Her Majesty's Fire Service Inspectorate for Scotland
Her Majesty's Fire Service Inspectorate in Scotland or HM Fire Service Inspectorate is an autonomous agency of the Scottish Government which functions to provide independent, risk based and proportionate professional inspection of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. The inspectorate, also known simply as HMFSI, is not a firefighting body.
HMFSI can enquire into any matter concerning the operation of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. The statutory basis of the inspectorate is set out in section 43B of the Fire Act 2005. Its role was substantially amended by the Police and Fire Reform Act 2012 that came into effect on 1 April 2013. The inspectorate is based in St Andrew's House, Edinburgh. The current HMFSI Chief Inspector is Simon Routh-Jones. It is general practice for Chief Inspectors to have previously served as Firemaster or Chief Fire Officer - Simon Routh-Jones is a former CFO of Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service. He holds the Queen's Fire Service Medal.HMFSI's remit
The HMFSI's main responsibilities include the following:
- Inspection, scrutiny and improvement of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and public reporting thereon
- Providing independent and professional advice to Scottish Ministers
- Providing advice on fire and rescue matters
- Management of internal inspectorate resources
- Determining disputes between enforcing authorities and duty holders relating to legislative fire safety under section 67 of the Fire Act 2005.
