West Midlands Fire Service announce Ben Brook as new Chief Fire Officer

CFO Ben Brook said: “ I am so grateful to Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service, who put their trust in me firstly as Assistant Chief Fire Officer and then as Chief Fire Officer. I leave with a gracious and heavy heart.

“My experiences at both Warwickshire and West Midlands Fire Services have shaped how I lead people and protect communities. We share the mission of protecting and saving lives, and our firefighters take that exceptional duty seriously and compassionately.

“There will be much to do: while this is familiar territory, a lot has changed, but I feel with the staff, facilities and aspirations we have, we can continue to contribute as a crucial part of our West Midlands communities.”

Having been identified as the successful candidate by the Appointments, Standards and Appeal Committee, CFO Brook’s name will be taken to the West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority (WMFRA) meeting on Monday 25 November, for ratification by the full Fire Authority.

Councillor Rizwan Jalil, Chair of the WMFRA Appointments, Standards and Appeals Committee, said: “We were enormously impressed with the strong field of six candidates we interviewed for this position, and we are grateful to Gatenby Sanderson for their support and expertise. WMFS continues to attract excellent applications and the committee was given a great deal to consider through the presentations and interviews of all candidates.

“However, Ben proved in each instance his experience, candour and enthusiasm for the job, so while ultimately this was a difficult decision given the strength of the field of applicants, we are confident that Ben is the ideal person to continue to drive WMFS forward.”

Councillor Catherine Miks, Vice Chair of WMFRA and WMFRA’s Appointments, Standards and Appeal Committee, said: “Ben put forward an exciting vision of how he will run WMFS. It has been a turbulent year but the panel were confident this was someone who could lead the service into the future.

“We look forward to the positive steps we will take together to ensure the confidence and happiness of our staff and the safety of the three million people WMFS is proud and privileged to protect.”