Strategic Leadership Team

Chief Fire Officer and Chief Executive - Niall McKiniry 

Niall McKiniry is the Chief Fire Officer and Chief Executive of Humberside Fire and Rescue Service (HFRS), having taken up the position in October 2026. He joined HFRS as a firefighter in 1995 and progressed through the ranks, becoming Deputy Chief Fire Officer in October 2022 and serving in that role until September 2026.

Prior to joining the Executive Board and Strategic Leadership Team, Niall served at fire stations including Bridlington, East Hull, Scunthorpe and Hull Central, as well as in a range of specialist and strategic roles at Service Headquarters.

As Chief Fire Officer, Niall leads the Service’s strategic direction, organisational performance and continuous improvement. He advises Humberside Fire Authority on the delivery of its statutory functions, with a focus on reducing risk, strengthening emergency response and resilience, and securing value for money.

Niall has worked nationally as the National Fire Chiefs Council Strategic Lead for Evaluation under the Community Risk Programme and is a strong advocate for improving the safety, health, wellbeing and economic prosperity of communities.

He chairs the Humber Local Resilience Forum, which coordinates multi-agency preparation, response and recovery relating to emergencies across the Humber area.

Niall is the Service’s Race Equality Ambassador and Chair of its Sports and Welfare Section and is also a member of the Tribune Trust Charity. He is a qualified and highly experienced Strategic Incident Commander and holds a master’s degree in business administration, together with postgraduate leadership qualifications.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer and Executive Director of Service Delivery - Matt Sutcliffe 

Matt joined Humberside Fire and Rescue Service (HFRS) in June 2001, beginning his career at Immingham West Fire Station. Over the past 25 years, he has served in a wide range of operational, corporate and leadership roles, developing extensive experience across emergency response, service improvement, people, organisational development, governance and strategic planning. Matt holds a degree, a Master of Business Administration and several postgraduate leadership qualifications.

Having progressed through the Service and previously served as Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Matt was appointed Deputy Chief Fire Officer in 2026. In this role, he provides strategic leadership across Service Delivery, helping to shape the future direction of the organisation while ensuring the Service continues to meet the needs of its communities, staff and partners. He is a strong advocate of collaboration, transparency and continuous improvement, with a particular focus on performance, productivity, organisational culture and community impact.

Alongside his local responsibilities, Matt plays an active national role through the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC). He serves as Chair of NFCC International Affairs, working with partners across the UK and internationally to share learning, strengthen resilience and support sector improvement. Along with supporting national work on Productivity and Efficiency.

As part of his professional development, Matt completed an 18-month secondment with Hull Clinical Commissioning Group, where he helped develop the nationally recognised Hull FIRST initiative. He remains passionate about partnership working, innovation and creating safer communities, and serves as the Service’s Disability Ambassador, supporting inclusion both within the workforce and across the communities HFRS serves.

Assistant Chief Fire Officer and Executive Director of Corporate Services - Jason Kirby 

Jason joined Humberside Fire and Rescue Service in March 1995 as an On-Call Firefighter at Barton Fire Station and subsequently served as a Wholetime Firefighter at several stations, including Scunthorpe and Immingham West. Throughout his career, he has undertaken a broad range of operational and leadership roles, progressing through the organisation to senior positions in Emergency Response and People and Development.

Jason was appointed Assistant Chief Fire Officer in October 2026. In this role, he supports the Chief Fire Officer in providing strategic leadership for the Service, helping to shape its vision, priorities and long-term direction. He is responsible for Corporate Assurance, Digital Services, Human Resources, Professional Standards, and Occupational Health, Safety and Wellbeing, ensuring the Service remains effective, inclusive and well positioned to meet the needs of its staff and communities.

With more than three decades of service, Jason has extensive operational experience and has led the Service's response to a range of significant incidents, including major fires, flooding events, power outages and security-related incidents. He also led the Humber multi-agency tactical response during the COVID-19 pandemic, working closely with partners across the region to support and protect local communities.

Jason is committed to professional development and lifelong learning. He holds a range of Strategic level qualifications, including Strategic Incident Command and the Fire Service Executive Leadership Programme. He is also nearing completion of a Master of Business Administration (MBA).

