Nathan Travis BA (Hons), MPA (Warwick) has temporarily taken over the reins as Chief Fire Officer and Chief Executive for Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (HWFRS) for a period of six months until a permanent chief is appointed later this year.

With almost 23 years spent in the fire service and most recently serving as Deputy Chief Fire Officer for Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue Service (OFRS), Nathan will be bringing a wealth of experience to the role.

Nathan said: “I’m honored to be taking over as Chief Fire Officer and Chief Executive of Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service and feel privileged to lead such a dynamic organisation.”

He continued: “I look forward to working with the Fire Authority and the workforce to ensure that we continue to deliver high-quality and cost-effective prevention, protection and emergency response services to the two counties of Herefordshire and Worcestershire.”

Nathan started his career in the fire service in 1993 with Gloucestershire Fire & Rescue Service and progressed through the ranks to Area Commander. In 2011, he joined OFRS as Assistant Chief Fire Officer before being promoted to Deputy Chief Fire Officer in 2013.

During his time at OFRS, he has faced challenging operational incidents, most notably wide-area flooding in Gloucestershire in 2007 and Oxfordshire in 2013/2014 – and most recently the major building collapse at Didcot A power station.

On a national level, Nathan also leads the environment and sustainability reference for the Chief Fire Officers’ Association (CFOA), which involves liaising closely with the Environment Agency to identify areas where the fire service can work more closely with them to help prevent and mitigate injury to people and damage to their communities as a result of major weather-related events.

Chairman of the Fire Authority, Derek Prodger MBE, said: “We are delighted that Nathan has accepted the role of interim Chief Fire Officer / Chief Executive. I would like to wholeheartedly welcome him to the Service and look forward to working with him. He will be bringing a wealth of expertise to the role and will be in post for a period of six months until a permanent chief is appointed.”

Nathan took over from Mark Yates who retired on March 31st 2016 after 32 years of service.