Date: 30th December, 2023
Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service is celebrating with Station Manager Sam Allison today, after he was recognised with a King’s Fire Service Medal (KFSM) in the 2024 New Year Honours List.
SM Allison has been recognised for his drive and passion in promoting greater inclusivity across Dorset and Wiltshire, including his significant efforts working with harder to reach communities.
Sam has established and led a staff network that helps the Service to engage with minority ethnic staff. Through this dialogue, he has been instrumental in helping the organisation to be a better and more inclusive employer. His outstanding leadership and hard work has led to significant improvements in how the Service works, including an increase to our minority ethnic staff population.
During the pandemic, Sam led the Service’s efforts to increase the take-up rates of the COVID-19 vaccine from under-represented groups and remote communities, such as those living on the canals and rivers of Wiltshire.
Outside the fire and rescue service, Sam has recently been appointed as the first black Premier League football referee for 15 years, and took charge of his first match on Boxing Day.
He combined his football referee and fire service passions when he worked closely with Swindon Town Football Club to support their PL Kicks project. This involved representatives from the Service’s prevention, protection and emergency response areas in a football match against Swindon Town but, more importantly, Sam used the project to inspire the younger generation to see the fire and rescue service as an employer of choice.
Station Manager Sam Allison said: “I feel incredibly privileged to be awarded with such a distinguished medal. I’m grateful to everyone who has supported me in my career and been a part of my journey, supporting my vision for a more inclusive workplace.”
He added: “I would like to extend my gratitude to Chief Fire Officer Ben Ansell and Assistant Chief Officer Jenny Long for their leadership, guidance and support in my mission. I would like to thank my family, friends, colleagues and community for helping me reach a stage where I can proudly accept this award as a mark of my achievement. I will continue to drive change, challenge adversity, and always strive for excellence. Thank you for this unexpected and humbling award.”
Chief Fire Officer Ben Ansell said: “I am absolutely delighted that Sam has been recognised nationally for his outstanding leadership, passion and commitment to making the fire and rescue service inclusive for all. I send congratulations to Sam on behalf of everyone at Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service, this medal is extremely well deserved.”
- Sam joined the then Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service as an on-call firefighter in Melksham in 2004, before becoming a substantive wholetime firefighter in Trowbridge in 2012. He gained promotion to Crew Manager in 2018 and Watch Manager in 2020, before becoming a substantive Station Manager in February 2023. Most recently, Sam has been responsible for community engagement and inclusion, leading a small team to build relationships and break down barriers with harder to reach communities across the Service area. He is currently on a career break from DWFRS, to allow him time to concentrate on football refereeing.
