Staffordshire's latest Chief Fire Officer has been selected – and his appointment comes 30 years after he started his career as a trainee firefighter at Newcastle Fire Station.

Glynn Luznyj, who has served as Deputy Chief Fire Officer since 2021, will succeed Rob Barber in the top role when he retires in June.

His appointment was unanimously backed by members of the Police, Fire and Crime Panel at a confirmation hearing on Monday (February 9).

It follows a recruitment process involving representatives from His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services, the National Fire Chiefs Council and the Fire Brigades Union.

Speaking at Monday's confirmation hearing, Staffordshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Ben Adams said: "Glynn has been with Staffordshire Fire and Rescue since 1996.

"Almost everything I have had to do over 20 years of local politics has involved watching Glynn progress, always with exceptional professionalism and attention to detail.

"In the last few years, the way he has supported Rob Barber as Chief Fire Officer and really represented Staffordshire Fire and Rescue on the local and national stage has been really credible.

"I couldn't be more comfortable with presenting him to you as my preferred candidate for Staffordshire Fire and Rescue going forward."

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Mr Luznyj spoke of his passion for the county at Monday's hearing. He told the panel: "I am born and bred in the Staffordshire Moorlands, I have lived there and brought my family up there and my background is set on traditional, strong family values.

"I also have a background in sport from a very young age. Those qualities of team player, being loyal and hard work are fundamental personal values that have carried into my professional career.

"I've been in Staffordshire Fire and Rescue since 1996 and I've taken my time to progress and work at every single role and enjoyed that.

"That's allowed me to continue to learn and develop – I've been privileged to work with some fantastic people in the organisation and past and present colleagues have helped to develop me.

"I know very much about the people and population. From Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service's perspective, I really understand the risk profile that we have here in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent and how that's changed over the years."

Mr Luznyj has also held national fire service roles, including the National Fire Chiefs Council lead on smoke detection and Secretary of the Fire Leaders Association.

In Staffordshire he was responsible for introducing the Community Sprinkler Project, which has seen 19 high-rise residential buildings fitted with sprinklers to protect residents and responding firefighters from the risk of fire, and in recent years he supported the service's response to the conflict in Ukraine by organising convoys of old appliances and equipment to go to the Eastern European country.

Chief Fire Officer Rob Barber said: "I'm delighted that Glynn has been appointed as my successor – I have every confidence in his ability to lead our organisation.

"His honesty, integrity and commitment to the service is clear to see by everybody that works with him.

"He has been serving the communities of Staffordshire since starting his career as a firefighter at Newcastle. So it will be a great honour for him to now become Chief of the organisation that he first joined 30 years ago."