New Deputy Chief Fire Officer for Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service

Simon Tuhill has been appointed as Deputy Chief Fire Officer for Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Simon will start his new role in July 2023.

Currently Assistant Chief Fire Officer at Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, Simon has served for over 25 years as a firefighter. He began his career with London Fire Brigade where he served for 22 years in busy areas of Central London, including Paddington, Westminster and Knightsbridge.

Simon’s career took him across the capital in a variety of dense urban environments, each posing unique risks and challenges, such as the country’s tallest building (the Shard) whilst Borough Commander in Southwark and many of the capital’s main hospitals and the HS2 construction site as Borough Commander for Camden. He also worked closely with London’s two biggest sporting arenas, Twickenham and Wembley, whilst in roles in Richmond and Brent respectively.

As a firefighter in London, Simon was involved in the response to many incidents of national significance, including the 7/7 bombings, the London pub bombings, the Paddington Train Crash, the Westminster Bridge terror attack and the Grenfell Tower fire.

In Hertfordshire, Simon is currently responsible for service delivery, prevention and improvement, managing all 29 stations and firefighters. Moving to Hertfordshire FRS has given Simon experience of a more rural area but with its own urban challenges.

During his three years in Hertfordshire, Simon has been Senior Operational Commander at a range of large complex incidents including 12-pump fires at Hemel Hempstead, St Albans and Welwyn Garden City. He has also acted as Gold commander at various events and major incidents, including the wildfires of last summer, the funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the Just Stop Oil protests.

Simon said he is excited by the opportunity to make a positive contribution to Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service and the people of this county.

“I am passionate about working for the Fire and Rescue sector. My whole career has been built around serving the public and making communities safer, so I am hugely excited by the opportunity to make a real difference in Northamptonshire,” Simon said.

“The fire sector is changing and we must become more inclusive and diverse. I strongly believe that we need to make those changes to maintain our legitimacy as a Service and the public’s esteem for what we do.

“I am very much looking forward to leading further improvements across prevention, protection and response that will have a real impact on the lives of people in Northamptonshire.”

Chief Fire Officer Mark Jones said: “Simon is a very impressive officer who will be a real asset to the Service and those we serve and protect. He beat a strong field of candidates through a robust selection process and is clearly ready to take the next step in his leadership career.”

Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold said: “Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service has made real improvements and supplies an efficient and effective service to the people of this county – that is a tribute to everyone who works for the organisation.

“I believe Simon will help us lay the foundation to make the further changes that need to be made, especially in the culture, and complement the Chief Fire Officer and the existing team to provide strong and stable leadership in the future.”