New Year’s honour for veteran fireman
ASENIOR firefighter from Runcorn has been awarded an OBE in the New Year’s Honours.
Dr Brian Ward, National Resilience Officer, received the honour in recognition of his work as part of the team that handles disaster planning and emergency response for major incidents across the country.
During his 15 years in the role he has faced dealing with challenges such as the Buncefield oil terminal fire in Hertfordshire in 2005 and recent years’ severe flooding.
He spent much of December 2014 including Christmas Day and Boxing Day travelling around the flooded northern counties helping to coordinate the response and making sure rescue teams had what they needed to assist residents in affected areas.
Dr Ward was also in the thick of it during the floods of February 2014 in the home counties, plus Somerset, Cornwall and Devon – the biggest deployment of firefighters and equipment since the Second World War.
His work also involves planning for dealing with chemical, biological and nuclear incidents, urban search and rescue, and working to make sure the nation is ‘ready for anything’.
The father-of-three began his career with West Yorkshire Fire And Rescue Service (FRS) 25 years ago, since which he has spent 15 years on secondment in his National ● Resilience Officer role.
Speaking on Friday, he said one of the best things about his work has been the appreciation from those affected by emergencies, adding: “In terms of assisting and helping the public in various areas of the country, there can’t be anything higher or more rewarding than that.”
The former airline maintenance apprentice attributed part of his success to a snippet of wisdom shared by his apprenticeship’s chief instructor, who told him: “It costs nothing to be courteous with each other.”
He said this was something he hoped he had lived by, adding that he believed good relationships were at the heart of team success.
During his youth he attended Balfour Road County Secondary School, which would later become The Heath School and which instilled in him the values of the school motto ‘Nothing is achieved without hard work’, and also Helsby Grammar.
He also has borough links north of the Silver Jubilee Bridge, having served as Widnes Rugby Union Club chairman for five years.
Mr Ward expressed his gratitude to firefighters with specific thanks for senior colleagues Dan Stephens, Merseyside Fire And Rescue Service (FRS) chief fire officer, Simon Pilling, West Yorkshire FRS chief fire officer, Peter Holland, chief fire and rescue advisor to the Government, and Roy Wilsher, Hertfordshire FRS chief fire officer and Chief Fire Officers Association director.
He will celebrate his honour with family and close friends.
On his OBE, he said: “It’s the greatest honour and privilege, as I have done, to work with the officers of the fire and rescue service throughout the country.
“I feel very humbled, it’s been superb.
“I feel that I’ve had the best job in the world.”
He added: “What we’re trying to do it give the public the greatest confidence possible that the British fire and rescue service is ready for anything.
“I’ve had the best job in the world serving the fire and rescue service and having great colleagues to work with.”
Dr Brian Ward OBE is National Resilience Officer for the National Resilience Assurance Team, under the auspices of the Chief Fire Officers Association.