A NEW chief fire officer has been appointed for Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Andy Cole will take over as chief fire officer on January 1, following the retirement of Ben Ansell on December 31.

Andy began his career working at Castle Cary Fire Station in Somerset as an on-call firefighter before becoming an operational firefighter across BCP in 2008.

Following promotion to station manager, Andy worked in various roles supporting local stations across Dorset.

Cllr Paul Oatway QPM, chair of Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority, said: “I am delighted to confirm that Andy has been appointed as the new chief fire officer for Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service following a challenging and rigorous recruitment process.

“Andy brings significant strategic leadership experience to the role and a proven track record as an empathetic leader with a can-do attitude.”

Assistant chief fire officer Andy Cole said: “It’s a privilege to be appointed chief fire officer. I take great pride in the service we provide and the dedicated staff who work extremely hard to ensure we deliver this service to our communities and partners.

“I am committed to working hard to provide the highest quality service to everyone who lives, works, or visits the beautiful counties of Dorset and Wiltshire.”