saves lives.
Neil Ian ODIN QFSM, Chief Fire Officer, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service. From the initial groundwork leading up to 2020, Neil delivered and offered that secure foundation which enabled our teams to work collectively and coherently. Having impacted the Hampshire and Isle of Wight communities so dutifully and significantly, especially in his response during the challenges of Brexit and the spread of Covid-19, Neil has built a reputation for exemplary governance and outstanding work. Leading two fire and rescue services and the cross-agency work on the two biggest challenges facing society in a generation, means that Hampshire and the Isle of Wight is always prepared and acting to protect its community in the best possible way.
Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE):
Dr Paul Grimwood MBE, Principal Fire Safety Engineer, Kent Fire and Rescue Service. For services to Fire Safety. His commitment to helping people goes beyond incidents and research. In the early 1990’s, he volunteered to provide aid for civilian victims in Iraq and Bosnia. His selflessness is reflected in his decision to donate all royalties from his books ‘Fog Attack’ and ‘Euro Firefighter’ – part of the firefighter syllabus in many countries - to the Katie Piper Foundation. His donations of over £10,000 have enabled two patients to trial a new rehabilitation centre for adult survivors of burns.
Harshad Saujani MBE, Community Safety Educator, Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service. For services to Safer Communities. His work has helped prevent fires and ensured that thousands feel safer. He has visited hundreds of schools, educating children on fire/road safety. He has also proactively designed and implemented campaigns to educate traditionally hard-to-reach groups, understanding their cultural needs and providing practical advice. During Diwali, fire incidences have historically increased due to candle use.
Helen Crampton MBE, Head of Safety and Risk Management, Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service. For services to Public Safety. Her depth of knowledge and dedication was rewarded last year by a judgement from Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabularies and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) that Safety Culture of DFRS was ‘Outstanding’, one of few across the Country with that accolade. She has a leading role in all welfare debriefs, ensuring personnel are cared for mentally and emotionally after a traumatic incident.
British Empire Medal (BEM):
Simon Griffiths BEM, Watch Manager, Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service. For services to Fire and Rescue. Since 2013, he has helped raise more than £4600 for The Firefighters Charity, including organising and participating in sponsored walks between Whitchurch Fire Station in Shropshire and Malpas Fire Station in Cheshire, wearing full personal protective equipment and breathing apparatus. The money raised helps support the rehabilitation of injured fire fighters and the well-being of their families. He further demonstrated his dedication to his community by spending 5 years as a Community First Responder, a vital role in a rural area.
Roger Pickett BEM, Fire Museum Founder, Curator and Volunteer, Essex Fire and Rescue Service. For services to the Community. His continued passion, commitment, and dedication for the Fire Service, inspired him to create one of the finest Fire Brigade Museums in the United Kingdom in 2007. His interest and enthusiasm for the Fire Brigade, especially its heritage, continued after retiring as an operational Firefighter. This motivated him to develop and present to Service Managers the idea and business plan to create the Essex Fire Museum for the purpose of education and community engagement. His belief in education and the difference it makes to communities, especially around fire and road safety awareness, is boosted by the knowledge and that he can communicate the importance of inclusion, equality and diversity.
Derek Whitbread BEM, On-Call Watch Manager, Essex Fire and Rescue Service. For service to the Community. He’s synonymous with Epping Fire station and his status as the officer in charge within this community is not limited to emergency response. He has an unwavering commitment to community; he has set a great example of good for generations of firefighters and the community of Epping and has inspired many to answer the vocational call of public service. He is pivotal in the organisation of community events such as the Xmas grotto and station open days, which cement the station’s community standing whilst raising much needed funds for local charities, also providing essential fire safety messages and smoke alarm advice to help to save people’s lives.
Elizabeth Warren BEM, Safeguarding Manager, Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service. For services to the Community during the Covid-19 Pandemic. Her unwavering commitment to protecting the most vulnerable people in her community in times of crisis goes above and beyond the call of duty. As the Safeguarding Manager at Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service, she has worked tirelessly to ensure that vulnerable people in Berkshire can access life-saving support. In the past five years, she has overseen an increase in safeguarding referrals of 1008%.
Daren McLatchey BEM, Station Commander, Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service. For services to Hertfordshire community. He is a Fire Officer by profession and when COVID first hit our shores he was asked if he would support the Local Resilience Forum (LRF), this he happily did without hesitation. It was quickly recognised his skills in command and control, resource management along with a ‘can do’ attitude was invaluable to other agencies and managers who were not as experienced in emergency incident management as he was. This meant he was again asked to do more and more by other agencies to support their COVID responsibilities. This was over and above his Operational commitments as a Fire Officer. He was not only now carrying out his Fire role but supporting the wider LRF, leading on delivering key strategies in the fight against COVID.
If you know of anyone worthy of an Honours award please email Anne Floris (email: FireServiceHonours@homeoffice.gov.uk) for further information.