Emergency services / Fire union reps to visit next month amid continued concern over station facilities
NEWS that fire service trade union representatives will visit Shetland soon amid concern over facilities at a number of local stations has been welcomed.
Community safety and resilience board chairman Allison Duncan said two members of the Fire Brigades Union will be in Shetland in September.
He was disappointed to report at the latest board meeting on Wednesday there had been no progress.
Duncan said he “exonerated” all local fire fighters as well as Shetland management, and appeared to place the blame at the door of Scottish Fire and Rescue Service chiefs down south.
He also highlighted facilities at some of Shetland’s other stations, including Fair Isle, Unst, Whalsay and Yell, which he said were lacking.
The Shetland South councillor also said he was “taken aback” to learn that fire fighters are transported to another business premises three miles away to get cleaned up after training at the practice facility at Sumburgh Airport.
Shetland West councillor Liz Peterson also said she was disappointed by the facilities at the Bixter station, which she visited.
There was an acknowledgment from the fire service after the last meeting that some of the buildings in Shetland are no longer fit for purpose.
But there are financial constraints across the entire SFRS.
In a recent consultation the service said its capital funding from the Scottish Government has remained the same at £32.5 million for the last seven years.
“We have received an additional £10 million for 24/25 but as a minimum we need at least £60 million each year to bring our buildings and equipment up to standard,” consultation documents added.
Area commander for the islands Scott Gibson said at Wednesday’s meeting that it was his hope there could be some “concrete decisions” on resources in Shetland which come out of a SFRS service review.
It was also highlighted that studies show firefighters are 1.6 times more likely to get cancer, making the points about facilities like showers all the more pertinent.
Matt Mason from the fire service also said the local team has a strong relationship with the Fire Brigades Union and said its representatives’ visit to Shetland will be “fully supported”.
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