A long-serving fire safety chief has been recognised for his innovative work in the New Year Honours List.
David Kemp has been awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) having held senior roles in prevention work and community safety at East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service over the past 13 years.
Strategic prevention manager Mr Kemp, 66, from Seaford, was given his honour for services to community safety, according to his citation.
He 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.”
Mr Kemp said that those colleagues and partners “should see this award as recognition of the work that we have undertaken together to make our community safer”.
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.”
Mr Kemp has served in the public sector in East Sussex for 46 years, including a 30-year career with Sussex Police which led on to working with local district and borough councils before joining the fire service in 2012.
During his time with the fire service, he led a pioneering data sharing project with doctors’ surgeries, delivering home safety visits to vulnerable people directly referred by family doctors.
The project continues to have lasting benefits in local communities and has been taken up by other fire and rescue services.
East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said: “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 fire and rescue services in England – and almost 1,000 Home Safety Visits have been delivered to Ukraine nationals placed in the UK.”
Mr Kemp also oversees a volunteers programme, support the fire service at many public events and fundraising activities.
This continued throughout the coronavirus pandemic when volunteers provided a telephone befriending scheme for more than 150 isolated and vulnerable people in the community.
