West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) is pleased to announce that Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Simon Tuhill, has been appointed as Chief Fire Officer.
Following the decision by CFO Brook to remain in Warwickshire, and after an extremely competitive selection process, WMFRA approached DCFO Tuhill, who was delighted that the opportunity had re-emerged and had no hesitation in accepting the role.
DCFO Tuhill said: “It is an honour to take on the leadership mantle of West Midlands Fire Service – truly, too good to turn down. The opportunity to lead, manage and develop a service so dedicated to protecting the West Midlands is very special and I am so pleased to be accept this opportunity.
“WMFS has an excellent reputation for its prevention, protection and response capabilities and it will be a privilege to walk through the door as the Chief Fire Officer for the first time.
“I know how hard staff have worked in difficult circumstances throughout 2024.”
Simon continued: “I feel I am well placed to lead the service through this current period of uncertainty. I commit to always keeping our staff at the heart of my decision making, because the people who work for WMFS, and their dedication, are what make it special.
“I’m so excited to work in such a diverse and vibrant place as the West Midlands. Having been based in similar diverse parts of our capital city during my time in the London Fire Brigade, I know how important the fire service is in helping keep the most vulnerable in society safe, and the special connection we have with our communities is something I cherish and will continue to champion.
“I know there are a range of challenges facing the service in the coming months, I look forward to working with the Home Office and Local Government Association to help improve oversight and scrutiny”.
Having been identified as the successful candidate by the Appointments, Standards and Appeal Committee, the appointment will be ratified by the Fire Authority on 25th November.
Cllr Rizwan Jalil, Chair of the WMFRA Appointments, Standards and Appeals Committee, said: “Our appointment of Simon is something I am very pleased about. The recruitment process was very competitive and closely run and Simon was an extremely talented candidate, and we are pleased that he has accepted this role.
“Through his experience across London, Hertfordshire and Northamptonshire he has built a formidable portfolio of experience while keeping staff the centre of his work. I believe he will take WMFS forward and be an inspiring leader for our staff.”
Cllr Catherine Miks, Vice Chair of WMFRA said: “Simon interviewed exceptionally well, setting out a clear vision for what he sees as the priority for the service – its people. He has a wealth of experience in the fire service, and I look forward to working with him.
“On behalf of WMFS, I want to reiterate that we fully respect CFO Brook’s personal decision to remain in Warwickshire, whilst recognising it did lead to further uncertainty.”
Following completion of his university studies, Simon initially worked in the pharmaceutical and medical industry. He began his fire service journey in London Fire Brigade in 1998 and over a career based manly in central London, attended large and major incidents including the 7/7 bombings, for which he received a commendation, and the Grenfell Tower fire. In 2020, he joined Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service as Area Commander and became Assistant Chief Fire Officer. He subsequently moved to Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service as Deputy Chief Fire Officer.
During his time in Northamptonshire, which included being Interim CFO, he guided the service through significant organisational and political turbulence, stabilising and working closely with staff to improve the service.
He is a qualified Gold Commander and holds a Level 7 Certificate in Strategic Incident Command in Fire and Rescue Services, as well as a Post Graduate Certificate in Leadership in Public Services from the University of Warwick.
