By Councillor Andrew Reid, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Public Protection.
Here in Suffolk, we are incredibly fortunate to have a fantastic fire service working around the clock to protect our county, with them tackling a number of significant incidents over recent weeks.
Although fighting fires is probably what Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service is known best for, their role covers far more than that.
In fact, the service was instrumental in Suffolk’s response to Storm Eunice, dealing with 51 weather related calls on the day of the storm itself.
When many of us were able to follow advice to stay at home, due to the risk to life, our emergency services were out on the frontline. This included Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service, who bravely helped colleagues keep the county safe and moving by assisting with fallen trees and powerlines throughout the storm and its aftermath.
Special service callouts, such as these, are attended frequently by firefighters, with them recently rescuing people from three vehicles stranded in high tides near the River Orwell.
Whilst these incidents often receive coverage in the press or on social media, you may not be as aware of the key role that Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service plays in event and community safety.
Inspecting officers from the service’s Protection Team have the important job of visiting businesses in the county to advise on fire guidance and the safe evacuation of everyone in the event of a fire.
Their auditing takes place at a range of venues across Suffolk including restaurants, bars, shops, Newmarket Racecourse and festivals such as Latitude.
It also extends to Ipswich Town Football Club, with our Protection Team carrying out a risk assessment of Portman Road Stadium. And, although we can’t guarantee a favourable result for the Tractor Boys as they play Lincoln City tonight, we will do everything in our power, along with partners, to help keep Suffolk’s football fans safe.
If this sounds like something you’d like to play a part in, you should consider applying for our Inspecting Officer vacancy at the Suffolk Jobs Direct website before Friday 18 March.
This really is a job with a difference, where no two days are ever the same. You do not need to have had any previous experience in the industry and can earn while you learn to help you achieve nationally recognised qualifications.
Applications are also welcome from those who have been turned down from becoming an on-call or wholetime firefighter, with the Inspecting Officer role offering an alternative way to save lives and give back to your community.
In addition, you’ll be joining a team who pride themselves on the wellbeing of staff, having recently signed up to The Mental Health at Work Commitment to pledge their support for better mental health outcomes in the workplace.
The service is also leading the way when it comes to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, as our staff network Suffolk Women in Fire Together (SWIFT) joins colleagues across the county in celebrating International Women’s Day today.
Our commitment to supporting women in the workplace has been formally recognised, following the Women in the Fire Service UK awarding us with a certificate of membership, which is now proudly on display in the service’s headquarters.
Addressing inequalities remains a priority not just for Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service, but for our council as a whole. I am delighted that we have built on our Equality ambitions by recently appointing a new dedicated cabinet member for this, Councillor Bobby Bennett, who will also take over from me in being responsible for Communities.
I have no doubt that she will do a wonderful job in her new role, and I am pleased that this will give me more time to focus on my Public Protection and Public Health portfolios.
Since I started as cabinet member for these service areas, they have faced significant challenges, such as Omicron, bird flu and adverse weather. Although these have been testing for council officers, their resilience and determination to look after the communities which they serve has not waned.
I would like to thank all staff who continue to protect Suffolk, from those often in the limelight, including firefighters, to those working hard behind the scenes. We may not know what the future holds, but we can be certain that our residents are in safe hands.
