County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service (CDDFRS) have today (January 5) appointed a new Deputy Chief Fire Officer.
Following a series of rigorous interviews, Keith Carruthers has been selected as the service’s new deputy leader.
For Keith, there was only ever one career ambition – to follow in the footsteps of his dad, a now retired Sub Officer with Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service, and become a firefighter himself.
Keith has spent the last 28 years working across a hattrick of North East fire and rescue services – Northumberland, Tyne and Wear and County Durham and Darlington – as well as gaining valuable experience working with HMICFRS – to lead him to this appointment.
Proud to be the service’s new DCFO, he said: “It is a real honour to able to serve the communities of Durham and Darlington.
“Building on the positive feedback in our reports from HMICFRS, I want to further improve our service to continue to be high performing and be the best we can be. I want to support us on our journey to becoming more inclusive and diverse.”
Discussing what he loves most about the service, where he has worked since 2019, he added: “It’s such a friendly, welcoming service and great place to work.
“All staff at every station and in every department really care about delivering the best possible service to the community, whether that’s in prevention, protection or response – I really do feel honoured to be part of such an incredible service.”
Offering congratulations, Chief Fire Officer Steve Helps said: “I am delighted that Keith has been officially appointed as our DCFO.
“I know he is just as committed as myself to our mission of making CDDFRS an outstanding fire and rescue service and ensuring our communities get the very best service possible.”
Chairman of the Combined Fire Authority, Councillor John Shuttleworth, added: “I want to offer my sincere congratulations to Keith on his appointment as DCFO.
“He has been a great asset to CDDFRS for a number of years already and I have no doubt he will thrive in this new position.”
