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West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority’s Appointments, Standards and Appeal Committee has recommended the appointment of Deputy Assistant Commissioner Paul Askew as the next Deputy Chief Fire Officer of West Midlands Fire Service.
Paul joins from London Fire Brigade, where he has served since 2001 after earlier service in the British Army. Appointed Deputy Assistant Commissioner in 2023, he initially led the development and implementation of operational fire tactics, policies and capabilities in response to emerging environmental risks. His portfolio included hazardous materials policy, specialist teams and research and development.
He later took command of LFB’s North West area, overseeing 28 fire stations across nine London boroughs and holding responsibility for the safety of 2.7 million residents.
Progressing through the ranks from firefighter, Paul brings more than 20 years’ leadership experience and a broad operational background spanning Urban Search and Rescue (USAR), Detection, Identification and Monitoring (DIM), swift water rescue and line rescue. He has recently achieved Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Silver Command qualifications, is trained in Multi-Agency Gold Incident Command and holds Level 4 Incident Command accreditation.
Chief Fire Officer Simon Tuhill said that during a competitive process, Paul’s “experience, attitude and track record of making considered and effective decisions stood out and will be a great asset to our brigade”.
“Our paths crossed at LFB, and I know him to be an excellent professional, a great commander and someone who will be a huge asset to the West Midlands,” he added, also thanking interim Deputy Chief Fire Officer Simon Barry for his leadership during a transitional period.
Councillor Rizwan Jalil, who chairs the Authority’s Appointments, Standards and Appeal Committee, said the process had been “highly competitive”, with candidates giving the panel “a very tough decision to make”. He highlighted Paul’s work on staff engagement and collaboration with communities, adding that his “calm authority and experience of leading in London will be of enormous benefit to the West Midlands”.
Paul described the role as “a real privilege”, reflecting on his 25 years with LFB: “I can look back with pride at the work we did to ensure the safety of our communities there, which I know will stand me in excellent stead.”
London Fire Commissioner Jonathan Smith congratulated him on his appointment and thanked him for his “outstanding service”. Paul will take up his new post in the spring.
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