Hampshire | Posted on August 14th, 2025 | return to news

Damning report for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service

In a week in which fires have raged across Dorset, the Hampshire Service has received a report criticising its response to fires.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service has blamed the damning report by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) on lack of investment in the service.

The report finds the service to be requiring improvement at responding to fires and other emergencies, and significant failures in addressing a shortage of firefighters.

The Fire Brigades Union says that this damning indictment comes at a time when firefighters are having to campaign against a £1.6 million further cut to firefighter posts, which will ‘only deepen the crisis laid out in this report’.

The report flags serious issues with the service failing to “consistently (maintain) good levels of available fire engines”, falling below its own standards for response times.

It also raises concerns that senior management of the service are ‘failing to promote positive values and culture, and fairness and diversity’. with staff lacking confidence in senior management processes in response to issues of bullying, harassment and discrimination.

Jamie Kelly, FBU brigade secretary for Hampshire and Isle of Wight said: “The inspectorate’s report makes it clear that Hampshire and Isle of Wight is in desperate need of investment, at a time when the chief fire officer is threatening further devastating cuts.

“The damning conclusion that the service ‘requires improvement’ at responding to fires and emergencies is the result of over 14 years of cuts to firefighter posts.

“The public deserve a service that can send firefighters out quickly to incidents. Yet, right now, as firefighters from across the region tackle the major incident in Dorset, we have only 23 of 80 fire engines available due to lack of crews.

“On top of this, senior management need to show leadership when it comes to tackling bullying, harassment and discrimination.

“Slashing the number of firefighters instead of taking action and calling for government investment will only deepen the crisis laid out in the report.”

Ben Selby, Fire Brigades Union assistant general secretary said: “Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service is on its knees after a loss of nearly one in four firefighters to cuts since 2010.

“Incidents like the raging wildfire at Holt Heath expose the depth of the crisis fire and rescue services are facing. Inadequate resources spread far too thin over large areas means that there is no resilience, leaving the public at greater risk.

“Instead of threatening more cuts, Hampshire and Isle of Wight chief fire officer and fire authority must start calling for the central government funding the service desperately needs.”