2 How fire service performance is monitored
The Cabinet Member meets regularly with the Chief Fire Officer and sets clear strategic objectives for the fire service. These are included in the Community Risk Management Plan (IRMP).
Overview and scrutiny of the fire service is the responsibility of the Fire & Rescue Service Scrutiny Committee (FRSSC). Fire service matters, including performance data, are considered at committee meetings, which you can view online.
To find out more about West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service, read our annual report.
3 Our core code of ethics
West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service has adopted and embedded the new core code of ethics as a framework for all of its staff to carry out their work by.
These were prepared by the Local Government Association (LGA), the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) and the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC).
Our core code of ethics are:
- Putting our communities first - We put the interest of the public, the community and service users first.
- Integrity - We act with integrity, including being open, honest and consistent in everything we do.
- Dignity and respect - Making decisions objectively based on evidence, without discrimination or bias.
- Leadership - We are all positive role models, always demonstrating flexibility and resilient leadership. We are all accountable for everything we do and challenge all behaviour that falls short of the highest standards.
- Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) - We continually recognise and promote the value of EDI both within the FRSs and the wider communities in which we serve. We stand against all forms of discrimination, create equal opportunities, promote equality, foster good relations and celebrate difference.
4 Our drone and how we use it
The drone (unmanned aerial vehicle) helps us survey an incident from above, providing live images and thermal imagery. By providing an aerial view of an incident, drones help incident commanders develop tactics to help tackle it.
Drones may also be able to access areas which are unsafe for firefighters. Overall, they improve safety for our crews and help improve our response to incidents.
The thermal imaging camera can detect heat sources and may be used to:
- check the temperature of cylinders at risk of exploding
- monitor heat spread in a warehouse fire
- spot casualties in water
There are 2 cameras that can be fitted to the drone:
- a high-definition camera for image photography and video recording
- a thermal imaging camera that detects heat
A robust privacy impact assessment and mitigation has been created to prevent filming or photography that is not required.
Drone operators
In order to operate the drone, a drone pilot must have completed a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) accredited training course and carry out extra training for more specialist uses, such as night flying.
The drone is operated by a minimum of 2 people - one who pilots it and one who operates the cameras. Whenever possible, a third person will also attend to help with setting up and acting as an observer for any hazards.
Drone flight restrictions
As part of the ‘Permissions for Commercial Operations’, and also as responsible drone operators, WSFRS will always ensure that the drone is flown:
- within the line of sight of a remote pilot
- below 120 metres in height
- at least 50 metres from people, property, vehicles and vessels WSFRS is not in control of
- 30 metres away from people during take-off
- clear of any aircraft, airports and airfields
We have a General Exemption E4506 of the CAA Air Navigation Order to fly the drone outside of the normal commercial operations under emergency conditions. These form part of the CAA's drone code and all responsible drone users will fly within these guidelines.
Our operations will include responding to all incidents as detailed in the Fire and Rescue Services Act.
Record retention
The drone will only capture photographic images or video footage if there is an organisational need. Any image or video that is taken at an incident is reviewed and either destroyed if not required, or put into a robust digital storage system, which is covered by a data retention policy.
When the drone is being flown the drone pilots will always wear fire service uniform to clearly identify themselves.
Detailed records about all flights, images and footage captured and any other information about the drone that is required by the CAA are maintained.
5 Leadership team
Chief Fire Officer - Gary Ball
Gary Ball was appointed Chief Fire Officer of West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service (WSFRS) in August 2025 for a 2 year term to lead the service through a significant period of transformation, including Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation, the Service’s third full His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) inspection and the launch of its 2026-2030 Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP).
Since joining WSFRS in 2017, Gary has held a range of senior leadership roles, including Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Area Manager for Service Delivery and Group Manager for Organisation Assurance and Governance. His career reflects a consistent focus on operational excellence, organisational performance and strong governance.
Gary has led several major programmes of change, most notably delivering the service’s improvement plan following HMICFRS inspections in 2018. He also supported the introduction of a comprehensive Performance and Assurance Framework, establishing clear governance structures and robust scrutiny arrangements to ensure statutory responsibilities are effectively discharged and continuous improvement is embedded across the organisation. In addition, Gary was seconded to HMICFRS as an Inspecting Officer, where he supported 2 full inspections, further strengthening his national perspective and inspection expertise.
At a national level, Gary has served as the National Fire Chiefs Council’s (NFCC) Chair for the On-Call Practitioners Group, championing initiatives to improve retained firefighter recruitment and retention. Drawing on his recently completed degree, he undertook detailed research into on-call arrangements within West Sussex, directly informing the development of a targeted improvement plan to modernise and strengthen the service’s on-call model.
