Tag: Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

Wildfire warning in place

A ‘very high’ risk of wildfire remains in place across large parts of Scotland this weekend, the country’s fire and rescue service has warned.

As public lockdown restrictions are eased amid the coronavirus pandemic, people who live within or who may enter any rural environments have been warned to exercise extreme caution.

Following several weeks of dry weather conditions, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) Area Commander Bruce Farquharson has stressed that Scotland’s countryside is “vulnerable” to fire.

A spate of wildfires could place unnecessary pressure on the emergency services as they already work to support partners and protect the public amid the Coronavirus pandemic.

The ‘very high’ wildfire warning – released in conjunction with the Scottish Wildfire Forum (SWF) – remains in place until Monday, June 1.

Area Commander Farquharson, who is also chair of the SWF, said: “While we appreciate that many people will seek to enjoy the outdoors during this spell of good weather this weekend, we urge everyone to make sure that they don’t increase the chance of wildfire.

“We have had very little rain over the past two months, and a large volume of dead, bone-dry vegetation remains left over from last year – which essentially acts as a fuel for fire.

“As a result, there are currently vast areas of countryside all over the country that is tinder dry and vulnerable, and has all of the ingredients for fire to take hold and spread.

“We are asking the public to exercise extreme caution and think twice before using anything involving a naked flame, such as disposable barbecues or campfires.”

Wildfires can start by the careless disposal of barbecues or campfires left unattended. They then have the potential to burn for days and devastate vast areas of land and wildlife; threaten the welfare of nearby communities; and place a strain on the emergency services.

In recent weeks, notable wildfires in New Galloway forest in Dumfries and Galloway, at Wester Ross in the Highlands, and on Kilpatrick Hills near Clydebank, have drawn upon significant SFRS resources across several days.

During the Spring period last year, SFRS crews worked tirelessly to tackle and contain more than 2,000 fires involving grasslands, woodlands and crops – three times as many as the same period in 2018.

Area Commander Farquharson continued: “We would always stress the importance of being vigilant in areas of countryside, but right now we are in a unique and testing period for all emergency services.

“Large wildfires require huge resources to bring under control, and this has the potential to then impact on our entire structure across Scotland.

“We will always do our utmost to protect our communities, and to save life and property from harm at all times – but we also need the public to help us.

“Human behaviour can significantly lower the chance of a wildfire starting, so it is crucial that people act safely and responsibly in rural environments, and always follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.”

For further advice and information about wildfires and how to prevent them visit:

Fire risk warning over refuse and rubbish build up

Communities and key workers across the country are being asked to store the excess waste safely and securely during a national reduction in refuse collections.

Allowing flammable rubbish to build up in homes and businesses could have devastating consequences, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has warned.

The changes to bin collections come as councils and waste collections services work to reduce the risk of infection to both staff and communities amidst the ongoing coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

However, firefighters are warning that allowing waste to build and increase the risk of a potentially devastating fire breaking out in or around homes and business premises, and have appealed to communities to help minimise the risk to families, staff and properties.

Assistant Chief Officer Stuart Stevens is the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s Director of Service Delivery. He said: “The build up of rubbish and waste, particularly bulky items such as large amounts of cardboard or furniture, represents a real fire risk to our communities at this challenging time.

“We are working extremely closely with our local authority partners to minimise risk wherever possible, but the real work starts in the home.

“Some simple measures can help protect you, your family, your property, your staff, business and those around you from the potentially devastating consequences of a fire at this time.”

SFRS is issuing safety advice across the country as more and more people adhere to the UK-wide guidance to stay at home.

This includes information on how to avoid risks while cooking, working from home, and smoking indoors.

However, the Service is extending its advice to outdoor spaces and gardens as householders and dutyholders seek to store excess waste and bulk rubbish or consider burning excess waste.

ACO Stevens said: “If you can, store your waste such as cardboard, wood, or packaging in a safe, locked location such as a garage or shed.

“If you must store it outdoors – keep it away from the property if possible.

“If you are keeping anything inside, store it away from heat sources and open flames, or electrical outlets and equipment.

“Where possible, we would recommend you avoid lighting a bonfire to dispose of garden waste or other items – there is a great risk of fire spread and damage to the environment.”

Many rubbish and bin fires in Scotland are also started deliberately.

ACO Stevens continued: “Fires in rubbish can be started by many things – such as warm embers or smoke ash.

“However, many are started deliberately – we are also asking everyone to ensure that they and everyone in the household including the young people in their lives are aware of the potentially devastating consequences of setting a fire.

