This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Funding for local fire services
05/03/2007
A £7 million local funding package for new fire and rescue equipment and facilities was announced today.
Around £3 million of this will be invested in state-of-the-art aerial rescue pumps (ARPs), removing the need for two separate vehicles and crews - one for water pumping appliances and one for high-reach ladders or hydraulic platforms.
Other projects being funded include a new facility for training in urban search and rescue, including from collapsed buildings, and improved accommodation at stations across the country.
The allocations announced today are part of the £24.6 million capital funding earmarked for Scotland's fire and rescue services in the Spending Review 2004 settlement.
Deputy Justice Minister Johann Lamont said:
"Our firefighters play a vital role in building a safer, stronger Scotland.
"They are often the real local heroes in our communities - educating the public about fire prevention, tackling fires when they do happen and leading other rescue work, including flooding, road traffic accidents and other emergencies.
"We are committed to continuing the modernisation of our fire and rescue services and we are matching that commitment with investment.
"An important strand of that is capital funding, so I'm delighted to announce details of the projects which will benefit from part of that funding stream.
"These projects will help further improve the fire and rescue service across the country and support our shared determination to make our communities safer.
"They will enhance fire and rescue capability and improve station facilities for staff and members of the public.
"The provision of public meeting facilities in Lothian & Borders can help boost engagement with local communities and with young people in particular - in line with the priorities of the recently-launched Youth Development Plan.
"The combination of professionalism from the service, together with the Executive's support for it, will help give the people of Scotland even greater protection from fire and other risks."
The successful local projects announced today are funded from £7 million available to help Scottish fire and rescue services with specific capital projects in 2007-08. Priority has been given to bids which: support 'invest to save' initiatives; support staff on the Retained Duty System; support greater engagement with young people, including initiatives to prevent attacks on firefighters; and promote equality and diversity.
The money is part of the £24.6 million capital funding available to the support the service next year, as announced in the Spending Review 2004 settlement. Most of the balance (£15.6 million) will be allocated to all eight F&RSs over the year, with £2 million earmarked for further centrally-funded projects.
Details of today's awards are:
Fife Fire & Rescue Service - £504,800.
This includes: £125,000 to support the provision of an urban search and rescue training facility for training in rescues from collapsed buildings, sewers and working in confined space; £107,000 to replace a command and control vehicle, freeing up for other duties a total of four firefighters and two of the four crew manager posts currently needed on the existing vehicle. The remaining two crew manager posts will be phased out in the longer term; and £272,800 for extended accommodation at the Retained Duty System (RDS) fire stations in St Andrews and Cupar, providing improved facilities for people with disabilities and office space.
Grampian Fire & Rescue Service - £851,000 to help fund the building of a replacement fire station at North Anderson Drive, Aberdeen - due for completion in 2009-10.
Highlands and Islands Fire & Rescue Service - £1.6 million.
This includes: £700,000 to complete the RDS station at Fort William, including enhanced training facilities, saving local personnel from having to travel to Inverness; and £900,000 to upgrade two retained units at Helmsdale and Scourie, providing suitable changing, shower and toilet facilities for staff and accommodation for a full size tender vehicle.
Lothian and Borders Fire & Rescue Service - £1.185 million.
This includes: £485,000 to procure a combined ARP for the station at McDonald Road. Edinburgh. This would allow one of the station's two existing appliances to be transferred to a new station at Leith and a consequent saving in maintenance costs; £600,000 to adapt two stations at Livingston and Newcraighall for public meeting and support facilities, to improve community relations and engagement with the public, particularly youth groups. And £100,000 towards a rolling programme of installing shower, changing and toilet facilities for female firefighters at a number of stations.
Tayside Fire & Rescue Service - £585,000.
This includes: £430,000 to procure a combined ARP which would allow a reduction in staffing of four crew manager posts and a reduction in maintenance costs by replacing two older appliances with the ARP. The redeployment of staff to prevention duties will enhance Tayside's contribution to safer communities; and £155,000 for improvements at MacAlpine Road Fire Station, Perth, providing separate facilities for male and female staff.
Strathclyde Fire & Rescue Service - £2,104,000 to procure four ARPs that would allow a reduction in the required crew posts and a redeployment to other areas, including community safety, as well as a reduction in maintenance costs.
The Youth Development Plan was launched in November last year. It sets out the Fire and Rescue Services' commitment to improve engagement with young people, providing more activities and opportunities, for example through Fire Cadets, while also highlighting the damage caused to communities by antisocial behaviour from a minority of youths, such as malicious fire calls, fire setting and attacks on crews.