For a year that has felt like it has had little cause for celebration, we’re delighted to be standing alongside our colleagues in the fire services community to applaud those members of their teams who Her Majesty The Queen has recognised in her Birthday Honours List.

The Queen’s Birthday Honours are usually published in June to mark her official birthday, but with the Palace’s permission, the announcement was delayed in order to recognise more of the people who have stepped forward to help during the pandemic.

Of the 1,495 people named in the list, 414 of them were heroes of our communities who helped in the fight against COVID-19, and there were many fire personnel among them.

“At the tail end of this challenging year, it is fantastic to see that so many members of the fire services community – together with other frontline key workers and emergency service personnel – have been recognised for the extraordinary contributions they have made in keeping us all safe during the pandemic,” says Chief Executive Dr Jill Tolfrey. “On behalf of everyone at the Charity, thank you for your service and my warmest congratulations to you all.”

Queen’s Fire Service Medal (QFSM)

Mark Cashin, Chief Fire Officer, Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service
Julie King, Group Manager, East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service
Sean Bone-Knell, Lately Assistant Chief Fire Officer & Director Operations, Kent Fire and Rescue Service
Chris Lowther, Chief Fire Officer, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service
David McGown, Lately Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Simon Gerald Routh-Jones, QFSM HM Chief Inspector, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. For services to the Fire and Rescue Service

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

Phil Garrigan, Chief Fire Officer, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, for services for Fire and Rescue during COVID-19
Lee Thomas Howell, QFSM Chief Fire Officer, Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service. For services to the Fire and Rescue Service

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Tina Butler, Head of Commercial and Procurement, Kent Fire and Rescue Service, for services to the COVID-19 response
David O’Neill, Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Operational Policy, London Fire Brigade, for services to the COVID-19 response

British Empire Medal (BEM)

Robert Allen, Lately Firefighter, Avon Fire and Rescue Service, for services to the Fire and Rescue Service in Bristol
Mark Henderson, Community Safety Team Leader, County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service, for services to people with dementia
Wayne Horlock, Station Manager, London Fire Brigade, for services to the COVID-19 response
Shaun Moody, Group Manager South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, for services to Search and Rescue

We’d like to send a massive congratulations to everyone named on the Honours List, especially those people representing the fire family.