Fire Service bolstered with arrival of new area manager

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service has been bolstered with the appointment of a new area manager.

Forty-one-year-old Nick Jones joins the Strategic Intelligence Department (SID) with the Service – overseeing performance, risk planning, IT, the fire watch team and more.

He is now the third area manager working for Staffordshire, with colleagues Ian Read (prevent and protect) and James Bywater (response) completing the trio. 

Area Manager Jones brings over 15-years of experience with him to the role, after starting as an operational firefighter with Cleveland Fire Brigade back in 2007.

After rising through the ranks, Nick joined the National Fire Chief Council (NFCC) as an implementation liaison manager, where he was responsible for assisting fire services across the North East, Scotland and Northern Ireland in delivering NFCC products and services, including implementing fire standards and national operational guidance.

He said: “I’m delighted to be starting my work with Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, who have been so accommodating since my first day on 2 September.

“I’ve been fortunate to work with multiple services in my role with the NFCC, giving me an understanding of the needs of different organisations.

“It is important that I can utilise these experiences moving forward and integrate with people in different departments here in Staffordshire.

“As with all my colleagues, I want to work in close liaison with my fellow area managers, who have already done a fantastic job in developing their own areas, so hopefully I can learn from them too.”

Aside from his operational experience, Area Manager Jones has worked with Operation Florian in the past – a charity which provides training and resources to fire services in developing countries.

In 2016, Area Manager Jones visited Zimbabwe to deliver essential training programmes to firefighters in the country’s capital city, Harare.

The charity visits various countries across the world, ensuring fire services have the right infrastructure and training in place to keep their communities safe.

Area Manager Jones said: “Visiting Zimbabwe was a fantastic opportunity to understand the diverse needs of a different area of the world.

“The dedication and skills of the staff in Harare and the wider outlying brigades was clearly evident, especially when comparing their resources to that of some European services.

“The whole opportunity was hugely beneficial in both a professional and personal aspect. I would recommend to anyone to get involved in similar deployments across the world where you could use your skills to help others.”

Now, Area Manager Jones hopes to utilise his experience in overseeing performance, planning and infrastructure to help bolster Staffordshire’s fire service.

“After being involved with so many different fire and rescue services during my time with the NFCC, I’m looking forward to expanding those collaborative networks into Staffordshire for our mutual benefit,” said Area Manager Jones.

When he’s not working, you might also catch Nick riding through the twists and turns of Cannock Chase on his mountain bike.

He’s been riding for over 20-years, and hopes to enjoy some downtime pedalling through the many beauty spots dotted around Staffordshire.

If you are interested in a career with the fire service, visit our careers page here: Careers | Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service

For more information on Op Florian, visit: www.operationflorian.org.uk/projects/