Scottish Fire and Rescue Service terminates contract for control system

by Featured News

After a period of deliberation and following legal counsel and the consideration of other specialist advice, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has terminated its contract for a new national command and control mobilising system (CCMS) with suppliers Systel.

Assistant Chief Officer Andy Watt, SFRS Director of Training, Safety and Assurance, said: “Work began with the supplier in 2018 and a project delivery plan was agreed, based on clearly defined milestones within the contract. We have taken a very proactive approach to managing the contract and have worked closely to support our supplier to achieve these milestones.

“Despite this, the contractor has not delivered on the agreed project plan or met the milestones. We have extended all opportunities to our supplier and exhausted all required contractual provisions necessary to assist in the fulfilment of the contract.

“This is a complex contractual issue which is the subject of an ongoing legal process. We are therefore limited in the financial and contractual details we can share at this point.

“The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service will continue to provide an emergency response through our current Operations Control mobilising systems, with backup systems also in place. 

“As a matter of priority we are considering our next steps.”

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service launches strategic plan

by Featured News

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has announced its plans to help keep Scotland’s communities safe. The Strategic Plan 2022-2025 sets out the Service’s strategic intentions for the next three years, and details seven objectives to achieve them. 

Over the next three years, the Service will look to reduce its carbon emissions and increase resilience to respond effectively to the impact of climate change in Scotland.

Initiatives will be deployed to ensure community safety and wellbeing improve throughout Scotland. This will include, working with partners to refocus preventative activities to address issues of social, economic and health inequalities.

The plan is informed by the SFRS Long Term Vision and will ensure delivery of the strategic priorities set out for the Service by the Scottish Government in the Fire Framework 2022. The outcomes of the Strategic Plan 2019-22 review report and the views of SFRS staff have been considered as the plan has developed.

It also follows the previous launch of a draft plan first published in May, now finalised after recognising the feedback from the associated public consultation.

The final plan has now been approved by Community Safety Minister, Ash Regan MSP, and laid before the Scottish Parliament.

SFRS Director of Strategic Planning, Performance and Communications, Mark McAteer, led its development. He said: “Our plan sets out what we want to achieve as a Service by 2025, identifying attainable goals within this timeframe as we continue to recover from the impact of COVID.

“This is the first plan that aligns with the SFRS Long-Term Vision and is the next step in realising our ambitions to be a progressive organisation, centred around people’s needs, inclusive of all and better connected to communities. 

“Achieving the outcomes we’ve set out will help us realise our vision and fulfil our mission of working together for a safer Scotland.”

Speaking about the plan, Ms Regan MSP said: “I am pleased to approve the 2022-2025 Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Strategic Plan. This SFRS plan aligns with the priorities in the recently published Scottish Government Fire and Rescue Framework 2022.

“The people of Scotland are well-served by the officers and staff of SFRS, who work alongside partners to make communities safer.”

SFRS warns of increased fire risks amid cost of living crisis

by Featured NewsSafety

Scottish Fire and Rescue Group Commander David Girrity has said that the emergency service is preparing for an increase on demand for its help in the coming months as a result of the cost of living crisis.

He told a meeting of Midlothian Police, Fire and Rescue Board, that as well as an increase in crime and fire-raising incidents, fires in homes will also be on the up.

He said: “The poverty of fuel, I can see that exacerbating the issues in relation to people who are vulnerable to fire.

“I can see that being more prevalent over the next few months and that is something that we are working as an organisation to reduce, to advise people and we will be reacting to it as well.

“I think it is something that we all know is going to be falling out of fuel poverty and other poverty, that potential incidences of crime and fire setting and fires in the home could increase so we need to keep a close eye on that one”

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service marks Kilbirnie Street Fire

by Featured News

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) have marked the loss of seven firefighters on the 50th anniversary of the Kilbirnie Street warehouse fire in Glasgow.

The fallen firefighters were remembered at a service held at Glasgow Cathedral and led by the Rev Mark E Johnstone, with SFRS chaplains, Rev Gordon Armstrong and Father Jim Thomson also in attendance.

Tributes were read by Humza Yousaf MSP, Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Glasgow Lord Provost Jacqueline McLaren and SFRS Interim Chief Officer Ross Haggart, while SFRS Area Commander David Murdoch, Local Senior Officer for Glasgow lead a moment of reflection on Kilbirnie Street. Also in attendance was SFRS Board Chair Dr Kirsty Darwent and SFRS Interim Deputy Chief Officer Stuart Stevens.  

Prior to the service, the SFRS formed a guard of honour and laid a wreath at the city’s Necropolis in front of relatives and friends, who also paid their respects. 

The men who lost their lives at Kilbirnie Street were Divisional Officer Andrew Quinn, Leading Firefighter Alistair Crofts and Firefighters Iain Bermingham, Allan Finlay, William Hooper, Duncan McMillan and James Rook.

About the incident

Shortly after 11.20am on Friday, August 25, 1972 crews from the former Glasgow Fire Service raced to the scene of a ferocious blaze at the Sher Brothers warehouse.

As firefighters tried to exit the building, firefighter James Rook became trapped by stock that had fallen on top of him. Divisional Officer Andrew Quinn led a team of volunteers to try to find and rescue him.

As the search party entered the building the fire ignited the hardwood ceilings on the first floor, causing a massive ‘flashover’ leading to their deaths.

SFRS Interim Chief Officer Ross Haggart said: “It is an honour to be here today and to remember the seven firefighters who lost their lives at Kilbirnie Street. Our thoughts will always firmly remain with their families and friends.

“As we come together on this 50th anniversary of the tragedy, we also thank everyone for their attendance and continued support. This is a fitting tribute to seven brave men who made the ultimate sacrifice to help save lives and protect their communities.

“Their lives will never be forgotten and their spirit lives on in each and every one of our firefighters today as they approach their role with that same commitment and selfless dedication.”

 

Next generation of Scottish firefighters complete charity challenge

by Featured News

Seventy trainee firefighters from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) have ascended 3,408 metres – the combined total of the Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon – in just one hour in a charity challenge to raise funds for The Fire Fighters Charity and the SFRS Family Support Trust.

They climbed using a 13.5m ladder pitched to the third floor of a building within the SFRS National Training Centre in Cambuslang, on August 6 and 12. The trainees, split into two groups, rose to the challenge in the annual charity ladder climb. The total funds raised currently stands at over £2,000.

Station Commander Thomas Mortimer said: “It’s really important for our recruits to get involved as much as they can and join in with fundraising events like this.

“They’ve all worked extremely hard in their training and it’s fantastic that they are able to give back to two vitally important charities.

“Many of our new trainees have not heard of both charities before, but it could be themselves and their families that utilise their services in the future.

“Both charities do great work for our firefighters so it’s important that we can do our bit in order to raise funds for the charities that support our crews and their loved ones.”

Fiona Reid, Community, Corporate and Events Fundraiser for The Fire Fighters Charity said: “It’s great to see the trainees coming back and fundraising for The Fire Fighters Charity after events such as this were paused during the pandemic.

“The trainees have raised over £2,000 split between The Fire Fighters Charity and the Family Support Trust. That really goes a long way in supporting both charities to do great things.

“We support fire and rescue service personnel across the UK with their physical, mental and social wellbeing and it’s been really tough over the pandemic. A lot of fundraising stopped but it’s great that these events have come back and hopefully the trainees will get into the mind of fundraising and when they get positioned on station, they’ll keep that going.”