Scottish Fire and Rescue Service partnership in Dumfries and Galloway supports Mountain Rescue Team
A partnership between the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and Moffat Mountain Rescue Team will see a new incident command vehicle located at Lockerbie Community Fire Station.
This agreement will extend rescue response capabilities and help to protect communities.
The new vehicle is part of the Moffat Mountain Rescue Team (MMRT) fleet, who provide vital search and rescue services across Dumfries and Galloway and South Lanarkshire.
The team serves both residents and visitors across key areas, including Dumfries, Moffat, Annan, Langholm, Sanquhar, Thornhill, Lockerbie, and surrounding communities, assisting those who are injured, missing, lost, or vulnerable.
As a registered charity, Moffat Mountain Rescue (MMR), comprises of 30 dedicated volunteers and relies entirely on donations from the public, local businesses, and organizations to sustain its operations.
It is essential for the new MMR incident command vehicle to be accessible for the team’s qualified drivers who live and work near Lockerbie to ensure a faster and more efficient emergency response.
Colin Wallace is Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Station Commander for Annandale and Eskdale Community Fire Station.
He said: “Protecting the public is at the heart of everything we do, and this is another example of the great partnerships between emergency services benefiting our communities.
“We also understand that the Moffat Mountain Rescue Team is a volunteer-led charity, and we are happy to play our part in assisting their work where we can.
“This is an important resource which has been made available to increase rescue capabilities within the Dumfries and Galloway area.
“Co-location of services also brings opportunities for regular joint working, training and interaction, which will benefit the local community.”
James Coles is Moffat Mountain Rescue Team Leader.
He said: “Moffat Mountain Rescue Team would like to thank the SFRS for the offer to house one of the team's vehicles inside Lockerbie Community Fire Station. This gives the team additional flexibility in the storage and deployment of the team's vehicles.
“Moffat Mountain Rescue team has three vehicles with options to have them located in Moffat, Dumfries (courtesy of Police Scotland) and in the team's base in Moffat.
“Moffat Mountain Rescue Team responds to incidents to search for missing people and rescue people in distress in hill and rural areas across the eastern side of Dumfries and Galloway and up into Lanarkshire.”
This is not the first time the Service have partnered with mountain rescue teams. Galloway Mountain Rescue Team currently shares space within Ayr Community Fire Station.