Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Firefighters’ time being
Spent at minor blazes
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) is fighting hundreds of needless fires, latest figures reveal.
Firefighters battled blazes at homes, vehicles, grassland and derelict buildings.
And the majority were deliberate and reckless – putting pressure on firefighters when genuine emergencies arose and placing lives at risk.
In April, Monklands fire crews were unable to attend a ferocious blaze that gutted the landing of a Coatbridge block of flats because mindless firebugs had set grass alight in Airdrie just minutes earlier.
And last summer vandals destroyed Coatbridge’s award-winning parkour facility and caused thousands of pounds worth of damage at a popular Whinhall playpark.
Now Assistant Chief Officer Dave McGown, the SFRS director of prevention and protection, has warned that firefighters will work closely with Police Scotland to identify those responsible for deliberately setting fires.
He also appealed to parents, carers and young people during the school holidays – a traditionally busy time of year for firefighters.
ACO McGown said:“We have a zerotolerance approach to deliberate fire-raising because it puts our communities at great risk and presents a danger to life, property and the environment.
“We will continue to work very closely with our partners to ensure that those responsible are identified and dealt with accordingly.”
Latest figures show there were 532 deliberate primary fires such as dwellings and buildings between June 27 and August 29, last year – an increase of 38 from 2015.
There were also 1762 deliberate secondary fires throughout Scotland, with 522 of these affecting fields and countryside; and 1259 fires involving refuse, both deliberate and accidental.
ACO McGown said:“It goes without saying that we much prefer to prevent fires – not fight them.
“As a result, our firefighters work hard to engage with the public and promote safety messages in order to keep communities as safe as possible.
“In the lead-up to the school holidays we deliver education to young people about the dangers of fire.
“We would ask parents and carers to help us also by discussing summer fire safety with young people. Together we can work towards a fire-free summer.”