Fire crews were in danger of being left “thinly stretched” tonight with no height appliance to cover Fife.
It’s understood the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service managed to crew Dunfermline fire station’s high reach vehicle at the 11th hour, but only after unions expressed alarm.
For most of the day it looked as thought the appliance would be unable to run due to a manpower shortage.
The issue arose a day after the Kirkcaldy height vehicle was withdrawn, meaning Fife firefighters would have had to rely on backup from stations in Edinburgh and Falkirk.
A new high reach vehicle moved to Dunfermline this week but firefighters have yet to be trained to use it.
However, it’s believed staff were brought from Crewe Toll station in Edinburgh to help at the last minute.
Fire Brigade Union Scottish Regional Chair Gus Sproul described the situation as really bleak, particularly in light of two fires at the former Kitty’s nightclub.
Fire service is ‘crossing their fingers’
And he warned similar situations were arising across Scotland.
He said: “I think the recent spate of large scale fires in Fife should have senior management of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and the Scottish Government seriously concerned.
“If a vehicle isn’t available in one station, we’re going to get to a point where it will take up to 40 minutes to get to a job.
“That could mean the difference between a small fire in a kitchen and a full house fire.
“We’ve been trying to say this would be the impact for a long time now.
“If there are two concurrent incidents anywhere in the east of Scotland, the service will be stretched really thin.”
Fife height appliance situation ‘not acceptable under any circumstances’
Labour MSP Alex Rowley said the Fife position was completely unacceptable.
“If anything goes wrong then there will be a lot to answer for,” he said.
“I’ll certainly be writing to the minister pointing out this situation.
“It’s not acceptable under any circumstances.”
Until this week there were two height appliances based in Fife.
They can be used to rescue people and also to tackle large fires from above.
However, the Kirkcaldy one was removed on Thursday as the fire service strives to meet an £11 million budget shortfall.
The second appliances in Methil and Glenrothes have also been temporarily withdrawn.
Fire service says cover maintained in Fife
The SFRS insists public and firefighter safety are its top priorities.
And it says the cuts are based on robust data that shows how busy each appliance is and the incidents they attend.
Area Commander Kenny Barbour is the senior officer for Stirling, Clackmannanshire, and Fife.
He said: “Fire cover will be maintained in Fife – including the support of a high reach appliance.
“As a national service, we are able to strategically deploy our resources when and where they are required.
“We systematically review our crewing levels daily so that every emergency is attended.”
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