Principal officers

Born and raised in Derbyshire, on leaving school Craig joined the British Army's Royal Engineers as a junior leader in Dover, going on to serve in the UK and Germany - including tours of Belize and the Gulf.

After six years of service to his country, Craig left the Army to experience numerous roles in the private sector, meeting his wife and starting a family. In 1995, Craig found his professional home after joining Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service and completing his firefighter training. Operationally, Craig served at Dunkirk, Central, Stockhill and West Bridgford fire stations from Firefighter to Watch Manager.

Craig has led the Service’s operational training department, overseen organisational planning, performance management and service standards.

He has a long-standing history and experience of multi-agency working across all communities in the city and county, leading prevention, protection and response activities, commanding emergency response at all levels, with numerous major incidents from fires to wide area flooding and with a career spanning three decades, he has achieved the role of Chief Fire Officer.

Craig is a strong champion of personal development, with statutory fire service examinations to achieve graduate status with the Institute of Fire Engineers (IFE), Diploma’s in Health, Safety and Environmental Management, Management Studies and Specialist Rescue. He has also successfully completed a Master of Science (MSc) in Disaster Management.

He continues to hold GIFireE member status, as well as Chartered Member of the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (CMIOSH), Member of the Chartered Management Institute (MCMI), and he is an affiliate Member of the Business Continuity Institute.

He commits time voluntarily as Chair of the North East Midlands branch of the IFE, Trustee of the Fire Museum at Mansfield Fire Station and more recently as a Deputy Lieutenant with the Nottinghamshire Lieutenancy, in the county he calls home.

He continues to support the fire sector nationally, as chair/lead of the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) Health and Safety Committee, an area of career-long interest for Craig.

Damien started his career in the fire service as an On-Call firefighter with Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue back in 2006. He later joined Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service as a wholetime firefighter in 2009, and Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service as a Station Manager in 2014.

Damien rose through the ranks to become Area Manager before being appointed Assistant Chief Fire Officer, taking up the role on 16 April 2023.

Leila started her career at Nottingham City Council as a Health and Safety Officer, before joining Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service in 2010 as an Assistant Health and Safety Advisor.

In 2018, she then progressed to Risk & Assurance Manager, before joining the Strategic Leadership Team as an Area Manager.

During her time as Area Manager, Leila has worked in roles such as Head of Corporate Support, Risk & Assurance, Operational Training and Head of People & Organisational Development.

In September 2025, Leila was appointed as Assistant Chief Fire Officer.