Birthday honours for Fire Service staff

Four serving or retired members of staff and representatives from Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service have been honoured in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Former Station Manager Rob Carlson receives an OBE for Services to Road Safety, Fire Authority Chairman Cllr Mark Healey and former Group Manager Loz Adams receive MBEs and Alan White a BEM.

Rob, who lives in Plymouth, was a founding member of The Honest Truth road safety initiative which has been adopted across the UK and Europe. As part of the scheme, approved driving instructors are provided with resources to deliver safety messages to learner drivers as part of their lessons.

The initial target was to engage with 25 driving instructors locally, but the scheme has expanded across the country, and now involves18 partnerships and more than 2,000 instructors. Rob joined the service in 1983 and retired in 2016.

He said: “I am deeply honoured to receive this award for services to road safety.

“Having witnessed operationally the tragic outcomes of poor decisions taken whilst driving, I have become passionate about doing everything I can to reduce the numbers of people killed and seriously injured on our roads.

“I am incredibly fortunate to have worked with a highly motivated team of individuals with the drive needed to make a difference when it comes to educating the next generation of drivers and making our roads safer. The enthusiasm shown by our driving instructors who deliver our key safety messages to their pupils is infectious and has made my time spent working on The Honest Truth project one of the most rewarding periods of my career.”

Cllr Mark Healey has been a member of the Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Authority since the establishment of Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service in 2007. He also played a part in overseeing the combination between the two services. Mark was appointed as Fire Authority Chairman in 2010.

He said: "I was delighted and honoured to receive the news that I had been awarded the MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list. Being given such recognition for the fire safety education and reform work that I am passionate about truly humbles me. I would like to thank all those who nominated me for an honour."

Loz Adams, of East Budleigh, receives an MBE for Service to Flood Capability Policy and Rescue Services. He started his career as a Firefighter in Torquay in 1993 and was a Group Manager in charge of access and rescue training at Service Headquarters when he left the Service in 2015. He was heavily involved in preparing the Service’s response to several major flooding incidents across Devon and Somerset in recent years.

He said: “I am extremely honoured and humbled to be receiving an MBE. A great deal has been achieved over the last few years in how the fire service responds to flooding, both locally and nationally, and many people have significantly contributed to that work. So, whilst I am proud to accept the award, I do so knowing that not nearly as much would have been achieved if it wasn't for the support and backing of senior managers and the Fire Authority, and of course the commitment and dedication of firefighters and control room operators on the frontline who are called upon to deal with challenging flooding incidents across the UK.”

Alan White, of Exeter, receives a BEM for Services to Fire Safety. He served as a retained firefighter at Newton Abbot from 1972-76 before transferring to the wholetime service at Exeter Danes Castle in 1976. He moved to Exmouth and then East Division Fire Safety before retiring from the uniformed service in 2006. He started work as a Home Safety Operative with the support service at Service Headquarters at that time and continues in that role.

Alan said: “I’m over the moon: I didn’t expect anything like this.  I’m very grateful for what the fire service has given me and hopefully I’ve given something back too.”

Chief Fire Officer Lee Howell said: “I am really pleased for all those associated with this Service who have received recognition in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list. The awards are all richly deserved and testament to the tireless hard work that the recipients have put into keeping the public safe.”