Date: 28th April, 2022
One of the longest serving Members of Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority (DWFRA) has been recognised for her long-standing leadership and support.
Cllr Ann Stribley MBE sat on the Dorset Fire Authority for many years prior to the creation of DWFRA in 2016. She was then one of the founding Members of the new Authority.
Chief Fire Officer Ben Ansell QFSM and Cllr Rebecca Knox, Chair of DWFRA, recently invited Cllr Stribley to Poole fire station, where she was presented with a certificate of service and a Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue plaque in the presence of the Red Watch crew.
Cllr Stribley – who is a local authority member for the Parkstone ward of Poole, a role she has undertaken for 45 years – grew up around fire engines, as her father was in the Auxiliary Fire Service and then the National Fire Service during World War Two.
She said: “It has been the greatest privilege to serve on the Fire and Rescue Authority. I don’t know of a more professional, dedicated or purposeful organisation and I am very sorry to leave. My best wishes for the future go to everyone, and my thanks to all those who look after their community.”
Cllr Knox paid tribute to Cllr Stribley and thanked her for being “the most amazing Vice Chair”, adding: “Your advice and wisdom has always been really valued, and you have shown how important it is to have active Members willing to speak up.”
CFO Ansell said: “It has been an absolute pleasure to work for and with Cllr Stribley over the years. She has always stood up for our firefighters and staff, and forged very strong relationships right across the Service. It was a pleasure to welcome her to Poole fire station and thank her for her leadership and support.”