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Proposed policing inspection programme and framework 2025–29: For consultation

We would like your views on whether this programme covers the the right themes and areas of policing.

Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service

The fire & rescue service covers the county of Suffolk, which includes Ipswich, Lowestoft, Bury St Edmunds, Newmarket and Felixstowe (one of the largest container ports in Europe). The service has 35 stations across the county. Its primary role is to provide effective prevention, protection and emergency response services.

The work the service does to reduce fires and fire-related deaths and injuries is a major contribution to reducing risk in the community and making Suffolk safer. The service also attend ‘special services calls’ which can include flooding, people and animal rescues, chemical spills and water rescues.

Connect with Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service

HMICFRS region and HMI

  • His Majesty’s Inspector of Fire & Rescue Services (HMI): Lee Freeman is HMI for Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service
  • HMICFRS region: The service is in HMICFRS’s Eastern fire region

HMICFRS’s role in inspecting this service

For over 160 years, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary has 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.

Key facts – 2022/2023

Service Area

1,468 square miles

Population

0.77m million people people
up2% local 5 yr change

Workforce

39% wholetime firefighters
61% on-call firefighters
0.68 per 1000 population local
0.54 national level
down3% local 5 yr change
down4% national 5 yr change

Assets

35 stations
43 fire engines

Incidents

7.3 fire incidents per 1000 population local
10.4 national
1.7 non-fire incidents per 1000 population local
3.5 national
3.8 fire false alarms per 1000 population local
4.3 national

Cost

£21.62 firefighter cost per person per year
£26.96 firefighter cost per person per year (national)