The new interim deputy chief fire officer for Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service has been appointed.
Current Assistant Chief Officer Andy Bowers, who has been with HFRS for more than 30 years, will start the role on 1 January 2018.
As well as being ACO Andy is also Response and Learning and Development Director responsible for all emergency response and training activities.
The dad-of-three, from Gosport, is the national lead for the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) on command and control and is a key figure in shaping industry policy and best practice.
The 54-year-old has a master’s degree in Business from the University of Portsmouth and later gained a further master’s degree in Crisis and Disaster Management.
Andy was awarded the Security Institute’s prestigious Wilf Knight Award in 2014 in recognition of a unique piece of research and is currently studying for his PhD in Risk Management.