Service Delivery Review – a public consultation by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

The primary aim is to ensure that Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) resources – including staff, stations and appliances – are matched to operational risk and demand across Scotland.  

The proposed changes are spread across more than half of all local authorities in Scotland and involve more than 30 fire stations. 

The full list of options include: the potential closure of eight long term dormant fire stations and a further five city-based sites – two in Edinburgh, two in Glasgow and one in Dundee. Some fire stations may be merged with sites nearby. 

There are also plans to repair or rebuild in some locations, as well as transfer staff and appliances to more effective locations. 

Chief Officer Stuart Stevens said: “We have an opportunity for the first time since our national service was formed in 2013 to review how we provide our emergency service every minute of the day, every day of the year. 

“Building a modern fire and rescue service that is fit for purpose is the reason we are bringing these proposed changes forward.  

“We recognise that these 23 options represent a significant level of change. However, we have a duty to ensure that the right resources are in the right locations to meet new risks that exist within today’s communities.  

“We also need to spend public money wisely. We have a backlog of repairs in our buildings, fleet and equipment that would cost more than £800 million to address and this just isn’t an option available to our service. Therefore, along with the need for sustained investment we need to consider how we operate and reduce running costs for assets that are not serving our staff or communities.  

“We must also be able to adapt to meet current and future risks, such as those posed by extreme weather events or wildfires.”

Service Delivery Review – a public consultation by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

Long term dormant fire stations have been non-operational for many years due to recruitment difficulties for on call firefighters in rural places. In some of these locations, there are sheds or storage units.

Five other fire stations across Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow have been identified as potential closures or mergers because they are located close to other facilities that could provide effective cover, or the operational demand is lower than other fire stations with the same level of resources. 

Implementing a day duty shift pattern in targeted areas would see wholetime firefighters working between 8am and 6pm, supported by on call firefighters out with those times.  

A nucleus crew could be placed in two locations - Galashiels in the Scottish Borders and Lesmahagow in South Lanarkshire.  

A nucleus crew is made up of wholetime firefighters who can be tactically deployed across an area to carry our prevention work, provide additional resilience and respond to incidents during the day when on call availability can often be low. 

Permanent solutions are being proposed following the temporary withdrawal of ten appliances in 2023, including Perth & Kinross, Fife, Lanarkshire, Inverclyde and Glasgow. 

CO Stevens added: “These options have been developed over many months involving staff, trade union representatives and other stakeholders. 

“There will be a 12-week period to give people time to submit their views on the changes. 

“We would encourage as many people as possible to participate in public consultation process.”

Ath-sgrùdadh air Lìbhrigeadh Seirbheis – co-chomhairle phoblach le Seirbheis Smàlaidh is Teasairginn na h-Alba 

Tha sinn a' sireadh bheachdan bho dhaoine mu àm ri teachd Seirbheis Smàlaidh is Teasairginn na h-Alba mar phàirt de cho-chomhairle phoblach air 23 roghainn airson atharrachadh. 

’S e am prìomh amas dèanamh cinnteach gu bheil goireasan Seirbheis Smàlaidh is Teasairginn na h-Alba (SFRS) – a’ gabhail a-steach luchd-obrach, stèiseanan agus innealan-smàlaidh – freagarrach gus coinneachadh ri cunnart obrachaidh agus iarrtas air feadh na h-Alba.  

Tha na h-atharrachaidhean a thathar a’ moladh air an sgaoileadh thairis air 14 sgìre ùghdarras ionadail eadar-dhealaichte agus buinidh iad ri còrr is 30 stèisean smàlaidh. 

Tha an liosta iomlan de roghainnean a’ gabhail a-steach: gum faodadh ochd stèiseanan smàlaidh dùnadh nach eil air a bhith ag obair fad ùine mhòir agus còig làraichean eile stèidhichte ann am bailtean mòra – dhà ann an Dùn Èideann, dhà ann an Glaschu agus aon ann an Dùn Dè. Thèid cuid de stèiseanan smàlaidh a chur còmhla ri feadhainn eile a tha faisg air làimh. 

Tha planaichean ann cuideachd airson càradh no ath-thogail ann an cuid de dh’àiteachan, a bharrachd air luchd-obrach agus innealan a ghluasad gu àiteachan nas èifeachdaiche. 