“It can endanger lives, destroy family homes and while we continue to respond to respond to 999 calls, it could unnecessarily draw upon SFRS resources at this time of national emergency.”

Say NO to sky lanterns, says Fire chief

A campaign encouraging the public to light sky lanterns in a show of solidarity for NHS workers could place “unnecessary pressure” on the emergency services, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has warned. 

The campaign, which calls for the public to release lanterns from gardens and driveways in support for the NHS, follows the popular #ClapForOurCarers social media campaign.

It comes days after the SFRS stressed that Scotland’s countryside is currently “vulnerable” to wildfire, and as the emergency services continue to support partners and protect the public amid the Coronavirus pandemic.

Alasdair Perry, SFRS Deputy Assistant Chief Officer, said: “We fully appreciate that people want to show their support for the NHS, however we must discourage the lighting of sky lanterns.

“These lanterns may look striking when lit, but when released they pose a significant threat of fire and can have devastating consequences – for rural environments, property and wildlife.

“This is clearly a challenging time for the emergency services due to COVID-19, and while the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service maintains a high resilience across Scotland, we would seek to avoid any unnecessary demand on our service so we can target our resources most effectively in supporting our partners and meeting the needs of Scotland’s communities.

“Traditionally, this is a period when we see a high volume of large wildfires in Scotland, due to a build-up of dead vegetation in our countryside, and rising temperatures. We can’t risk adding a potential ignition to that mix.

“While I fully understand people wanting to show their support to the NHS, I would encourage people to find a different way to do this.

“Our message is clear: please do not release lit sky lanterns, and risk potentially placing unnecessary pressure on the emergency services.”

Don’t burn garden waste, pleads council leader

Edinburgh’s Council Leader has urged residents not to burn garden waste or any other rubbish to help protect others’ safety, particularly the vulnerable and those with respiratory problems.

Adam McVey has been joined by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to urge the public to dispose of waste responsibly, rather than burning it.

Garden waste collections have been paused in Edinburgh to allow crews to focus on other, essential collections during the coronavirus outbreak. People are being encouraged to compost cuttings and grass in the meantime, or to hang onto it until collections resume.

Council Leader Adam McVey said: “It’s been extremely heartening to see Edinburgh’s residents playing their part in our response to this crisis by staying indoors and looking out for one another.

“Be assured that as soon as we can we will resume garden collections and reopen the community recycling centres. But for now, and we don’t yet know how long for, we’re asking you to help in our effort to keep residents and our waste staff safe. We really appreciate your patience while we’re not able to collect garden waste and glass recycling due to the changes we’ve had to make.

“We appreciate that while our garden waste collections have stopped to let us deliver other, essential services people will need to find ways of managing their excess garden waste where they don’t have means to home compost. But we are appealing to anyone carrying out gardening this weekend not to get rid of it by burning bonfires, as the smoke can pose a risk to people’s health, particularly the vulnerable and those with respiratory problems.

“By following our tips for composting garden waste, or hanging on to it until collections begin again, instead of burning it, you will be helping us to safeguard the health of people who live here, as well as reducing any impact on our emergency services.”

Kenny Rogers, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Local Senior Officer for the City of Edinburgh, said: “As we all spend more time indoors, you can help us help you by working to reduce risk in and around your home.

“We will always be here for our communities, but when firefighters are mobilised to unnecessary incidents, it can divert them from genuine emergencies.

“That is why I would urge everyone to stay safe this Easter weekend and to do their bit to protect themselves and others by disposing of garden refuse carefully and responsibly.”

Find out more about the Council’s response to the coronavirus, and service changes, online.

Be Aware campaign targets false fire alarms

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is continuing its efforts to reduce thousands of needless false fire alarms by launching an information campaign.

According to the latest statistics, firefighters responded to a total of 28,713 such incidents over the course of 2019 – resulting in around 54,000 unnecessary blue light journeys.

Fire Alarm Systems are designed to provide an early warning of fire so that members of the public have ample time to exit a building and make their way to a place of safety.

They form a vital part of any fire safety strategy – and remain one of the most effective ways to protect customers, staff and any public or commercial premises from the effects of fire.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of signals from these systems are not generated by fire but other causes such as a fault in the system or cooking, steam, dust, smoking or vaping.

This can lead to crews being turned out unnecessarily to what is a false alarm – otherwise known as an unwanted fire alarm signal (UFAS).

The 28,713 UFAS calls in 2019 represented 31 per cent of all incidents attended by Scottish Fire and Rescue Service within non-domestic properties such as hotels, shops, residential care homes and hospitals.  This campaign is intended to reach everyone who uses, visits or works in any of these premises.

