Fire crew is seeking new faces
An appeal has been issued for more people to join the on-call crew at Comrie Fire Station.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has said it would welcome new faces at the key village facility.
It comes ahead of a number of departures in the coming weeks and the available crew being substantially reduced as a result.
Matt Mclay is the Watch Commander at Comrie — as well as other stations in the area, including Auchterarder, Crieff, Dunkeld and Kinross.
He explained: “Around this time last year we had 13 personnel at Comrie but it’ll fall to six by the start of May, so we’re about to lose around half.
“It’s the result of a series of retirements, promotions and changes in people’s circumstances over a very short period.
“There’s no danger of the station closing or anything like that. It’s a close-knit, committed station, but we just need more people. We’re a one-pump appliance in
Comrie and that typically runs with 12 to 13 personnel, so we’ll shortly be down to half of the amount that’s ideal.”
Matt, who moved to the area in 2006, has been involved with the village’s fire service since 2010.
He explained that anyone over the age of 18 with a reasonable level of fitness who lives locally, both men and women, would be welcome to get in touch.
On-call firefighters need to be able to respond to an alert within five to eight minutes.
However, Matt went on to explain: “It’s not a case of people having to be within five to eight minutes of the station all the time. It’s just during the periods when they’ve said they would be available.
“So you can work further afield during the day and be available when you’re back in the village, for example.”
No prior experience or qualifications are necessary as full training is provided, starting with a two-week induction course once the initial recruitment process has been successfully completed.
Matt continued: “Historically, a lot of the recruitment used to be by word of mouth but we can’t afford to just do that any more because the communities are more dynamic, with people moving in and out.
“I’d encourage anyone to get involved if they’re keen to provide a community service in a time of need.
“In an emergency situation, it’s often the fire service that plays a key role in the response and we feel really proud and privileged to be able to support the community in an effective way.
“And it’s not just responding to incidents.”
He added: “We also do home fire safety visits, talks at schools and you get to learn skills like high-level First Aid and how to work well under pressure, which can be useful in other areas of life.”
Strathearn ward Conservative councillor Noah Khogali said: “Especially in rural communities like Comrie, our emergency services are crucial to keeping our communities, and the people who make them so brilliant, safe.
“It is among the highest forms of public service, and I would encourage anyone who has ever thought it might be for them to seriously consider joining.”
Local SNP councillor Stewart Donaldson said: “Although there are some concerns at the number of retained firefighters at Comrie Fire Station falling to six, when I spoke to the Watch Commander for Comrie, he was very clear that the future of the station is secure – indeed, they have a strong team.
“What would help is for several new local people to come forward to join the team.
“Indeed, anyone aged 18 and over, who is reasonably fit and stays locally would be welcome to apply, and I do hope there are new applicants.”
For more information, contact Matt on 07971 138179, send an email to matthew. mclay@firescotland.gov.uk or see the careers section of the website www. firescotland.gov.uk.