Principal officers

With a 28-year career within Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, Craig has served at Dunkirk, Central, Stockhill, and West Bridgford and spent some time at the NFRS Service Development Centre.

As a Group Manager, Craig spent some periods working at Headquarters as well as taking charge of frontline firefighting operations for the south of the county.

Prior to joining Nottinghamshire Craig spent six years in the British Army’s Royal Engineers and numerous roles in the private sector over a four-year period. He holds several Diplomas from both Coventry and Nottingham Trent University’s, a Master’s in Disaster Management, and has completed the Executive Leadership Programme.

He has service as Assistant Chief Fire Officer from December 2013, before becoming the Deputy Chief Fire Officer in 2019.

Craig was appointed by the Fire Authority to become Chief Fire Officer, taking up the role on Saturday 16 April 2022.

Candida joined Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service in June 2020 as Assistant Chief Fire Officer.

Candida joined the Service with a wealth of local government experience having spent 33 years at Nottingham City Council, where she started her career as an apprentice town planner. She undertook several roles with the City Council, overseeing projects in the voluntary sector, Education department, and Children and Adult Services, before being appointed Assistant Chief Executive / Corporate Director of Strategy and Resources.

In her final role with the City Council, Candida had responsibility for corporate functions including Finance, IT, HR, Procurement and Communications, and Marketing.

As the Assistant Chief Fire Officer at Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, Candida has responsibility for Corporate Support within the Service, which includes ICT, Corporate Communications, Performance and Planning, and Corporate Administration.

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.

Mick started his career in Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service, working operationally in Chesterfield, Staveley, Derby City and Derbyshire's headquarters at Littleover before transferring to Nottinghamshire.

On Friday 25 February 2022 the Fire Authority appointed Mick Sharman as temporary Assistant Chief Fire Officer to fill the Deputy Chief Fire Officer vacancy created by Craig Parkin becoming Chief Fire Officer.

Mick was previously Area Manager and Head of Response.

In April 2023, Mick was appointed as temporary Assistant Chief Fire Officer across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, focussing on strategic collaboration projects.