The Service continues to work with partners and is now launching a new “Be Aware” campaign designed to promote public awareness of simple steps that can be taken when visiting or staying within our hotels, guest houses and other accommodation/residential premises to reduce false alarms.

These steps include:

  • Do not mistake fire alarm break glass points for GREEN door exit points
  • Do not smoke or vape inside the building or in your room
  • Take care when using toasters, kettles, dryers, straighteners
  • Steam can set off alarms, so keep bathroom doors closed and extractor fans on when using baths, showers and sinks
  • Never remove, cover up or damage smoke or heat detector heads to prevent them activating
  • Know your escape route and the location of your closest fire exit. Never wedge fire doors open and close doors behind you when evacuating.

Assistant Chief Officer Ross Haggart is the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s Director of Prevention and Protection. He said: “We as a Service encourage the use of automatic fire detection as it helps save lives and protect buildings.

“However, false alarms, such as those that are caused by system faults or as a consequence of unintended actions, are an unnecessary drain on our resources and present undue risk for our firefighters and the public from appliances responding to these calls under blue light conditions.

“For businesses and other organisations it can result in an impact on costs including lost revenue and the real danger of staff becoming complacent.”

He added: “We are committed to working with duty holders and, where appropriate, improving management arrangements within premises to reduce the number of unwanted fire alarm signals.

“In addition, it is important to raise awareness with the public in how they can play their part when visiting or staying in those premises.

“That is why we are launching this campaign to encourage members of the public and staff to “Be Aware” of their actions in buildings and how these can help reduce false alarms and prevent fire crews from responding to UFAS incidents.

“This will greatly assist organisations in managing their fire alarm systems to reduce business disruption and the number of unnecessary blue light journeys.

“However, we should make clear that through robust and flexible strategic planning, our crews are always ready to respond to any incident to keep our communities safe.”

 

Upcycled fire hoses provide some bear necessities!

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has swung into action yet again – by providing the bear necessities for some upcycled play equipment for Edinburgh Zoo.

The emergency service is dedicated to reducing waste and always seeking creative and innovative ways to reuse old or damaged gear that can no longer be used.
And the sustainability team at SFRS was therefore delighted to hand over a batch of redundant, heavy duty hoses to make a sturdy hammock swing for the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s sun bears – a species also known as the honey bear due to their love of honeycombs.
It’s pretty clear that Rotana thinks his new equipment is sweet judging by this picture (above)!
Kenneth Blake is the SFRS sustainability manager. He said: “We are always thinking of new and creative ways to reduce waste – but I have to say that this particular example really lays ‘bear’ the true extent of our commitment.
“There are not that many disposal routes for these hoses, which are around 25 metres in length and made from really durable rubber, other than as building materials.
“When the opportunity came up to give them to a wildlife conservation charity, we were thrilled. These hoses really are the bee’s knees for creating a long-lasting swing hammock for the sun bears.”
Malayan sun bears are one of the world’s rarest species of bear. The wild population is under serious threat due to the rapid destruction of their habitat and the illegal wildlife trade, making them vulnerable to extinction.
Rotana was rescued from a tiny cage in a private home in Cambodia. He was rehomed at the zoo in 2010 and later joined by Babu, a female from the Czech Republic. The pair took their first steps outdoors together just over a year ago.
Kenneth added: “We are also a humanitarian organisation so it is a sincere pleasure to play a small part in providing bears like Rotana with a comfortable and safe environment to play, relax – and ultimately flourish.”
And now the wildlife conservation charity has been given another large donation of hoses, which will be turned into something fun and useful for some of the zoo’s other inhabitants in the coming months.
Darren McGarry, head of living collections at Edinburgh Zoo, said: “As a wildlife conservation charity, we are always grateful when other organisations are keen to support our work.
“Thanks to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, we have been able to create new spaces for our animals to explore using the hoses. As well as being great fun for Rotana and Babu, this is a fantastic way to encourage them to express their natural behaviours.”

Great escape for lucky Ace

Firefighters helped save the life of a horse who had fallen and become stranded during Storm Dennis.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service crews from Dalkeith and Sighthill responded to the incident within a field near Gorebridge, Midlothian.

The horse, named Ace, had been blown over by a strong gust of wind and was unable to get back to his feet due to extremely wet ground conditions.

Ace suffers from radial nerve damage following a previous accident and was unable to regain his footing without assistance.

Battling wet and miserable conditions, fire crews and volunteers worked with a  local farmer and his forklift to gently move the animal to safety and harder ground.

