Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service

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New Chief Fire Officer for Mid & West Wales Appointed

The Chairman of Mid & West Wales Fire and Rescue Authority, Cllr Collin Crowley, is pleased to announce that Richard Smith, currently Deputy Chief Fire Officer with Mid & West Wales Fire & Rescue Service, has been appointed as the new Chief Fire Officer following the announcement that the current Chief Fire Officer Doug Mackay will be retiring in June 2008, after 32 years service.

Mr Smith, 47, was appointed by the full Fire Authority on the 7th of April and will take up his new post on 16 June 2008.

Mr Smith joined the Fire Service in Lancashire in 1978. He served at Blackburn, Lancaster and Preston Fire Stations before transferring to Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service in 1986 as Station Officer. There he served as Deputy to the Service’s Training Officer before taking command of Leamington Spa Fire Station, gaining promotion to District Commander in charge of Nuneaton and Bedworth Fire Stations from 1990.

Transferring on promotion to Cheshire Fire Brigade in 1991, Richard worked in Operations, Training and HR before becoming the Brigade’s Senior Personnel and Training Officer in 2000. He moved to Mid & West Wales in 2003 as the Deputy Chief Fire Officer and is the Director for Service Policy and Planning.

An active member within the Chief Fire Officers’ Association, Mr Smith has the national lead on Legislative Fire Safety Matters, and is the Wales Lead Officer for Equality and Diversity

Councillor Collin Crowley, The Chairman from Mid & West Wales Fire Authority commented: "I am very pleased with the appointment. Richard Smith has demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities whilst working with the Fire Authority over the past 4½ years and I have no doubt that he will continue to provide excellent advice and guidance to Members as Chief Fire Officer."

Richard Smith commented: "I am absolutely delighted to be appointed as the new Chief Fire Officer of such a great organisation, and I look forward to help shape the future of Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service and am committed to making our communities safer places to live and work within."