Sir Ken Knight CBE, QFSM

Biography

Sir Ken Knight was appointed Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser on 1 October 2007.

He commenced his work with the fire service in Surrey in 1966 and subsequently served in a number of other UK fire brigades. At a principal officer level he has served as Assistant Chief Officer in London, Deputy Chief Officer of Devon and the Chief Fire Officer of Dorset and West Midlands Fire Services before returning to London in 2003 as London’s Fire Commissioner.

He has been a key player in the UK Fire and Rescue Service for many years leading the service through significant change. He was the national principal adviser on Fire and Rescue Service matters to the Local Government Association (LGA) and a Board member of the Chief Fire Officers’ Association (CFOA).

Sir Ken was awarded the Queen’s Fire Service Medal in 1991, the CBE in 2001, the Order of St John in 2005 and was appointed one of Her Majesty’s Deputy Lieutenants of Greater London in May 2006. Sir Ken was knighted in the Queen’s Birthday Honours the same year in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the fire and rescue service.