Lee Howell is the Chief Fire Officer of Devon and Somerset Fire and
Rescue Service. He is responsible for 2300 members of staff who protect a population of over 1.7 million. DSFRS has 85 fire stations with a revenue budget of £76 million per annum. He is the CEO of the newly formed Devon,
Somerset & Dorset shared management team and along with Deputy CEO Darran Gunter, aim to deliver excellent shared service solutions at a reduced cost through effective partnership working.

His previous role was as the Chief Fire Officer/Director of Public Protection for
Suffolk (appointed in 2004). He has also served in Royal Berkshire and Essex Fire and Rescue Services. He worked for Central Government as one of
Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Fire Services advising Ministers, primarily regarding the modernisation agenda and the development of the Fire & Rescue Service Act 2004. He is the Vice President of the Chief Fire
Officers’ Association and will become President in September 2011 (covering the 2012 Olympics). He is an Advisor to the Local Government Association and a Trustee of the Fire Fighters Charitable Trust.