Welsh fire chief on why on-call firefighters are the ‘pillars of resilience’

Welcome to your weekly news update from Emergency Services Times.

Don’t forget to bookmark this page and check back every week to stay abreast of the latest news in the emergency services sector.

Craig Flannery, the relatively new chief of Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, talks to Catherine Levin for the latest episode of the podcast about how the on-call service is thriving against a backdrop of emerging threats and innovations that make the job attractive to generations of families serving their communities. Read more via Emergency Services Times

Local government reorganisation: three reasons why fire leaders should care

Ahead of local elections in May, NFCC Vice Chair Rick Hylton outlines the reasons why local government reorganisation should be part of all strategic leaders’ conversations during this period of change. Read more via Emergency Services Times

New helicopter bases boost summer search capability

As part of a wider £1.6bn investment in search and rescue aviation, HM Coastguard has opened two new search and rescue bases to support its response over the summer months. Read more via Emergency Services Times

Crime prevention work gets top marks in Humberside

As part of Humberside Police’s latest inspection, the force has been rated Outstanding for its work in preventing and deterring crime but needs to do more work when it comes to safeguarding children and adults. Read more via Emergency Services Times

Drones and robotics take centre stage in the next phase of emergency response

As drones and robotics become more embedded in emergency response, the challenge is no longer what the technology can do, but how it is used safely and effectively. Events like The Emergency Services Show and The Emergency Tech Show are bringing together the people, policy and practice needed to make that happen. Read more via Emergency Services Times