On February 11, 2026, the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service announced that Mark Arkwell will become the new head of the fire service in Reading, Berkshire.
Arkwell will take over the roles of Chief Fire Officer and Chief Executive Officer from Wayne Bowcock, who is retiring on March 27, 2026. The Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed the appointment following a national search for a leader to manage emergency responses for the county.
Arkwell has worked in the fire sector for more than 25 years and previously served as the deputy chief for the local service. He has been responsible for updating the fire engine fleet and managing the budget for new facilities, such as the training centre at Whitley Wood.
The outgoing chief, Wayne Bowcock, was recently recognised in the New Year Honours list 2026 for his work in the fire sector. He also helped oversee the Thames Valley Fire Control Service, which handles 999 calls for the region from its base in Calcot.
As the new leader, Arkwell will be in charge of setting safety priorities and managing how firefighters respond to local emergencies and fire prevention. This leadership change aims to ensure the service continues its work on community safety and modernising local equipment.
About this article: This story was put together with the help of AI tools and checked by a real person on our team. We're a small crew trying to cover as much of the UK as we can on a limited budget. We're getting better every day - but we're not perfect yet. If something looks off, let us know. You're part of the process.
