By Bill Heaney
Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP has today marked 999 Day by urging the SNP Government to act now to tackle the steady decline in firefighters, after it was revealed that the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service have lost more than 1,000 staff over the last decade.
Figures published by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) reveal that the number of wholetime operational staff (full-time firefighters) has dropped from 4,159 in 2011/12 to 3,422 in 2023/24.
The figures also show that the number of retained duty staff (on call firefighters) has dropped from 3,052 in 2011/12 to 2,708 in 2023/24.
The number of control staff, support staff and volunteers have all also declined.
Both sets of figures represent the lowest levels of staff on record.
LIam McArthur, right, said: “On 999 Day, it is important to recognise the important contribution that firefighters, and other emergency service workers make.
“Firefighters do a difficult and dangerous job in order to keep the rest of us out of harm’s way and new challenges are coming along all the time. These are burdens now falling on fewer and fewer firefighters and staff.
“This is yet another public service being cut to the bone by this SNP Government.
“Scottish Liberal Democrats want to see the government invest in our fire service. That means properly resourcing and equipping the service so that it can tackle the challenges it faces day-in, day-out.”
More politicking from the Liberal Democrats.
Headlines based upon goodness knows what about a fire and rescue service that most people consider deliver in spades. Fires, road accidents, they are there and quickly.
With accidents the sights seen sometimes will be absolutely horrendous. The type of thing that no one would want to witness. And of fires, the firemen put themselves at huge risk. Indeed in the annals of the fire service the fire and explosion at a whisky bond in Cheapside Street in Anderson in Glasgow on 1960 killed 21 fire and salvage personnel. Think about that as the local fire service recently sought to control the Dumbuck fires whilst dousing the adjacent whisky bonds to prevent contagion to the proof whisky stores. The thought of explosion would have been foremost in their minds
The headline 1,000 jobs gone over ten years comes across as totally ya boo politics to make a noise.
Personally I think our fire and rescue do a fantastic job and I truly don’t recognise what this politico is saying here about their service being cut to the bone.
God bless our rescue services, all of them, because they do us all a service and then some.
Why more readers do not join in on making comments to The Democrat I am at a loss to understand. Have the new generation been struck dumb? When I was editor of the Lennox Herald we often carried two full pages of Letters to the Editor. We don’t mind what you have to say so long as it is not defamatory. The Democrat wants to hear from you.
Absolutely right Editor. The Democrat is an ideal place to raise issues, get it off your chest, give praise, give criticism.
And yes, the Lennox used to have to hold letters over such was the popularity. But of course, and I may be pejorative here, but the political pygmies are against poplar comment. So too are council senior management.
The Democrat is well read so it’s an ideal place to comment. And yes, I do believe the politicos read it, as do senior council management.