London Fire Commissioner, Andy Roe KFSM, has advised Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, of his intention to retire after five years in the role.
Commissioner Andy Roe said: “It has been an honour and a privilege to lead London Fire Brigade. When I became Commissioner, I inherited a service suffering from decades of under investment. Over the past five years, supported by the Mayor of London, I have been able to lead significant change and improvement in the organisation – including the way we respond to emergencies, and in our culture. Our people are now better trained and equipped for their mission to serve and protect London.”
The Greater London Authority (GLA) has begun a formal process to identify and appoint a successor, and more information will be made available over the coming months. The Commissioner’s last day in office will be confirmed in due course.
The Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan, said: “Andy Roe has done an outstanding job as Commissioner, and it has been a privilege to work with him to drive the transformation of London Fire Brigade.
“Under Andy’s leadership, London Fire Brigade has made significant progress in improving its performance and culture to rebuild the trust and confidence of Londoners. The Brigade is responding to emergencies faster, is now rated as outstanding in how it responds to major and multi-agency incidents, and has fulfilled all the Phase One Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommendations. Supported by record investment from City Hall, the Commissioner has delivered vital new equipment, improved training and better ways of working, and has taken a zero-tolerance approach to racism, misogyny, and homophobia in the service.
“Andy has set out a clear path for the Brigade to build on the progress he’s made, and I want to thank him for his decades of public service working to make London safer for everyone. I wish him a happy retirement.”
As London Fire Commissioner since January 2020, Andy Roe has led the Brigade through the global pandemic and wholescale reform of the service in response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. He also implemented vital recommendations from His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) and LFB's own Independent Culture Review.
Andy Roe’s dedication and tenacity was exemplified by the outcome of the HMICFRS inspection in 2024, in which LFB achieved a very significant improvement – recorded in 10 out of the 11 inspected areas – with a number of good and outstanding ratings, alongside the removal from enhanced monitoring.
Under his leadership, LFB has completed all 29 recommendations from the first phase of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry aimed at LFB – the first government agency to do so – and has already published LFB’s response to recommendations in Phase Two. Rigorous new training for all staff has been implemented, including an improved approach to high-rise firefighting, and emergency evacuation and rescue. New equipment has been deployed, including drones and turntable ladders. The Brigade’s response to terrorist attacks has also been strengthened. These improvements have been supported by the largest leadership programme undertaken in the Brigade’s history.
Andy Roe has put communities at the heart of LFB’s decision making, establishing a Community Forum that includes survivors and bereaved from the Grenfell Tower and New Cross fires. By holding LFB to account, the Forum has helped strengthen LFB’s post-incident response, ensuring communities impacted by fire and other emergencies are appropriately supported.
Within LFB, Andy Roe has worked tirelessly to improve the organisation’s culture. He commissioned an Independent Culture Review, which resulted in the introduction of new Values for the Brigade, an independent reporting line for staff to report concerns, and a Professional Standards Unit – a first for the sector – underpinned by an unprecedented level of training and face-to-face engagement.
His achievements followed a challenging start to his time in the role, as the global pandemic began as he took up his post. LFB co-crewed with the London Ambulance Service; 500 firefighters were seconded to drive ambulances, and LFB responded to more than 156,000 calls and delivered millions of items of PPE to communities and NHS hubs.
Commissioner Andy Roe added: “I never imagined when I joined LFB 23 years ago as a firefighter, let alone as a boy growing up in South London, that I would have the honour of serving as London Fire Commissioner. I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved in the past five years, which has only been possible due to the courage and determination of our people. There is still work to be done – and there always will be, as LFB continues to adapt to the needs of Londoners and remains one of the foremost fire and rescue services in the world. I have every confidence the Brigade will continue its strong trajectory of improvement and modernisation, and I wish London Fire Brigade every success.”