News / Seven firefighters to join stations throughout isles
SEVEN new firefighters have been welcomed into Shetland’s fire service after two weeks of intensive training.
Ryan Moncrieff, Stephen Owen, Alan Sutherland, Stuart Clark, Danny Masson, John Gray and Craig Irvine will join stations ranging from Sumburgh all the way up to Yell.
They were embraced into the fire department after demonstrating their ability to climb ladders, extinguish fires and use water pumps watched by friends and family at Lerwick fire station today (Friday).
It was the culmination of two weeks of full-on training both in and out of the classroom, which has seen the septet go from zero experience to retained firefighters in just a fortnight.
Masson, who will join the Lerwick station, said he was looking forward to getting stuck in as soon as possible.
“I wanted to give something back to the community,” he said of his decision to sign up.
“It’s all the things I like really – a lot of action, a lot of problem solving.
“The training has been active, it’s been interesting, but it is intense.”
He said he knew what he was letting himself in for, however, after going along to the Lerwick station for training nights last year.
Masson, who is originally from Fraserburgh and moved to Shetland five years ago, said he wanted to have a taste of what it would be like if he did sign up beforehand.
“It was really good, and it gives you a basic idea of what it’s going to be like,” he said.
“Everyone was very welcoming, and if you had any questions they were answered straight away.
“That was really important for me.”
Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland area commander Scott Gibson welcomed the class of 2025 into the fire service, and paid tribute to the efforts they had all made.
“It’s really humbling to see the stage that people come at the first point, and where they end up,” he said.
“It’s two weeks of hard work, and now they’re ready to go out and serve their local communities.”
Station commander Tony McLaughlin said it was great that the new recruits’ families could be in attendance, and said these firefighters would be sacrificing a lot to serve their communities.
“They will be missing out on family occasions, and Christmases,” he said.
“It’s important that they have the understanding of their family members, and the support of their families.”
Three of the new recruits will be based in Lerwick, while two will join the Yell station. One each will go to Scalloway and Sumburgh.
Shetland group manager Matt Mason said all of them had put in an “awful lot of work” to reach the end of the two-week course, and he paid tribute to their commitment.
Mason said it was an “exciting part-time career” to have, and encouraged anyone interested in joining the fire brigade to drop into their local station and to speak to someone.
Alternatively people can apply by following this link.
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