Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service
Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service is a UK statutory Fire and Rescue Authority delivering 24/7 emergency response, fire prevention, community safety, and specialist national resilience capabilities across the Merseyside region (Liverpool, Wirral, Sefton, St Helens, Knowsley), funded by council tax and government grants with ancillary commercial training revenue.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1974
- HeadquartersBootle, England, United Kingdom
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service does
Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service (MFRS) is a statutory Fire and Rescue Authority established in 1974 through the merger of predecessor brigades serving Bootle, Liverpool, St Helens, Wallasey, Southport, Birkenhead, and parts of Cheshire and Lancashire. Operating under the governance of the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority, MFRS delivers 24/7 emergency response, fire prevention, and community safety services across the Merseyside region — covering Liverpool, Wirral, Sefton, St Helens, and Knowsley — to a resident population of approximately 1.4 million. The service operates a network of 23+ community fire stations, a Marine Rescue Unit on the River Mersey, a Training and Development Academy designated as a National Centre of Excellence, and a National Resilience Centre of Excellence housing specialist Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) and UK International Search and Rescue (UK ISAR) teams. Operational technology assets include drones for incident support, rescue boats for water incidents, and a ReciteMe accessibility toolbar providing multilingual (130+ languages) website access.
MFRS's core product surface spans Emergency Response Services (fires, road traffic collisions, water rescue, hazardous materials), Community Safety and Fire Prevention (home fire safety checks, arson reduction, youth engagement including Fire Cadets and the King's Trust Team Programme), Business Fire Safety Services (consultations, risk assessments, enforcement under the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022), and National Resilience capabilities deployable nationally. Ancillary offerings include commercial training courses (Fire Awareness, Fire Marshal, NEBOSH, Manual Handling) and conference facilities for hire. The operating model is primarily publicly funded through council tax precept and central government grants, with commercial training and facility hire as secondary revenue streams. MFRS holds the highest OUTSTANDING inspection rating from HMICFRS/Ofsted for preventing fires, responding to major incidents, and making best use of resources, alongside the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award and a series of operational and workplace accreditations.
Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service
- Legal name
- Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service
- Website
- https://merseyfire.gov.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1974
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service is a UK statutory Fire and Rescue Authority delivering 24/7 emergency response, fire prevention, community safety, and specialist national resilience capabilities across the Merseyside region (Liverpool, Wirral, Sefton, St Helens, Knowsley), funded by council tax and government grants with ancillary commercial training revenue.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fire and Rescue Services
- NAICS
- Fire Protection (92216), Fire Protection (922160)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fire & Rescue Services (Fire Suppression, Rescue) (BPAIAGAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Wildfire Suppression & Incident Response (AFAMAEAE), Search & Rescue (Urban/Water/Wilderness) Coordination (HLAJAGAJ), Wildfire Risk Assessment, Prevention & Suppression Services (IMAMAJAG), Emergency Response & Search-and-Rescue (SAR) (BPAGAAAA)
Keywords
Where Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bootle, England
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices14 records
Markets served
Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Government Funding: Public sector funding through Fire and Rescue Authority, primarily funded by local council tax and government grants
- Commercial Training Services: Training and Development Academy offers commercial training courses to external organisations including emergency response training, fire marshal training, NEBOSH qualifications
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Free Fire Safety Advice |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Commercial Training Services |
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service is a statutory Fire and Rescue Authority providing 24/7 emergency response to fires, road traffic collisions, water rescue incidents, and hazardous materials across the Merseyside region. The service delivers fire prevention and community safety programmes, business fire safety compliance services, and operates a Training and Development Academy offering both internal firefighter training and commercial courses to external organisations. It also maintains National Resilience assets including Urban Search and Rescue (USAR), UK ISAR, and a Marine Rescue Unit for major incident deployment.
