New fire engines set to transform rural service in Scotland

A new fleet of 100mph Rapid Response Units (RRUS) kitted out with cutting edge equipment and life-saving defibrillators is set to transform Scotland’s rural fire service.

As well as carrying traditional firefighting gear such as pumps, hoses and ladders, the vehicles will be kitted out with ultra high-pressure lances capable of blasting through wood, metal, brick and solid concrete. Each of the units will also be equipped with a lifesaving defibrillator to revive firefighters and any civilians who suffer cardiac arrest.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) is planning to start rolling out the new fleet of 40 RRUS next month.

Every other fire appliance in the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s (SFRS) modernised fleet – including 40 brand new 18-tonne appliances – either already has or is also getting the vital medical gear.

Fire chiefs say their crews are often the first to arrive at incidents, and the initial few minutes are critical in attempting to save the life of a casualty who has stopped breathing.

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) in Scotland welcomed the wider use of defibrillators because firefighters are at greater risk of heart attacks because of the extremely demanding physical job they do in intense heat. But FBU Scottish secretary Denise Christie warned against calling out the fire service instead of paramedics to respond to heart attack incidents.

She said: “Imagine a fire engine being held up there when there’s a fire like the Art School, the Clutha or the wildfires we have seen recently.

“The ambulance service is the primary service for any emergency medical response including heart attack calls.

“When members of the public have a heart attack they should call an ambulance, not the fire service.”

However, Gary Mckay, 41, SFRS head of service delivery for Glasgow South, said defibrillators used by firefighters had already saved “scores” of lives over the years at fires, road accidents and other incidents.

He said the addition of the life-saving machines to the RRUS meant that first responders would have more chances to revive people who might otherwise die before paramedics arrived.

He explained: “It’s commonly the case that we’re on the scene first in rural areas where operationally we have responders right in the heart of the community.”