West Midlands Fire Chief Phil Bows Calls It Quits After Stellar Career
The head of the UK’s second biggest fire and rescue service is stepping down in January. Phil Bows will leave behind a legacy of transformation and top-tier emergency response. An interim Chief Fire Officer will take charge until a new boss is appointed.
A Career Crowned by Queen’s Fire Service Medal
Phil’s dedication earned him the prestigious Queen’s Fire Service Medal in 2017. His work made the West Midlands a safer place to live and work. Under his leadership, the service saw massive improvements and played a key role in community safety.
In 2019, WMFS became the first and only fire service to score an ‘outstanding’ rating for 999 emergency response from the national inspectorate – a feat no other could match.
Phil Speaks Out on Retirement
“It has been a great privilege to have served as Chief Fire Officer for the people of the West Midlands. Whilst the decision to retire was a difficult one, I’m very much looking forward to the next chapter in my life and to more precious time with my family.
“I would like to thank the entire staff of West Midlands Fire Service. Their collective strength, will and determination to succeed has made the West Midlands a truly safer place, whilst also making this service a great place to work.
“I will look back with immense pride on the achievements of so many colleagues, not least their remarkable response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In incredibly challenging times, they remained ready, willing and able to keep delivering our core services and much more besides for the most vulnerable in our communities.”
From Firefighter to Chief: A West Midlands Journey
Born and bred in the Black Country, Phil joined WMFS in January 1994 as a recruit firefighter. Before that, he worked in both public and private sectors. His career saw him rise through the ranks – firefighter, Operations Commander for Birmingham, Head of Emergency Response, Assistant Chief Fire Officer (Operations), Deputy Chief Fire Officer – before landing the top job in October 2013.
As Chief Fire Officer, Phil was responsible for emergency response, business safety, and community safety services across seven council areas. That’s over 2.9 million people in Birmingham, Walsall, Sandwell, Wolverhampton, Dudley, Coventry, and Solihull.
His retirement marks the end of an era for West Midlands Fire Service. The hunt for his successor begins now.
