Damning Report Highlights Staffing Crisis at Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire Service

A new inspection report has raised serious concerns over the ability of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service to respond to emergencies, citing ongoing firefighter shortages and issues with workplace culture.

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) says the service requires improvement when it comes to responding to fires and other incidents, and is failing to consistently keep enough fire engines available, falling below its own response time standards.

The report also criticises senior management for not effectively promoting positive values, fairness, or diversity – with some staff lacking confidence in how the service deals with bullying, harassment, and discrimination.

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) says the findings come as firefighters campaign against a further £1.6 million cut to posts, warning it will “only deepen the crisis.”

Jamie Kelly, FBU brigade secretary for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, said:

“The service is in desperate need of investment… The public deserve a service that can send firefighters out quickly to incidents.

"Yet, right now, we have only 23 of 80 fire engines available due to lack of crews.”

FBU assistant general secretary Ben Selby added that the service has lost nearly one in four firefighter posts since 2010, saying:

“Incidents like the wildfire at Holt Heath expose the depth of the crisis… Instead of threatening more cuts, the fire authority must start calling for the central government funding the service desperately needs.”

The report follows more than a decade of budget cuts, which the FBU says have left fire services across the region struggling to meet demand.