East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service congratulates David Kemp, Strategic Prevention Manager at ESFRS, who has been awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) in the New Year Honours list. The BEM rewards achievements and contributions to the local community in support of innovative work which has delivered real impact.
Chief Fire Officer Dawn Whittaker said “I am thrilled that David is to receive this honour, anyone who has worked with him knows his passion and proactivity for improving community safety. He has been instrumental in shaping and leading innovative approaches and programmes that have undoubtedly helped save lives in Sussex and further afield.
It is fantastic to see him honoured in this way and I know you will all join me in offering David our warm congratulations.”
David said: “I am overwhelmed to be honoured with the British Empire Medal. None of what has been achieved would be possible without the loving support of my family.
I am hugely grateful to senior leaders for supporting our innovative prevention work and to colleagues in our Fire and Rescue Service as well as the Police, Health, Local Authorities and third sector who should see this award as recognition of the work that we have undertaken together to make our community safer.”
David has served in the public sector in East Sussex for 46 years, including a 30-year career with Sussex Police which led onto working with local District and Borough Councils before joining ESFRS in 2012. During his time with ESFRS, he led the pioneering data sharing project with GP practices delivering home safety visits to those vulnerable people directly referred by GPs. This project continues to have a lasting impact on local communities and has been introduced in other FRS’s.
His leadership with local partnership initiatives came to the fore with the Homes for Ukraine Scheme. David developed a Ukrainian translation of the Home Office Fire Kills leaflet which is now used by all FRS’s in England and almost 1000 Home Safety Visits have been delivered to Ukraine nationals placed in the UK.
David oversees our Volunteers programme, who support ESFRS at many public events and fundraising activities. This continued throughout Covid when Volunteers provided a telephone befriending scheme for over 150 isolated and vulnerable members of the local community.