SFRS airport training facilities to be upgraded later this year

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has given an update on how they are addressing the problem of retaining crew numbers in Orkney.

Speaking  with Orkney MSP Liam McArthur earlier today, SFRS Area Manager for Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles Fraser Burr, said the service’s training facilities at Kirkwall airport are to be upgraded in the autumn.

This should ease the burden of training new recruits in the county, which currently requires regular trips south.

Mr Burr also said the service plans to engage with young people in Orkney and they are looking at the creation of volunteer opportunities.

The issue of low crew numbers, particularly in Hoy, has come to the fore on a number of occasions, most recently in February when firefighters and fire engines from Stromness were required to travel by ferry to an incident on the island because regulations meant that the Longhope-based personnel could not deal with the incident themselves.

Commenting after the meeting, Mr McArthur said: “I warmly welcome, therefore, the decision by SFRS to invest in upgrading the training facilities here in Orkney.  Hopefully this will make a big difference and allow more people in each of our island communities to take on roles within the fire service.

“One of the biggest disincentives has been the need to undertake training outwith Orkney on a regular basis.  For those with other work and family commitments, this is not always easy or even possible.

He added: “Making sure our retained fire stations are sustainable must continue to be a priority for the SFRS. This will involve continued close working with the communities themselves and I am determined to ensure that this happens”.