Following a challenging two hour operation, Ace was able to get to his feet and is now back to enjoying life.

Watch Commander (WC) Gordon Aitchison was involved in the rescue.

Reflecting on the moment Ace regained his footing, WC Aitchison said: “The vet had already informed us that Ace had to get back to his feet by himself because if we used mechanical lifting equipment there was a chance he would fall again.

“We tried to use strops, but Ace kept slipping. The lady who called us, Charlotte, then got in touch with her neighbour, a farmer who came with a forklift.

“We decided to use the strops, forklift and a recovery sheet to try and gently move Ace to the paddock.”

WC Aitchison continued: “Moving Ace from the wet field to the paddock and harder ground was really the final chance we had.

“But thankfully everything worked out fine. When Ace did get back to his feet it was great to see. Charlotte and everyone involved were over the moon and it was hugs all round.”

Charlotte Sleigh, who helps care for Ace, said that without the help of firefighters, her neighbour and friends, Ace would likely have lost his life.

Praising the work of emergency responders, Charlotte said: “If it wasn’t for the firefighters and my neighbour Grant, Ace would have been put down – the vet said as much.

“The firefighters were lovely and were determined to do everything they could to see Ace back on his feet.

“We weren’t sure what to do initially, but having the recovery sheet and Grant’s forklift really helped.

“My friends, George and Allan, who work at a local garage, also rushed here to assist and were a great help.

“It was a positive outcome and it was lovely to see how much the firefighters and everyone involved cared.”

Ace is now fully recovered and back to enjoying life.

Charlotte revealed: “Ace must have about 10 lives, so I knew he would pull through and get back on his feet after we had moved him.

“He’s a big character and just wants to play. We’re all very thankful and indebted to those who helped.”

Fire Service launches Youth Volunteer Scheme

A young person has told how he is helping to change views of a “tearaway youth culture” in Scotland – by volunteering with the national fire and rescue service.

Oliver McKenzie spoke movingly about his commitment to helping others as the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service launched its new Youth Volunteer Scheme on Wednesday.

The 15-year-old was just one of more than 80 young people from across the country who gathered at the Service’s National Training Centre in Cambuslang to mark the initiative which was formally launched by Community Safety Minister Ash Denham and SFRS Chief Officer Martin Blunden.

Previous SFRS volunteer schemes have seen young people representing Scotland at UK-wide competitions – and even standing shoulder to shoulder with royalty.

Oliver, who is based at Helensburgh Community Fire station, said: “Being part of the programme has taught me how to talk to and help members of the community, and it lets them see that not all children are up to no good and being tearaways.

“It feels good to go along to events and be out and about in the community and wear the Service crest with pride because you know you’re part of something.”

He added: “I’ve wanted to be a firefighter since I was two or three years old, it’s always been something I’ve wanted to do.

“I will be 18 when the Youth Volunteer Scheme finishes, then I would like to apply to the fire service or become a special constable with the Police.

“Being part of this has allowed me to push myself, to learn new skills and follow instructions. I think this will help me find a good job when I turn 18.”

The Youth Volunteer Scheme is currently operational in Helensburgh, Dumbarton, Campbeltown and Kilmarnock. Stations in Tobermory, Peterhead, Wick, Alloa and Methil will also participate in the initiative over the coming months.

It is open to teenagers aged between 12 and 18 and developed around a three-phase programme, designed to deepen and broaden knowledge, skills, competence and confidence.

Volunteer Isla Overend even found herself rubbing shoulders with HRH the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle.

Dumbarton based Isla, who was crowned Young Firefighter of the Year in 2018 and 2019, said: “I would say my pinnacle moment was when I was chosen as the Scottish Firefighter Cadet representative at Prince Charles’ 70th birthday garden party celebrations at Buckingham Palace, the week after Harry and Meghan’s wedding – and literally stood feet away from them.”

Isla rose quickly through the ranks in her unit to become a Watch Commander –  and now has a SFRS support job, while continuing her higher education studies for a degree in Health Science.

She continued: “I have no doubt in my mind that had I not been part of this scheme, I wouldn’t have had the confidence, experiences, determination, skills and knowledge to choose what is thought of as a leap of faith – especially as my guidance teacher told me I was capable of more when I told her I was leaving school and not returning in 6th year.”

Deputy Assistant Chief Officer John Miller is the strategic lead for the Youth Volunteer Scheme. He said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for young people across Scotland to develop their skillset and make a valuable contribution to their local communities.