Product overview
Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service operates as a unified public safety organization providing emergency response, prevention, and training services. The core offerings include 24/7 emergency response to fires, road traffic collisions, water rescue, and hazardous materials incidents across 22 community fire stations. Prevention services encompass community safety programs, youth engagement (Fire Cadets, King's Trust, Beacon Project), and business fire safety compliance. The Training & Development Academy delivers tactical firefighting, technical rescue, HAZMAT, and commercial training. Additional capabilities include National Resilience assets (Urban Search and Rescue, Marine Rescue Unit) for major incident deployment. A digital Online Home Fire Safety Check tool enables residents to self-assess risks.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- OUTSTANDING rating from Ofsted for preventing fires, responding to major incidents, and making the best use of resources
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI)coreJoint water safety campaigns with RNLI to warn of open water dangers and promote water safety awareness across Merseyside
- LFC FoundationcorePartnership for Premier League Kicks programme delivering road safety education at MFRS Training and Development Academy
- King's TrustcoreMFRS King's Trust Team Programme helping young people develop skills for work and life. Celebrating 50 years of King's Trust partnership
- Canal & River TrustminorJoint initiative to give St Helens beauty spot a safety boost, promoting water safety around canals and rivers
- Merseyside PolicecoreJoint operations including road safety campaigns, scrambler bike enforcement, and community safety initiatives
- Local Councils (Liverpool, Wirral, Sefton, St Helens, Knowsley)corePartnership with five local authorities across Merseyside for community safety, fire station operations, and emergency planning
- North West Fire and Rescue ServicescoreRegional collaboration for high-rise training exercises, tactical firefighting challenges, and operational interoperability
- National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC)coreWater rescue equipment for Ukraine secured through NFCC. National coordination on fire safety standards and policies
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves13 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- London Fire Brigade: Statutory fire and rescue authority for London, the largest UK fire service. Operates under the same regulatory framework as MFRS (Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004), delivers the same core emergency response and prevention services, with an equivalent funding/governance model via the GLA.
- Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service: Statutory metropolitan fire and rescue authority for Tyne and Wear, providing the same statutory emergency response, prevention, and protection services under the same UK regulatory framework. Direct operational peer for comparison.
- West Midlands Fire Service: Statutory metropolitan fire and rescue authority for the West Midlands, providing equivalent emergency response, fire prevention, and community safety services. Comparable in scale, governance, and statutory mandate to MFRS.
- Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service: Statutory fire and rescue authority serving Cheshire, directly adjacent to Merseyside. Operates the same statutory emergency response, prevention, and protection model funded by council tax precept, and is one of MFRS's regional collaboration partners.
- Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service: Statutory fire and rescue authority covering Devon and Somerset, delivering equivalent emergency response, prevention, and protection services. Direct operational peer despite covering a more rural geography than MFRS.
- Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue Service: Statutory fire and rescue authority covering Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. Operates the same statutory emergency response, fire prevention, and protection services funded by council tax precept under the same regulatory regime.
- Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service: Statutory fire and rescue authority serving Greater Manchester, providing the same emergency response, prevention, and protection services funded by council tax precept. Directly comparable peer in terms of governance structure, funding model, and service scope in a neighbouring English metropolitan area.
Others
- National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC): Professional body for UK chief fire officers that coordinates national fire and rescue policy, equipment procurement, and standards. Not a direct competitor but a key strategic partner for MFRS, including through which MFRS has secured water rescue equipment for Ukraine.
Emerging players
- Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI): Charity operating lifeboat rescue services around the UK and Ireland. A direct collaboration partner with MFRS on water safety campaigns and adjacent in the marine/water rescue space, though operating as a private charity rather than a statutory authority.
- St John Ambulance: UK first aid and ambulance charity providing emergency medical response, event medical cover, and first aid training. Adjacent to MFRS in the broader emergency response and training services space, particularly in community safety and first aid training.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service social profiles
Digital presenceMerseyside Fire & Rescue Service financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service
What does Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service do?
Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service is a statutory Fire and Rescue Authority providing 24/7 emergency response to fires, road traffic collisions, water rescue incidents, and hazardous materials across the Merseyside region. The service delivers fire prevention and community safety programmes, business fire safety compliance services, and operates a Training and Development Academy offering both internal firefighter training and commercial courses to external organisations. It also maintains National Resilience assets including Urban Search and Rescue (USAR), UK ISAR, and a Marine Rescue Unit for major incident deployment.
Is Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service a public or private company?
Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service founded?
Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service was founded in 1974. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service based?
Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service is headquartered in Bootle, England, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Government Funding is the primary driver. The others are commercial Training Services.
Who are Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are London Fire Brigade, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, West Midlands Fire Service, Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service, Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue Service and Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service. National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) is listed as an others. Emerging players are Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and St John Ambulance.
Does Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service have an API?
No public API is recorded for Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service.
What industry is Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service in?
Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service's product category is Fire and Rescue Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIAGAB, Fire & Rescue Services (Fire Suppression, Rescue), with a secondary code of AFAMAEAE, Wildfire Suppression & Incident Response. Its NAICS code is 92216.