With the Edinburgh Festival Fringe over for another year, Philadelphia CVB is encouraging Scottish travellers with a passion for performance art to head to the ‘City of Brotherly Love’ this September for its very own Fringe Festival showcasing local, national and international artists as well as ground-breaking world premieres. Continue reading From Edinburgh To The Streets Of Philadelphia: head To Philly for the annual Fringe Festival
The Scottish SPCA is appealing to kind-hearted people in Edinburgh and the Lothians to help raise funds for abused, abandoned and injured animals by volunteering in their community. Continue reading Volunteer and help Scotland’s animals
The City of Edinburgh Council and Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership are developing the new British Sign Language (BSL) Plan 2018-24 – and they to involve and consult you on the plan and its objectives. Continue reading Developing an new British Sign Language plan
The SFRS search and rescue dog will tell followers how he works and trains to keep communities safe
And it is expected the Springer Spaniel will further assist the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to reach out to followers with safety advice.
Diesel’s expertise is also called upon at major disasters around the world where he has used his outstanding urban search and rescue skills to locate casualties in collapsed buildings.
Deputy Chief Officer Iain Bushell said: “There is no doubt whatsoever that Diesel is the hottest looking search and rescue dog in Scotland with his doggles and his booties.
“But these pieces of equipment are absolutely vital to protect this outstanding and highly valued member of our team.
“They enable Diesel to enter some of the most hostile environments, not only reaching casualties but helping protect his firefighter colleagues as they work in risk zones.
“It is crucial that we have this capability as the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service enhances wherever possible its response to major incident and also seeks to transform to meet modern risks such as terror attack.”
He added: “It is clear that Diesel is held in the very highest regard not only by ourselves but by the Scottish public – he is indeed a very good boy.
“I am therefore delighted that he is being given a platform to outline his fantastic work, key safety advice and even a picture with his beloved play ball – the only reward he ever asks in return … although I think he’ll now be looking for a follow on twitter too.”
Diesel is a vital member of the SFRS Urban Search and Rescue’s (USAR) National Response and is deployed anywhere across Scotland with his dedicated handler, Gary Carroll.
The pair are also part of a specialised UK International Search and Rescue (UKISAR) team which can be mobilised across the world at a moments’ notice.
They assisted at the devastating Nepal earthquake which sadly claimed the lives of thousands of people and injured countless others.
It is therefore vital that Diesel – who can travel by helicopter to carry out search and rescue missions across Scotland or abroad – is kitted out with protective equipment.
The doggles help to shield his eyes from dust and debris thrown up by landing and hovering aircraft while the special booties protect his paws from rubble and glass as he searches collapsed buildings.
SFRS K9 handler Gary is a Crew Manager based at Portlethen, Aberdeenshire. He said: “We are a single service providing an unrestricted response to emergencies occurring anywhere in Scotland – and beyond – if requested to assist.
“Diesel and I have worked together for many years in some of the most challenging environments, and there is no doubt whatsoever that he is integral to that response.
“We have an incredible bond and he is a very special wee dog – and to the point where we think he really does deserve his own dedicated online account.
“It will provide everyone with a real insight into not only how he is trained and his serious capability but also how he likes to spend some down time playing with his ball.”
Follow Diesel on twitter by searching @SFRSdog
Richard Winsor, highly acclaimed for his dance, stage and screen work, is set to play Tony Manero, the role which famously rocketed John Travolta to screen stardom, in a new stage production of Saturday Night Fever which comes to Edinburgh Playhouse from 23-27 October. Continue reading Richard Winsor to star in Saturday Night Fever at Edinburgh Playhouse
We’ve launched our #ScrapPlastic challenge, encouraging Sea Cadets – and you – to reduce your plastic use over 13 days, help clean up your local waterways and fundraise to get more young people on the water. Continue reading Sea Cadets launch #ScrapPlastic challenge
Free exhibition open now and runs until 23 September
The Scottish SPCA is currently caring for a little weasel called Steasel at their National Wildlife Rescue Centre in Fishcross. Continue reading Scottish SPCA looking after Steasel the Weasel
AT this time of year, many Edinburgh families are heading off on their summer holiday to relax and enjoy time away from daily routines. But for many of Scotland’s unpaid carers, a break – even for a few hours – can seem a million miles away. Continue reading Taking a break can seem a million miles away for family carers
Dear Editor
The word ‘immigrant’ is used freely but seldom in a good way. What is missing is the understanding that they are people, who for various reasons can no longer exist of live in their own country whether through war, economic squalor or changes in climate, making it impossible to survive.
They are asking for our support in their desperation to live.
Many people ‘walk by on the other side of the road’ but fortunately those who care are in the majority, willing to help but frustrated by those in power who see this human disaster only in terms of numbers, not women, children and men.
The extremes of indifference exhibited on the border of Mexico and America shows the depths to which some people in power are prepared to go, condemning vulnerable people for having to migrate just to exist.
The causes and events leading to this situation must be the target, not people.
A. Delahoy
Silverknowes Gardens
