The Defence Fire and Rescue Service (DFRS) is the primary firefighting and rescue service protecting
British defence estates and property. Along with the Royal Air Force Rescue and Firefighting Service, it forms the Ministry of Defence Fire Services. , the takeover of DFRS by private contractor
Capita
Capita plc, commonly known as Capita, is an international business process outsourcing and professional services company headquartered in London.
It is the largest business process outsourcing and professional services company in the United K ...
continues.
History
The Ministry of Defence Fire Service was formed on 1 April 1991 by the amalgamation of the Navy Department Fire Prevention Service,
Army Department Fire Service
The Army Fire Service (AFS), later called the Army Department Fire Service, was the fire service which performed firefighting duties on British Army camps. Its personnel were largely soldiers until 1959, when the fire service was civilianised. Unt ...
, Air Force Department Fire Service and Procurement Executive Fire Service. It later became part of a similarly named umbrella body, the Ministry of Defence Fire Services, which also included the RAF Firefighting and Rescue Service, a military organisation which protected mainly
RAF airfields and runways.
Privatisation
In July 2019, it was announced by the Ministry of Defence that
Capita
Capita plc, commonly known as Capita, is an international business process outsourcing and professional services company headquartered in London.
It is the largest business process outsourcing and professional services company in the United K ...
had won an outsourcing contract to manage the operations at 53 sites across the UK, Cyprus and the Falkland Islands.
Part of the 12-year £525million contract included the construction and management of an improved training facility for Defence firefighters at the
Fire Service College
The Fire Service College is responsible for providing leadership, management and advanced operational training courses for senior fire officers from the United Kingdom and foreign fire authorities. It is located at Moreton-in-Marsh in Gloucester ...
in Gloucestershire,
which has been owned by Capita since 2013.
, around 600 DFRS personnel have transferred into Capita Fire and Rescue, and improvements at the Fire Service College have been completed.
In addition, 50 new vehicles including
Oshkosh High Reach Extendable Turret (HRET) Strikers and Angloco Multi-Purpose Response Vehicles (MPRVs) have been delivered to 11 sites.
Organisation
The Defence Fire and Rescue Service is a civilian organisation, however the term 'Defence Fire' may be used colloquially to include military and civilian firefighting activities.
According to the
gov.uk
gov.uk (styled on the site as GOV.UK) is a United Kingdom public sector information website, created by the Government Digital Service to provide a single point of access to HM Government services. The site launched as a beta on 31 January 2012, ...
website, the DFR staff include:
;Military
*
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
Trade Group 8 firefighter
*
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...
aircraft handler
;Civilian
*
Civil Service (Defence Fire and Rescue Service)
*locally employed civilian and contractor staff.
As DFR is a mixture of people, recruitment and conditions differ, but for civilians wishing to join, they would become civil servants and thus to apply would need to apply via the Civil Service website.
References
External links
Roger Mardon fire service historyDFRS Twitter Page
{{UK fire service
Fire and rescue services of the United Kingdom
Joint military units and formations of the United Kingdom
1991 establishments in the United Kingdom
Military units and formations established in 1991