Chris Lowther

Chris started his career as an operational firefighter based at Gateshead Community Fire Station in 1997.

He has an impressive and varied background in training, community safety and operations and has taken a lead role in a number of national resilience programmes.

He was appointed Chief Fire Officer in February 2017, taking up the post in April 2017. Chris has held a number of roles within the fire service, including Station Officer for community safety, during which time he was instrumental in introducing home safety checks which have significantly reduced fires in the home.

After joining the Strategic Management Team in 2009, Chis worked as an Area Manager and then in 2013 was appointed Assistant Chief Officer, assuming overall responsibility for services across five districts, operations, community safety and fire safety.

Chris sits on the Operations Co-ordination Committee (OCC), the lead body for Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) and he was the project executive for the national guidance work on transport.

He led the introduction of Targeted Response Vehicles (TRVs), day crewing close-call shift patterns, Cobra Coldcut technology and more efficient methods of staffing appliances while facilitating first-class firefighter training.

Policy and collaboration are integral to Chris’s current role and will continue to be a focus going forward. He works collaboratively with Northumbria Police and other key partners, and the implementation of the Integrated Risk Management Plan is an important part of his remit.

Under his leadership, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service will focus on workforce reform and broadening and strengthening their contribution to the community.