McArthur secures agreement from fire and rescue chiefs to visit Orkney

Orkney MSP Liam McArthur has received assurances from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service that steps are being considered to address problems with recruitment and retention of crews to retained stations in Orkney.

Mr McArthur today spoke to Robert Scott, Assistant Chief Officer for the North, to highlight his concerns.

Commenting on his discussions with the Assistant Chief Officer, Mr MacArthur said:

“Retained fire stations and their crew perform a vital role within the communities they serve, so any suggestion that they are struggling or under threat has to be taken extremely seriously.”

“I welcome Mr Scott’s confirmation that a consultation is now under way to look at improving training arrangements and speeding up the recruitment process.”

He said: “While the issue of recruitment and retention is a problem being experienced by stations across the region, there are specific circumstances affecting the islands. I am grateful therefore that Mr Scott and his colleagues have accepted my invitation to come to Orkney in the coming months to hear first-hand from the communities and islanders most directly affected.”