News and Events

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) is proud to announce it has received the Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award!

The Employer Recognition Scheme was launched to reward employers who support Defence People objectives and encourage others to do the same. This includes employing serving and former members of the Armed Forces community and demonstrating flexibility towards training and mobilisation commitments for Reservists and Cadet Force Adult Volunteers.

We previously received the Silver Award back in June 2023.

Talking about what achieving gold means, Station Manager Rod Steele said:

Achieving gold reflects our recognition of the commitment made by some of our staff who serve as reservists. More importantly, it acknowledges the broader Armed Forces community within Lancashire. Many of us at LFRS have connections through family members, friends, or neighbours who are currently serving or have served in the Armed Forces."

Our efforts don’t end with receiving the Gold Award. Our work will continue, as we have to renew our accreditation every three years to maintain the Gold Award status.

"We are now supporting many initiatives within Lancashire and promoting the role of on-call firefighting as a potential career when people leave the military through the Career Transition Partnership.

Gold Award holders must have previously signed the Armed Forces Covenant, proactively advocate and support Defence, communicating their commitment both internally to employees and externally to the wider community, through established policies and examples of support.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer Steve Healey said:

After earning the Silver Award in June 2023, following our Bronze Award in October 2022, we’re extremely proud to announce that we have now achieved the Gold Award in 2024! We’re thrilled to have built a strong support network for those who served our country.

We have veterans from the Army, Royal Navy, and Royal Air Force within LFRS, along with family members of veterans and several reservists. I’m well aware of the valuable qualities and skills they contribute to organisations and communities through their military experience.

The Gold Award highlights our dedication to the Armed Forces Covenant. It’s wonderful to see that our support has made such a positive impact for the Armed Forces community. This incredible achievement reflects the fantastic efforts of our team in establishing that support and commitment.