Cumbria’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has confirmed the appointment of Ben Ryder as the new Chief Fire Officer for Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service (CFRS).
Ben is currently the Temporary Chief Fire Officer for Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service and was chosen as the preferred candidate by commissioner David Allen following interviews on the Friday 16 October.
In line with the statutory guidelines, the Police, Fire and Crime Panel held a confirmatory hearing on Tuesday 3 November to consider Ben’s suitability for the role.
Following the meeting, the panel made their recommendation to the commissioner that the appointment be confirmed.
David Allen, Cumbria’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, said:
“I am incredibly pleased that the Police, Fire and Crime Panel has unanimously approved Ben Ryder as the new Chief Fire Officer for Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service.
"Ben joined Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service in summer 2025 as Assistant Chief Fire Officer and took on the role of Temporary Chief Fire Officer in June 2026.
"He previously served in the Royal Air Force Fire & Rescue Service before joining Merseyside in 2001 and working his way up through the ranks.
"In 2020/21, Ben led the largest capital project Merseyside has ever undertaken developing a new training and development centre and national resilience centre of excellence.
"He has extensive operational experience commanding some of the most high-profile major incidents in recent memory.
"Ben is a strong leader and will help take Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service from strength-to-strength.
"I look forward to working with him and supporting CFRS where possible to provide the best service possible to the public."
Ben Ryder, Chief Fire Officer for Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service, said:
"It is a genuine privilege to be named Chief Fire Officer for Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service and I’m thankful to so many people who have supported me throughout my career to this point.
"I am committed to Cumbria, myself and my family are settled in this beautiful county and I’m determined to lead the outstanding service that it deserves.
"I’m looking forward to continuing to work with our teams to build on the trust and confidence the public have in us and ensure our communities remain at the heart of the service."
Councillor Tim Pickstone, Chair of the Police, Fire and Crime Panel, said:
"Cumbria's Police, Fire and Crime Panel were very happy to support the recommendation of the commissioner to appoint Ben Ryder as Chief Fire Officer.
"We are very lucky to have attracted such an experienced firefighter and fire service leader to our area.
"We look forwards to working with him as he continues to move our fire services forwards."
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