Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) has made significant progress on a programme of improvements required after its last official inspection in 2023, the Strategic and Corporate Select Committee heard on 18 March 2026.

Of the sixteen areas that needed improvement following that inspection, nine have now been completed. Chief Fire Officer Ceri Sumner and officers expressed confidence that all remaining areas would be finished before the next inspection, expected in May or June 2026.

The service is also making progress on recommendations from two major national inquiries — the Grenfell Tower Inquiry (GTI) and the Manchester Arena Inquiry (MAI).

Grenfell-style cladding in Norwich

Councillors asked specifically about Norfolk buildings affected by the Grenfell Tower Inquiry's findings. Officers confirmed that around 50 buildings in Norfolk meet the criteria identified in the inquiry, though not all are considered high risk.

Five recently constructed buildings in Norwich were found in 2017 to contain the same type of cladding used on Grenfell Tower. The NFRS worked with partners and developers to ensure full evacuation strategies were in place, and the cladding has since been removed from all five buildings.

Officers said the NFRS continues to work with Trading Standards and district council partners to ensure fire safety standards are met across Norfolk, noting the county is less affected than large urban areas.

Rural radio coverage and digital upgrades

One committee member raised concerns about a planned switch from analogue to digital radios, questioning whether poor rural connectivity in parts of Norfolk could cause problems. Officers clarified that digital radios work like modernised walkie-talkies and do not rely on wireless internet or mobile networks, and that the service ensures its technology works in areas with limited connectivity.

Officers also confirmed that firefighters wearing breathing apparatus are now being issued with higher-powered radios after it was found that the low-powered units previously fitted to breathing apparatus equipment did not work effectively inside smoke-filled buildings.

Misconduct and standards

Two improvement recommendations — covering case management systems and misconduct processes — are still rated amber, meaning they are not yet complete. Officers told the committee they are working to align NFRS systems with Norfolk County Council's own HR systems, with the complication that firefighters are employed under different national terms and conditions (known as the Grey Book) compared to other council staff.

On misconduct, officers said every report is triaged consistently by professional services, HR, and senior management. They acknowledged that reaching on-call firefighters — who often work for the service as a second job — for face-to-face training on standards is more challenging, but said the workforce has been receptive to the improvements.

Vape disposal and fire prevention

The committee chair raised the issue of vape pens as an emerging fire safety risk. Officers confirmed they are working with the council's waste management team to remind residents to dispose of vapes correctly at recycling sites. The government's ban on single-use vapes is now in force, and Trading Standards is working with Norfolk retailers to ensure compliance.

On prevention more broadly, the NFRS's Crucial Crew programme — which covers fire safety alongside other topics — currently reaches around 6,000 Year 6 pupils across Norfolk each year. The service is also running one-to-one sessions with prisoners convicted of arson as part of rehabilitation work.

The Select Committee resolved to note the report.