Fire Brigade Union boss warns of lives at risk due to 'betrayal' of Scottish Government cuts

Get the latest Daily Record breaking news on WhatsApp

Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info

Join us on WhatsApp

The head of the Fire Brigade Union has warned lives are at risk because of cuts to firefighter numbers, crumbling stations and outdated equipment. In an interview with the Sunday Mail, General Secretary Matt Wrack has accused the Scottish Government of a “betrayal” for failing to properly resource the single national service created 11 years ago.

Since then firefighter numbers have dropped by 1,200 - from 8,000 down to 6,800 - and he has accused ministers of cutting £70million from annual budgets.

Wrack, who was in Scotland to mark the 200th anniversary of the world’s first fire service in Edinburgh, said: “We were sold the idea of a single service as a way of avoiding cuts but we have seem emergency fire control centres go down from eight to three, and we have seen over a thousand firefighters lost in Scotland.

“We had a rally in George Square and I was thanked for my role in helping create the single service but the reality is that I feel in some ways a sense of betrayal in how it has been delivered.

“The question is what was the real motivation, was it about finding the best way to organise the fire service, or was it about cost cutting and a political model by a particular political party, the SNP, which centralised control with the Scottish Government.

“Local authorities have been completely pushed out and a board appointed by the Scottish Government is in control. We have a good dialogue with the board but they are not democratically accountable. When we question things with the government the standard response that we receive is that it is an operational decision for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!

Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today.

You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland.

No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team.

All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in!

If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'.

We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like.

To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.

If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

“There is no doubt that cuts to the number of firefighters and a failure to invest in resources and facilities means that the public will be less safe and lives potentially will be lost.”

Since Scotland’s eight regional fire services were amalgamated into one in 2013 the service lost 10 full-time fire engines - dropping from 115 to 105 - as well as suffering massive staffing reductions. The FBU estimates that in real terms the fire service budget has been cut by £70million since amalgamation.

And while fire deaths have been decreasing in recent decades due to prevention work, better regulations around flammable materials and smoke detectors - Wrack has warned that progress could now flatline. Over 200 of Scotland’s 356 fire stations are classed as below acceptable standards, with many roofs permanently held up by scaffolding due to crumbling concrete.

With little investment over the last fifty years, a high number of stations also don’t have adequate toilets or showers. The FBU believes the cost of fixing infrastructure would run to around £800million - however, the annual capital budget for the service is only £40million leaving a massive shortfall. Meanwhile there has been huge recruitment issues for retained firefighters.

Wrack, who also served as president of trade union umbrella group the TUC added: “The funding of public services and public sector wages need to be addressed, we cannot just cut and cut as had been happening for years under the Tories. We need to see an acceptance of this in the budget this week and also from the Scottish Government when it sets budgets later in the year.

“The fire service in Scotland must be given the resources to make sure it is fit for purpose and that means having safe buildings and up-to-date equipment. In Shetland for example there are some fire stations which don’t have a toilet.

"Many stations don’t have proper shower facilities and the guidance is that firefighters should shower within an hour of being exposed to a fire to make sure toxic chemicals have been washed away. We need to make sure also that we have facilities for female firefighters.”

Cuts to firefighter numbers have been made without any compulsory redundancies, and it remains a popular career, however there has been huge challenges in recruiting part time “retained” firefighters which are crucial especially in rural areas.

Wrack added: “When I was an operational firefighter, nobody ever left the service but we are now for the first time seeing a trickle of full time firefighters leaving, and there is a real problem with retained firefighters - in many areas of Scotland there is a 30 per cent vacancy rate. There are some areas of rural Scotland where the average age of retained firefighters is 65.

“We don’t want to be too dramatic about it but we are trained as firefighters that every minute counts and if it is taking us longer to get to incidents because people are having to come from further afield, then there is a greater chance of property being damaged, and a greater chance that people will be harmed.”

Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond. Sign up to our daily newsletter.

Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.