County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service
County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service is in the North East of England. It serves an area that includes Darlington, Derwentside, Durham, Easington, Wear and Tees.
Durham city and the larger industrial and commercial towns are in the east of the area. The west is predominantly rural, consisting of open moorland and wooded river valleys, and is sparsely populated.
The service responds to emergencies such as fire, flooding, road traffic collisions, animal rescue and missing persons searches. It also works in the community, carrying out home fire safety checks and visits to schools to inform people about potential dangers.
The service also runs cadet schemes at several stations in the area.
HMICFRS region and HMI
- His Majesty’s Inspector of Fire & Rescue Services (HMI): Michelle Skeer is HMI for Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service
- HMICFRS region: The service is in HMICFRS’s Northern fire region
HMICFRS’s role in inspecting this service
For over 160 years, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary independently assessed and reported on the efficiency and effectiveness of police forces and policing, in the public interest.
In summer 2017, HMIC (now HMICFRS) took on inspections of England’s fire & rescue services, assessing and reporting on their efficiency, effectiveness and leadership.
Recent news
- Fire and Rescue Services make progress to improve culture, but more must be done to tackle unacceptable behaviour
- Terms of reference: Home Secretary’s commission for a thematic inspection of the handling of misconduct in fire and rescue services
- Fire and Rescue Service inspections 2021/22 – tranche 3
- Fire and Rescue Services improving – but more change urgently needed
- Chief Inspector: Fire and Rescue Services are improving, but more change is urgently required
Recent publications
- Standards of behaviour: The handling of misconduct in fire and rescue services
- Terms of reference: Home Secretary’s commission for a thematic inspection of the handling of misconduct in fire and rescue services
- Fire and Rescue Service inspections 2021/22 – tranche 3
- Effectiveness, efficiency and people 2021/22 – County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service
- State of Fire and Rescue – The Annual Assessment of Fire and Rescue Services in England 2021