Why it matters: The recruitment success comes as His Majesty's Inspectorate warned in October that the service must "do more" to create a culture where staff feel confident to raise concerns, with all five recommendations from a 2024 inspection remaining open.
By the numbers: This year's campaign attracted 389 applications, up from 280 in 2024, with women making up 17.2% of the recruitment pool compared to 11.7% last year. It is anticipated that 64 candidates will be added to the service's recruitment pool, representing a 100% increase on last year's pool of 32.
The details: The campaign drew applications from across England and even attracted one candidate from Wales. To ensure fairness and consistency, Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service hosted a series of mandatory taster sessions, giving candidates the opportunity to meet crews, tour stations, and receive guidance on preparing for each stage of the process.
Following firefighter-specific aptitude and fitness tests, 100 candidates were interviewed at Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service headquarters at Endeavour House, Ipswich. The first cohort of successful candidates is expected to begin training in February.
What they're saying: Martyn Hazelwood, recruitment and retention manager at Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service, said: "This year's campaign has sparked incredible interest, and we are proud to see so many people wanting to make a difference by joining the fire service. It is particularly encouraging to see a significant rise in female applicants because it shows real progress toward the diversity and inclusion values we actively promote."
Councillor Steve Wiles, Suffolk County Council's cabinet member for public health and public safety, said: "This is great news for both the service and Suffolk. By expanding the recruitment pool, Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service has taken a proactive approach to ensure it not only continues to meet the current needs of the county, but also any future requirements."
For context: The recruitment announcement comes as the service works to address serious cultural failings identified by His Majesty's Inspectorate. Suffolk County Council has invested £1.6 million over two years to support improvement efforts, funding additional posts and external training programmes. The service developed a comprehensive 37-goal action plan in consultation with staff and representative bodies.
However, inspectors found in October that whilst there were encouraging signs of progress, some staff still did not demonstrate expected behaviours and values, with persistent problems around communication and trust. The inspectorate stated the service "should do more to create a culture where staff feel confident to raise issues and concerns" and needs to "continue to build the trust and confidence of its workforce."
The bottom line: Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service has achieved record recruitment numbers and significantly improved female representation, but the success comes against the backdrop of ongoing efforts to embed cultural improvements consistently across the organisation.
