Dave Watson is Area Manager for Operational Preparedness at Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS).
Dave joined MFRS in 1993 and has served the people of Merseyside at several Community Fire Stations across the region and within various Service functions over the years.
During his career, Dave has led on a number of key local and national work-streams.
Between 2011 and 2013, Dave was seconded into Her Majesty’s Government as the national Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) Senior Security Advisor as part of the Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser (CFRA) unit.
In his role at CFRA, Dave developed the FRS Protective Security Framework, and the transitioning of national guidance to a sector led approach. He was also a strategic manager working with the Metropolitan Police to manage the security and resilience arrangements for the 2012 London Olympic Games.
Dave’s operational experience has involved response to a number of high-profile incidents across the United Kingdom, including wide area flooding and hazardous material incidents.
He has operated at Tactical and Strategic Command, Government Emergency Operations Room and Central Government Emergency Response level, and is an accredited CBRN Strategic Commander. He is a member of the Institution of Fire Engineers and an Associate of the Institute of Explosives Engineers.
In 2020, Dave was the lead officer and Project Manager for the MFRS response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. He was a standing member of the NFCC Fires in Tall Buildings Group and Chair of the Northwest Fires in Tall Buildings Group.
Between 2022 and 2024, he led the project team on the delivery of the specialist rescue station at Aintree, and the creation of the new state of the art MFRS Training and Development Academy, situated on Long Lane, Aintree.
Dave’s role as Area Manager for Operational Preparedness provides strategic leadership, governance, and accountability for MFRS operational training, intelligence, procedures, and equipment, to ensure the Service can safely and effectively respond to foreseeable risk.
In his current role, Dave has temporarily transferred into UK National Resilience as Programme Lead for the New Dimensions 2 Project, operating on behalf of the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government.
In 2025, Dave received both the Chief Constables Commendation and the Chief Fire Officers Certificate of Meritorious Action for his response to the Southport attacks investigation.