MERSEYSIDE'S Chief Fire Officer has been awarded the King’s Fire Service Medal (KFSM) in the New Year Honours.

Phil Garrigan OBE has been honoured for a long and distinguished career, having joined Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service in 1990.

His 'vision, drive and ambition' has seen Merseyside achieve the lowest ever number of fire deaths on record, and he has instilled a real sense of investment in the communities of Merseyside within his teams.

CFO Garrigan is also the National Fire Chief's Council's vice chair and lead for the Fire & Rescue Service with regard to its work with children and young people; transforming hundreds of lives across the UK through his leadership.

In 2013, he rebuilt the UK Fire Cadet movement, a national uniformed youth organisation delivered through all Fire & Rescue Services across the UK.

As a result, thousands of children are now Fire Cadets, with 1000 volunteers supporting them and an amazing 45,000 hours of positive social action under their belts. The young people involved have developed skills for life, learning and future employment, whilst acting as a positive force in their own communities.

Phil is also a Trustee at LFC Foundation; Rainbow Education Multi Academy Trust and Cash for Kids Charity, as well as a Board Member at Wirral Youth Zone and Chair of the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education. 

After taking on the role of Chief Fire Officer in 2017 he found 'innovative' ways to recruit new firefighters and increase the number of fire engines available, ensuring the continued safety of the people of Merseyside.

In a national capacity Phil provides strategic advice to Government; he and Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service coordinate the deployment of national fire and rescue service resources to large scale incidents across the UK.

As a result, he has overseen a number of national incidents recently, including leading the Fire & Rescue Service’s response to Covid-19 as the National Fire Gold Commander, as part of his NFCC work.

His management of resources ensured Fire & Rescue Services across the UK found the support they needed during this challenging time.

Since taking on the role of Chief Fire Officer he has revised the governance of the Service and introduced a People Plan which reflects his own inclusive management style, involving all sections of the Service in the decision-making process.

Phil also led the Service through successive inspections by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), in 2018, 2021, and 2023 respectively.

Chief Fire Officer Phil Garrigan said: "I am very humbled to receive this honour and recognise that it is very much down to the incredible people I work with; people put their lives on the line to ensure the safety and well-being of others; people who face dangerous and unpredictable situations, often risking their own lives to save others; people who get up early and go home late to ensure that our firefighters are safe and our control room team, prevention staff and protection officers can protect the public as only they can.

“This honour is down to their contribution –their courage and their compassion.

“It is also a reflection on the unfaltering support I have received from Merseyside Fire & Rescue Authority, they ensured we have developed a national and international reputation - a reputation for making a real difference in the lives of those people we have the privilege to serve.

"Whilst the award of the King’s Fire Service Medal (KFSM) is a great personal achievement and one that I will cherish, it is the people I work with and what we have delivered together that I am most proud of. Nothing gets in our way.

“I am also incredibly grateful to my wife Michelle for allowing me the opportunities in work that many other people aren’t afforded.

"I know my own limitations and I know that they are offset by hard work, accessibility, and unswerving commitment to the people of Merseyside, all of which can come at a cost unless you have someone so understanding as my wife by your side."

Cllr Les Byrom, chair of Merseyside Fire Authority said: "The awarding of the King’s Fire Service Medal (KFSM) to our Chief Fire Officer is richly deserved and is testimony to his hard work and tenacity.

"His vision, innovation and unswerving commitment to Merseyside has seen the Authority re-invest in the frontline for the first time in many years and his courage both locally and nationally has seen Merseyside influence at the highest levels in Government, none more so than when leading the sector through the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We are incredibly lucky to have someone with his integrity and compassion lead our Fire & Rescue Service.

"The Authority are thrilled by the announcement."