A passionate advocate for inclusion and belonging, Jason serves as the Service's LGBTQ+ Ambassador, championing initiatives that support underrepresented groups and help create an environment where everyone can thrive.

Outside of work, Jason enjoys running to maintain his fitness and wellbeing. A former Rugby Union player, he competed at National League level with Scunthorpe Rugby Club and represented both England Fire Service and Great Britain Fire Service as a blindside flanker. The values of teamwork, resilience and leadership developed through sport continue to influence his approach to leadership today.

Executive Director of Finance and Section 151 Officer - Martyn Ransom

Martyn is the Statutory Finance Officer responsible for the administration of the financial affairs of the Authority as required under the Local Government Act 1972. Martyn was successfully appointed to the role in October 2023.

As Executive Director of Finance and Section 151 Officer, he has direct responsibility for the Service’s Finance and Procurement functions.

Martyn has over 25 years of experience of working in finance and is a fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.

Prior to joining the Service in January 2011 as the Finance Manager, Martyn had worked for Humberside Police and various NHS Trusts in a range of senior finance roles.

Assistant Director of People and Culture - Donna Chambers

Donna Chambers joined Humberside Fire and Rescue Service in November 2025 as Assistant Director of People and Culture, bringing over 20 years of strategic human resources expertise. An MCIPD-certified professional and accredited mediator, Donna has a proven track record of driving organisational performance and fostering staff development across multi-site educational and public sector settings.

In her role, Donna leads a transformation in how the Service supports, develops and empowers its workforce. She heads a talented group of Heads of Function and serves as the Service’s most senior HR and OD professional. 

Donna is committed to building effective, inclusive workplace cultures through strategic partnerships and measured improvement. With a clear eye on the horizon, she helps the Service stay ahead of workforce trends, sector-wide shifts and policy changes, responding to future people challenges with ambition, inclusivity and resilience.

Area Manager of Emergency Response and Training - Steve Duffield

Steve joined the Service in June 2001, and his first posting was to White Watch at Cromwell Road Fire Station.

Steve went on to undertake a variety of roles throughout the Service, including senior roles specialising in fire safety and prevention and protection.

Steve was promoted to Area Manager of Service Improvement in October 2022 and then moved to Emergency Response in October 2024. He is responsible for Emergency Response across the four local authorities and fire service Control.
 

Area Manager of Resilience and Public Safety - Dan Meeke

Dan joined the Service in 1999, his first posting being Green Watch at Bridlington Fire Station and has served at East Hull and Clough Road Fire Stations. He went on to serve in corporate leadership roles in Corporate Planning, Operational Training, East Riding of Yorkshire District and Emergency Preparedness, including Fire Control. Dan has served as a tactical advisor in Hazardous Materials, CBRN, Airwaves and NILO.

As part of his ongoing professional development, Dan undertook an 8-month secondment to Humber Local Resilience Forum developing the partnership’s governance, preparedness, response and recovery procedures and partner engagement.

Dan was promoted to Area Manager in June 2025 and has responsibility for the Service’s resilience and preparedness, fleet, equipment, estate and public safety across the Humber region.

He is the official Ethnicity and Heritage Ambassador for the Service and is involved in supporting the staff group.

Area Manager of Service Improvement - Rich Gibson 

Rich joined the Service in March 1998, beginning his career with Green Watch at Peaks Lane Fire Station. Over the years, he has served at various stations across the service area, gaining a diverse portfolio of experience in Service Delivery, Training, Organisational Development, Corporate Services and Protection. Rich is a seasoned Incident Commander, holding numerous national qualifications and specialising in Fire Investigation for several years.

In June 2025, Rich was promoted to Temporary Area Manager of Service Improvement. In this role, he oversees Corporate Assurance, Health, Safety, Environment and Organisational Learning, Corporate Risk and Intelligence, and Digital Services (ICT).

Rich holds a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) along with several other post-graduate qualifications. He is a passionate advocate for The Fire Fighters Charity and has served as the Service Coordinator for over a decade.