Thirteen fire stations face axe as service forced to cut costs

THIRTEEN fire stations could be shut down in a cost-cutting exercise, it has been revealed.

- By Nick Forbes

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has launched a public consultation on the plans for its future.

The SFRS has set out 23 different options for change across the service in Scotland, which it says is needed to match staff, stations and resources to “operational risk and demand” across the country.

In response to the plans, covering 14 different council districts and more than 30 fire stations, the Fire Brigades Union claimed the service was already “on its knees”. FBU Scottish secretary John McKenzie said: “Our members and the Scottish public have suffered more than enough cuts. For over a decade, realterms budget cuts have increased risks to public safety, with firefighter numbers slashed and response times increasing as a result. That has led to increases in response times and when this time is lost, tragically lives will also be lost.

“This is unacceptable and any proposals to further compromise our service and public safety must be rejected.” Calling for more investment, he said: “We need funding that enhances and improves public safety rather than worsening it.”