The recent fire in Edinburgh serves as a powerful reminder of the extraordinary courage, professionalism and dedication of Scotland’s firefighters (writes FOYSOL CHOUDHURY).
I want to pay tribute to every member of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and all emergency responders who worked tirelessly, often in extremely dangerous conditions, to protect lives, homes and businesses.
Their commitment to serving our communities is nothing short of remarkable. Every day firefighters put themselves in harm’s way without hesitation, responding to fires, road traffic collisions, flooding, hazardous incidents and many other emergencies. They deserve not only our admiration and gratitude but also our full support.
Throughout my time as a Member of the Scottish Parliament, I consistently championed the work of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and repeatedly raised concerns about the impact that funding reductions and resource cuts could have on public safety.
I firmly believed then, as I do now, that public safety should never be compromised. Investment in our Fire and Rescue Service is not an expense. It is one of the most important investments any government can make.
One issue I campaigned strongly on was the proposal to remove the turntable ladder from Crewe Toll Fire Station. After meeting firefighters and hearing first hand about the operational implications, I publicly opposed the proposal, supported the Fire Brigades Union’s #CutsLeaveScars campaign and lodged a Parliamentary Motion calling on the Scottish Government to reverse the planned £11 million reduction in funding to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.
The turntable ladder is a vital specialist appliance used for tackling fires in high rise buildings and carrying out complex rescues. At the time, I warned that removing this capability would leave more than 50 high rise buildings across north and west Edinburgh with reduced emergency cover.
My concern was always straightforward. Every community deserves the highest level of protection possible and firefighters deserve the equipment they need to carry out their duties safely and effectively.
My work in Parliament also focused heavily on firefighter welfare and safety.
Following the serious fire at Breadalbane Street in Edinburgh, I submitted a series of parliamentary questions seeking detailed information from the Scottish Government and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.
These questions covered firefighters’ exposure to harmful contaminants, decontamination procedures following major incidents, the availability of specialist personal protective equipment, and the measures in place to protect firefighters from the long term health risks associated with repeated exposure to toxic smoke and hazardous materials.
Firefighters willingly put themselves in dangerous situations to protect others. It is only right that we do everything possible to protect them in return.
Throughout my parliamentary career, I believed it was my responsibility to scrutinise decisions affecting emergency services, ask difficult questions where necessary and ensure that the voices of frontline firefighters were heard in Parliament.
The challenges facing the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service continue to evolve. Climate change has increased the frequency of wildfires and severe weather events. Our cities continue to grow with more high rise developments and increasingly complex infrastructure.
Firefighters now respond to a far wider range of emergencies than ever before. These changing demands make sustained investment in staffing, training, specialist equipment and modern technology more important than ever.
The recent fire in Edinburgh once again demonstrates why we cannot afford to become complacent about public safety.
Our firefighters repeatedly show extraordinary bravery, professionalism and compassion under immense pressure. They run towards danger when everyone else is being told to run away.
They deserve modern equipment. They deserve appropriate staffing levels. They deserve continued investment. Above all, they deserve to know that the public and our governments stand behind them.
I remain incredibly proud to have supported Scotland’s firefighters throughout my time in Parliament. I consistently argued for greater investment in the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service because I recognised that every decision on funding has real consequences for frontline services and for the safety of our communities.
Over the years I raised these issues in parliamentary debates, lodged motions, submitted written parliamentary questions and met directly with firefighters and their representatives to better understand the challenges they faced.
My commitment was always to ensure that those risking their lives on behalf of others had the resources, equipment and support they deserved. I hope this latest incident serves as a reminder to all decision makers that investing in emergency services saves lives. We should never wait for tragedy before recognising the importance of properly funding those who protect us every single day.
My thoughts remain with everyone affected by the fire. I wish those who have lost their homes or businesses every strength during this difficult time. I also extend my heartfelt thanks to every firefighter, police officer, paramedic and emergency service worker involved in bringing this incident under control.
Scotland owes you a tremendous debt of gratitude, and I will continue to support calls for sustained investment in the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service so that firefighters can continue protecting our communities safely and effectively for generations to come.
Foysol Choudhury MBE
Former Member of the Scottish Parliament
Former Shadow Minister for Culture, Europe & International Development.