Craig Whitfield is the Area Manager for Protection at Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS).
He began his career with MFRS as a Firefighter in November 2002 and has over 23 years’ experience, serving at a variety of Community Fire Stations and day related roles before moving into senior management.
Craig served as a Station Manager for 8 years from 2011 to 2019, managing a variety of stations in each of the five districts of Merseyside.
As a Station Manager Craig led on several key workstreams including the Emergency Medical Response (EMR) trial at Southport Community Fire Station, developing the Operational Assurance framework and the introduction of the first Day Crewing Wholetime Retained (DCWTR) Stations at Aintree and Kensington respectively.
Promoted to Group Manager in 2019, Craig developed and delivered the innovative first of its kind Hybrid Duty System as part of the then, IRMP supplement 2019/21. He spent a further five years as Group Manager in the Response Directorate, with roles ranging from Health and Safety and Operational Assurance Manager to Service Delivery Manager.
As Health and Safety Manager in 2020, Craig supported the local and national response to the COVID-19 pandemic, developing risk assessments to keep staff safe while still maintaining the Fire and Rescue Services’ operational response.
In 2024, Craig led a project team to enable MFRS to successfully host the two-day British Firefighter Challenge in Liverpool City Centre, involving over 200 competitors from around the world. The event was delivered in conjunction with the annual Liverpool Pride event.
Craig became the Area Manager for Protection in early 2026, and with over 70 staff in the Directorate, Craig oversees the many functions and teams that enable Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority (MFRA) to meet its statutory duty under various pieces of Legislation.