Ronald James Dobson CBE QFSM is the Commissioner for Fire and Emergency Planning at the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority, which includes the role of Chief Fire Officer of the London Fire Brigade, [1] he was appointed on 1 October 2007 and succeeds Sir Ken Knight who was in turn appointed to the new role of Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser. He is responsible for the world's third largest fire and rescue service with 112 fire stations and 7000 staff, 6000 of whom are operational firefighters. Until his promotion to commissioner, he was responsible for operational policy and training. He title is generally shortened to commissioner - he is the most senior officer of the LFEPA, but the role includes all the functions of a Chief Fire Officer or Brigade Manager in a local authority fire and rescue service.[2]
Dobson joined the London Fire Brigade in 1979 and rose through the ranks to be promoted Assistant Commissioner in 2000. In 2002, he became the principal officer responsible for delivering the Brigade’s day-to-day operations.[1]
Dobson was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2011 New Year Honours.[3] Last week it was revealed that Ron Dobson, Commissioner of the London Fire Brigade, retired to get his £133,000 annual pension allowance only to jump straight back into his old job. The Daily Mirror claims that he may have even received a £700,000 pay-off if, as entitled, he converted a quarter of his pension to a lump sum.