The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) could undergo “significant” changes across Tayside, Fife, Stirling, and Dundee – including potential station closures and appliance reductions.
The public is being urged to take part in a 12-week consultation on a wide-ranging review of resources, staffing, and station operations.
One of the most notable proposals includes the potential closure of Balmossie Fire Station in Dundee.
The station’s future has been under scrutiny several times in recent years.
If the station is closed, the second wholetime appliance at Kingsway East, which was temporarily removed in September 2023, would be reinstated.
Maurice Golden, Scottish Conservative MSP for the North East, said lives “depend on effective local cover” at Balmossie.
He said: “It would be a travesty to close Balmossie.
“And yet it has been looked at for closure repeatedly in recent years.
“I wrote to the fire board when these most recent proposals were first being talked about.
“Assets from Dundee are often deployed beyond the city, and you can find Balmossie crews helping retained firefighters in Forfar and Montrose.
“That experience saves lives.
“Lives which depend on effective local cover when every second counts.”
Other areas under review
Meanwhile, the future of Crianlarich’s fire station in Stirlingshire is under review due to its long-term dormant status.
It was reported back in February that the station’s future was under scrutiny.
Crianlarich and its surrounding areas are currently served by Tyndrum Community Fire Station, located around five miles away.
Operational changes in Fife could also lead to adjustments in appliance deployment across the Kingdom.
These would include:
- Replacing Dunfermline’s third appliance (a combined aerial rescue pump) with a dedicated high-reach appliance.
- Reducing wholetime appliances at Lochgelly from two to one.
- Reducing wholetime appliances at Methil or Glenrothes from two to one.
- Reinstating the second appliance at Methil or Glenrothes, temporarily removed in September 2023.
‘Consider how we operate and reduce costs’
Chief officer Stuart Stevens said the review represents the first national operational overhaul since the SFRS was formed in 2013.
He said: “We have a duty to ensure the right resources are in the right locations to meet the risks of today’s communities.
“We’re also facing a backlog of building, fleet, and equipment repairs exceeding £800 million.
“That level of investment simply isn’t available.
“Therefore, we must consider how we operate and reduce costs associated with underused assets.”
He added that the service must adapt to modern threats including extreme weather events and wildfires, and that public input is vital.
The public consultation can be accessed via firescotland.gov.uk.
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