“The Youth Volunteer Scheme is not about recruiting future firefighters and we cannot guarantee any young person further employment or involvement with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

“What we can guarantee is that we will offer as much support and guidance as possible to young people with an interest in the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and anyone who participates in this scheme will grow in confidence and be equipped with improved life skills.”

Community Safety Minister Ash Denham said: “I was very pleased to have the opportunity to join with service personnel and the fantastic young volunteers for the launch of the SFRS Youth Volunteer Scheme.

“We all have a part to play in making our communities safer and this initiative provides an excellent opportunity to engage with our young people and promote the behaviour and skills that can improve the safety of the people of Scotland. It will also help develop the overall confidence and life skills of the volunteers involved.”

If you are interested in participating in the Youth Volunteer Scheme contact sfrs.youthengagement@firescotland.gov.uk

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service joins forces with Prostate Cancer UK

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has partnered with leading men’s health charity Prostate Cancer UK to raise awareness of the disease and save men’s lives.

Over the next three years the partnership will aim to ensure every Scottish Fire and Rescue Service employee understands the risk of prostate cancer, while championing the work of Prostate Cancer UK in communities across Scotland.

Martin Blunden, Chief Officer of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, said: “This is a lifesaving partnership for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service raising awareness of men’s health as we continue to do more for the people of Scotland.

“By partnering with Prostate Cancer UK, we can share key messaging with our dedicated staff and empower them to share knowledge with members of the public, their family and friends.

“With men making up a significant proportion of our workforce, it is also imperative that we have the right partners available to offer advice and support to those who need it.”

Statistics from the charity indicates that prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and is set to become the most common cancer overall by the end of this decade. Men over 50, black men and men with a family history of the disease face a significantly higher risk.

Kathleen Feeney, Volunteer Engagement Manager at Prostate Cancer UK, said: “We are really grateful to Scottish Fire and Rescue Service for helping us to raise such an important health message to their employees and beyond.

“We’re committed to signposting all employees to the wealth of information about prostate cancer on our website or to our Specialist Nurses to increase awareness of this deadly disease.

“One man dies every 45 minutes from prostate cancer in the UK – a shocking statistic. It’s with partners like the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service that we are able to raise awareness to reach even more people and in turn save men’s lives.”

For further information on Prostate Cancer UK visit: prostatecanceruk.org/

Scotland’s new £10.5m fire training centre opens at Newbridge

Firefighters staged a dramatic ‘rescue’ at a new multi-million-pound training facility officially opened by Scotland’s Community Safety Minister yesterday.

The crews raced to a fire at a petrochemical facility and snatched a casualty to safety before dousing the flames during the realistic practical scenario.

They showcased their technical skills to mark the official launch of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s new £10.5million facility at Newbridge.

The facility is now the second largest fire training site in Scotland. It will equip 1,600 personnel from across 65 fire stations with the knowledge and skills to respond safely and effectively to fires within domestic, industrial and commercial buildings.

Firefighters will also be trained to respond to a wide range of other incidents such as road traffic collision, urban search and rescue, mass decontamination, rope rescue and water rescue.

And they will further be equipped to use new firefighting technologies such as Ultra High-Pressure Lances (UHPL).

Community Safety Minister Ash Denham was joined at the official opening by SFRS Board Chair Dr Kirsty Darwent and Chief Officer Martin Blunden.

Community Safety Minister Ash Denham said: “I was very impressed to see firefighters being put through their paces at the new training facility.

“Training is an essential component in ensuring firefighters maintain the skills and professional competencies needed to keep our communities safe.  Having these fantastic facilities in the east of Scotland also allows training to be delivered closer to home, enabling firefighters to spend less time away from their core duties and their families.”

Chief Officer Blunden said: “This is truly a landmark occasion for our national Service.

“This state-of-the-art training facility will ensure our firefighters receive the best training to respond to a very wide spread of emergency incidents including water rescue and urban search and rescue.

“It will also support a total of 42,000 training hours each year for those 1,600 operation personnel. It is imperative that they are equipped with the skills and the knowledge to stay safe when responding to some of the most challenging and dynamic incidents.

“This investment is therefore good news for the communities we serve and protect.”

Board Chair Dr Kirsty Darwent added: “It is a pleasure to be here today to mark the official opening of what is indeed a very impressive facility, and this significant investment signals our very clear commitment to both firefighter and community safety.

“This facility was delivered seamlessly, built in one single phase over just 20 months and I commend our teams who worked so hard to make this possible.

“It even includes a Smoke Cleaning unit which will ensure there are no smoke emissions, therefore minimising our environmental impact which is also to be welcomed.”