Director for Fire & Rescue - Sabrina Pennington-Down
Sabrina Pennington-Down is WSFRS’s first non-operational Director and was appointed to the role in September 2025. Sabrina joined WSFRS in 2012 as a Project/Change Manager, delivering a wide range of strategic projects including fire station location reviews, fleet and equipment procurement and crewing model redesigns.
She went on to lead the Programme Management Office, where she successfully delivered the HMICFRS Improvement Plan and managed the relocation of West Sussex Fire Control to Surrey, establishing the Joint Fire Control in 2019.
As Head of Organisational Assurance & Governance, Sabrina embedded the Performance & Assurance Framework and led the development of the Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP), contributing to a stepped improvement outcome from HMICFRS.
Her focus is on driving strategic improvement, embedding learning and ensuring the service remains resilient and being future ready across the enabling side of the business.
Assistant Chief Fire Officer - Andy Piller
Andy Piller was appointed as WSFRS’s Assistant Chief Fire Officer in September 2025.
He previously served as Area Manager for Service Delivery having joined WSFRS as a Group Manager in 2020. In this time, he served in Strategic Risk and Improvement, Response, Service Delivery and Service Delivery Support.
He joined the then Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service in January 2003 as a firefighter. After being promoted to Crew Manager and then Watch Manager, he worked in areas including operations, community and schools education and response support, before progressing to Station Manager where he oversaw workforce planning, resource management and later as Station Manager for the New Forest Group.
As Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Andy oversees the service’s Prevention, Protection and Service Delivery areas and is responsible for Collaboration and Joint Fire Control.
Area Manager Head of Operational Training, Safety and Preparedness - Richard Abbot
As Area Manager and Head of Operational Training, Safety and Preparedness at WSFRS, he leads critical areas including Strategic Risk, Health & Safety, Operational Guidance, Estates Improvement and Operational Training. He is responsible for developing WSFRS’s 2026-2030 CRMP ensuring a data-led, risk-based and outcome-focused approach to community safety.
Prior to joining WSFRS, Richard spent 15 years in London Fire Brigade, where he attended major incidents and held key roles in Operational Policy and Assurance, Operational Risk and Strategic Planning.
Passionate about people-centred services, Richard is dedicated to ensuring that WSFRS’s work makes the greatest possible difference to community safety.
Head of People, Culture, and Assurance - Catherine Walker
Catherine Walker joined WSFRS in 2022 and has most recently taken on leading the People, Culture and Assurance teams.
Since joining the service, Catherine has led multidisciplinary teams delivering HR operations, culture change, diversity and inclusion, wellbeing, leadership development and operational training.
Previously, she reformed leadership development approaches and implemented organisational development strategies in Higher Education, delivering award-nominated initiatives. In the financial sector, Catherine led restructuring and talent initiatives, managed global employee communications projects and achieved significant improvements in staff engagement and succession planning.
Catherine has led WSFRS teams to deliver our culture improvement plans, the culmination of which saw the HMICFRS discharge the service’s Cause of Concern in 2024.
Area Manager Head of Protection - Dave Bray
Dave Bray joined WSFRS in March 2022, being appointed to the Area Manager and Head of Service role for Fire Protection.
Dave started his career in 1998 at Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue Service. He was instrumental in working with the Oxford Radcliffe NHS Foundation Trust to address fire safety concerns across the hospital estate, as well as Oxford City Council for their high-rise residential buildings, in the immediate aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire.
As a result of his fire safety experience Dave took up a secondment to the National Fire Chiefs Council in 2020 where he was the national guidance and learning lead.
Since coming to West Sussex, Dave has continued to hold the national lead role for fire safety guidance and chairs the Guidance Technical Group on behalf of the Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
Head of Prevention - Nathan Cross
Nathan Cross was appointed as WSFRS’s Head of Prevention in November 2024.
He joined WSFRS in January 2020 as Prevention Manager, where he led programmes of improvement following the service’s initial HMICFRS inspection.
Nathan began his fire and rescue service career with Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service in 2009. He later became responsible for the delivery of community safety across the Portsmouth group, leading partnership activity and local prevention initiatives and contributing to the service’s response to the Grenfell Tower fire.
In 2018, Nathan was appointed as one of the first Service Liaison Leads within the newly established HMICFRS, where he led some of the first inspections of fire and rescue services nationally.
Nathan provides strategic leadership across prevention, partnership working and community risk reduction.
Area Manager Head of Service Delivery - Ady Carter
Ady Carter was appointed as WSFRS’s Area Manager of Service Delivery in November 2025.
He has served in WSFRS for over 26 years and started his career as a firefighter on a retained duty contract at Littlehampton.
Ady has held various positions as a Station Manager and Group Manager in Prevention, Incident Command and Service Delivery and has the responsibility for our specialist teams, which includes Technical Rescue, Wildfire and National Incident Liaison Officers (NILO).
Ady has responsibility for the service’s 24 fire stations and operational teams across West Sussex.