Fears over the sustainability of Orkneys retained fire service have been raised with Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill. It comes following claims from the Fire Brigades Union that the current part time system is on its knees. Leaders of the Fire Brigades Union Scotland highlighted concerns about the current retained fire fighters system - in place across large parts of rural Scotland. They said that it was on its knees and large parts of the country didnt have fire cover. More than forty percent of Scotlands fire fighters are retained staff - men and women who have other jobs but respond to emergency calls. Its estimated around ninety percent of Scotland geographically is covered by retained stations. In Orkney there are one hundred and sixty retained positions - but only three quarters of those posts are filled. The station in Flotta was also closed in 2012 because of a lack of staff. The concerns raised by the Union have prompted Orkneys MSP Liam McArthur to write to the Justice Secretary to ensure the retained system is sustainable and safe under the Single Fire Service model. He said it was vital stations were properly staffed and supported so local communities could be confident they had a service they could rely on.
Posted on: Mon, 17 Mar 2014 09:02:06 +0000
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