New chief fire officer takes over the reins

Stuart Ruff has been appointed Norfolk’s new chief fire officer.

He has worked for Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service as deputy chief fire officer since last May.

Prior to that, he has decades of experience in the sector, most recently as assistant chief fire officer in Lincolnshire, before he made the move to Norfolk.

He takes over from David Ashworth, who resigned in January after 18 months at the helm.

Mr Ruff said: “I am delighted to be appointed to this role and would like to thank my predecessor David Ashworth for his strong work in moving the service forward.

“Since arriving in Norfolk, colleagues in the service and at Norfolk County Council have been welcoming and supportive.

“It is a great fire and rescue service and I am proud to be leading it as we continue to build on our work to keep our communities as safe as possible.”

Norfolk County Council leader, councillor Andrew Proctor, said: “Stuart has demonstrated through both his experience and the interview process that he is the perfect person to lead our fire and rescue service and we look forward to working with him in his new role.”

Mr Ruff also chairs the multi-agency Norfolk Resilience Forum.

Mr Ruff’s previous roles have also included being a member of the national chief fire and rescue advisory unit in London and working for Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service.