So Chloe, what does your job involve? 

My job involves working closely with other teams in the service to contribute to the design, development, and delivery of our prevention programmes based on research evidence. I use a range of research methods such as questionnaires, interviews, and focus groups to gain valuable insight from our customers. The information gathered is then analysed to inform our safety interventions to help effectively promote safer behaviours. My role also supports the evaluation of our prevention activities to ensure they are effective in making customers in Kent and Medway safer. 

What do you enjoy most about working at Kent Fire and Rescue Service? 

The culture at Kent Fire and Rescue Service is very friendly and supportive. My experience has always been that you can pick up the phone to anyone and they are always happy to help or point you in the right direction! The people who work here are very passionate about ensuring the safety of the Kent and Medway community and I can really sense that through every communication I have. 

In relation to my role, I enjoy gathering information from our customers and feeding that back into the service to help us make more informed decisions about our safety interventions that are evidence based and echo the voices of our customers. 

What does a typical day look like for you? 

Each day can look very different depending on the research projects I am working on and the stage the project is at. There are multiple projects running at the same time, so my typical day can be varied. Some days can be computer based where I will either work from the office or at home, but other days I may be out and about at fire stations or attending local community events. My usual day-to-day activities can involve planning research projects and developing research questions, reviewing existing literature, designing primary data collection materials such as questionnaires and collecting information through surveys, focus groups, interviews. Once the data is collected, I will also spend time analysing the data and writing a report to present the findings. Every day will involve sending and replying to emails and attending meetings with colleagues in the service to discuss project updates, discuss next steps or to present findings and recommendations from the research. I have the responsibility of managing my day-to-day activities to ensure they are in line with project timelines. 

How long have you been a part of the Collaboration team? 

I joined Kent Fire and Rescue Service in 2021, after completing a Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing.

How would you describe your team to someone thinking about applying for a role in the Collaboration team? 

I would describe my team as talented, great communicators and drivers for evidence-based practice. The team I work in have a natural flair for collaborating with our customers and work hard to gather information to find out the best ways to promote the adoption of safer behaviours within the community. The team are compassionate, and customer focused. 

What do you feel has been your biggest challenge in your role? 

I started my role at Kent Fire and Rescue Service during the Covid pandemic, so initially my working days were from home. It was a challenge starting a job and not being physically with your new team. However, my manager and team were supportive in setting up lots of online introductory meetings with people that I would be working with, which helped to make my induction feel more personable. Also, I initially found it hard to comprehend how many different teams and roles there are in the service. Since then, through collaboration and curiousness my awareness and understanding of the different teams and the important roles they play in the service has increased, but I never stop learning!

What are you most proud of in your career at Kent Fire and Rescue?

I am proud to work for Kent Fire and Rescue Service [KFRS]. It is fulfilling to work for an organisation that is making a difference in the community. I feel proud in how I have been developing in my role. I joined KFRS straight after finishing my university degree which initially felt daunting starting a new career. My confidence has grown and my responsibilities have also increased during my time at KFRS. I feel confident that the management team at KFRS care about your development and have many opportunities to help you progress in your career. Recently, I completed the ‘Core Leadership Programme’. This is an internal programme that helps to build the foundation of your leadership skills to help you take the next step in your career.  I feel proud to have been given the opportunity to complete this course through the recognition of my manager. Also, it is rewarding  to see how our research has been used to help shape elements of prevention programmes as well as making an improvement to the safety of the community.