Warwickshire's Area Commander retires after three decades in fire service

Warwickshire's Area Commander has retired after three decades in Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Jon Dixon has served the communities in Warwickshire for 31 years.

Jon began his career with Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service in 1989 as a retained firefighter at Henley Fire Station.

In January 1990 he moved to Leamington Fire Station as a wholetime firefighter and in 1994 he was promoted to Leading Firefighter.

Following a distinguished period as an operational firefighter, frontline commander and a period within the services Training and Development Centre, Jon transferred his skills to the role within the Area Risk Teams in the Stratford and Warwick Districts, where he developed local risk reduction plans to protect the most vulnerable members of Warwickshire’s communities.

From this role Jon continued to develop as a key member of the transformation team, developing initiatives which delivered significant savings and introduced additional capabilities; including a new fire station at Gaydon.

Jon also spearheaded the service's transition to a new range of duty systems, constantly working with front line staff to develop the most appropriate solutions.

Most recently, Jon has undertaken the role of Area Commander, Head of Service Delivery, widening his responsibilities to cover the whole county with respect to Fire Protection, Community Safety and Operational Response.

Notably, Jon strategically led the development and implementation of a new initiative to transport patients from 'Hospital to Home'. This not only diversified the role of the fire service, but also helped to reduce the pressure on the NHS and has to date been a huge success.

Wishing him well on his retirement, Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Services Chief Fire Officer, Kieran Amos said; “Jon is both an officer and a gentleman with a big personality.

"He will be missed by everyone here at Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service and all those who had the pleasure of working with him over the last 31 years.

"Unfortunately, due to the current climate, Jon won’t quite get the send-off we were hoping to give him, but we would like to thank Jon for his commitment and hard work during his time in the service.

"He has been an exceptional Area Commander whose hard work and commitment has made Warwickshire a safer place. I wish him all the very best for the future and hope that he has a long, happy and healthy retirement.”

Cllr Andy Crump ,Warwickshire County Council's portfolio holder for community safety, said: “I would personally like to thank Jon for dedicating 31 years of his life to the fire and rescue service and the community of Warwickshire.

"He has had a long and illustrious career and is a great credit to the Service. As the Portfolio Holder, I have enjoyed working alongside Jon and whilst I will be sad to see him leave, I wish him all the very best in his retirement.”