Thuirt am Prìomh Oifigear, Stuart Stevens: “Tha cothrom againn airson a’ chiad uair bho chaidh an t-seirbheis nàiseanta againn a stèidheachadh ann an 2013 ath-sgrùdadh a dhèanamh air mar a lìbhrigeas sinn an t-seirbheis èiginn againn a h-uile mionaid den latha, gach latha den bhliadhna. 

“Is e a bhith a’ togail seirbheis smàlaidh is teasairginn ùr-nodha èifeachdach an t-adhbhar a tha sinn a’ moladh nan atharrachaidhean seo.  

“Tha sinn ag aithneachadh gu bheil na 23 roghainnean seo a’ riochdachadh atharrachadh mòr. Ach, tha dleastanas oirnn dèanamh cinnteach gu bheil na goireasan ceart anns na h-àiteachan ceart gus coinneachadh ri cunnartan ùra ann an coimhearsnachdan an latha an-diugh.  

“Feumaidh sinn cuideachd airgead poblach a chosg gu ciallach. Tha feum air obair càraidh air na togalaichean agus an uidheamachd againn a chosgadh còrr is £800 millean agus chan urrainn don t-seirbheis againn na cosgaisean sin a choinneachadh. Air an adhbhar sin, feumaidh sinn cosgaisean ruith a lughdachadh anns na h-àiteachan nach eil a' dèanamh feum do ar luchd-obrach no ar coimhearsnachdan.  

“Feumaidh sinn a bhith comasach cuideachd air atharrachadh gus coinneachadh ri cunnartan an latha an-diugh agus san àm ri teachd, leithid na thig le fìor dhroch thìde no teintean monaidh.” 

Tha stèiseanan-smàlaidh ann nach eil air a bhith ag obair airson iomadh bliadhna air sgàth duilgheadasan trusadh luchd-smàlaidh air-ghairm ann an sgìrean dùthchail. Ann an cuid de na h-àiteachan sin, is e seadaichean no aonadan stòraidh a th’ aca an àite stèiseanan-smàlaidh. 

Chaidh còig stèiseanan-smàlaidh eile air feadh Dhùn Dè, Dùn Èideann agus Glaschu a chomharrachadh mar stèiseanan a dh’fhaodadh dùnadh leis gu bheil iad suidhichte faisg air stèiseanan eile a dh’fhaodadh còmhdach èifeachdach a thoirt seachad, no tha an t-iarrtas obrachaidh nas ìsle na stèiseanan-smàlaidh eile leis an aon ìre de ghoireasan. 

Le bhith a’ cur pàtran sioftaichean-latha an gnìomh ann an sgìrean cuimsichte, bhiodh luchd-smàlaidh làn-ùine ag obair eadar 8m agus 6f, le taic bho luchd-smàlaidh air-ghairm ag obair aig amannan eile.  

Dh’fhaodte bun-sgioba a chur ann an dà àite - Galashiels anns na Crìochan agus Lios MoFhèige ann an Siorrachd Lannraig a Deas.  

Tha bun-sgioba air a dhèanamh suas de luchd-smàlaidh làn-ùine a bhiodh ag obair far an robh feum orra air feadh sgìre tron latha nuair a dh’fhaodadh luchd-smàlaidh air-ghairm a bhith gann.  

Tha fuasglaidhean maireannach gam moladh às dèidh deich innealan-smàlaidh a bhith air an toirt a-mach à seirbheis gu sealach ann an 2023, nam measg Peairt is Ceann Rois, Fìobha, Siorrachd Lannraig, Inbhir Chluaidh agus Glaschu. 

Thuirt am Prìomh Oifigear Stevens cuideachd: “Chaidh na roghainnean seo a leasachadh thar iomadh mìos le luchd-obrach, riochdairean aonaidh-ciùird agus luchd-ùidh eile an sàs. 

“Bidh ùine 12 seachdainean ann gus tìde a thoirt do dhaoine na beachdan aca air na h-atharrachaidhean a thoirt seachad. 

“Tha sinn a’ brosnachadh dhaoine pàirt a ghabhail anns a’ cho-chomhairle phoblaich.”