Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service (D&SFRS) has received mixed reviews in its latest inspection report. While the service is praised for its emergency response capabilities, the report reveals serious shortcomings in fire prevention, leadership culture, and support for firefighters facing workplace harassment.
Conducted by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), the inspection highlights that although some improvements have been made since 2021, vital areas—particularly fire prevention, equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), and anti-bullying measures—remain inadequate.
The report points out that senior leaders continue to model poor behavior and fail to adequately support staff who experience harassment, discrimination, or bullying. This cultural issue persists despite efforts to enhance reporting mechanisms and address concerns over the past three years.
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Alarmingly, a tragic fatal fire was linked to lapses in prevention procedures. The inspection found that over 7,000 home safety visits were overdue, with insufficient prioritization of the highest-risk individuals. The occupant involved in the fatal fire had been on a backlog list awaiting a visit that never occurred before the tragedy.
HM Inspector Roy Wilsher acknowledged improvements in emergency response and some cultural progress but stressed more work was necessary. “Although we are pleased to close the previous cause of concern regarding culture, the service must continue to train and support all staff to identify and challenge inappropriate behaviour,” he said.
D&SFRS Chief Fire Officer Gavin Ellis welcomed the report’s recognition of the service’s emergency response strengths and cultural improvements but accepted the need to enhance prevention efforts. He emphasized steps being taken to better target prevention activities and evaluate their effectiveness, noting that 85% of recent referrals from partners have involved individuals classified as high or very high risk.
However, Fire Brigades Union representative Alex Smith strongly criticized senior management’s approach, accusing them of neglecting fire prevention in favor of undermining firefighters’ terms and conditions. “Management must stop attacking the workforce and start driving real cultural change,” Smith stated.
The inspection rated the service as ‘good’ in emergency response and financial management but found five critical areas requiring improvement, especially in how home safety visits are prioritized and the overall approach to EDI. Staff feedback indicated ongoing issues with confidence in addressing inappropriate behavior and excessive workloads in the understaffed EDI team.
HMICFRS confirmed ongoing monitoring and expects continued progress against recommendations to address remaining concerns. The report paints a clear picture: while Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service is capable in emergency response, it must urgently overhaul its prevention strategies and leadership culture to better protect vulnerable communities.