Quick Facts
Biography
Andrew Dudley Roe KFSM (born July 1974) is a former British Army officer and firefighter currently serving as the Commissioner of the London Fire Brigade.
Early life and education
Andy Roe grew up in London and graduated from Newcastle University in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts in English literature.
Career
In 1997, Roe was commissioned from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and joined the 12th Regiment Royal Artillery as a second lieutenant. During his time as an officer, he served as a troop commander and a battery captain and served two tours in Northern Ireland. During his time in Northern Ireland, he was wounded when a pipe bomb was thrown at him, which also severely injured an RUC officer stood next to Roe. The officer died after spending four weeks on a life support machine. As a captain, he transferred his commission to the Army reserve in April 2000.
In 2002, Roe joined the London Fire Brigade as a firefighter and in January 2017 was appointed as Assistant Commissioner.
During the Grenfell Tower fire, Roe was appointed incident commander where he revoked the controversial 'stay put' advice to the residents. As the first commissioner appointed since the fire, Roe issued a plea to the residents of London's 7,000 high rise blocks to set aside any 'post-Grenfell doubts continue to follow firefighters’ advice in the event of a blaze.'
On 28 January 2020, Roe became the first LFB commissioner to sign the Armed Forces Covenant with the British Armed Forces.
Roe was awarded the King's Fire Service Medal (KFSM) in the 2024 New Year Honours.
Awards and honours
| Ribbon | Description | Notes |
| King's Fire Service Medal (KFSM) |
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| General Service Medal (1962) |
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| Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal |
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| Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal |
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| King Charles III Coronation Medal |
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| Fire and Rescue Service Long Service and Good Conduct Medal |
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