18th October 2024
The news of Alex Salmond’s death at the weekend came as a shock to many. The former First Minister leaves behind a unique political legacy and I offer condolences to his family.
I would also like to offer my condolences to the family who lost a loved one in the fire in Walls earlier this month.
Shetland’s fire stations have been the subject of controversy in recent months having been described by a long-standing visiting member of the Fire Brigade Union as some of the worst he has seen. I visited the Walls station earlier in the year, where a lack of showering facilities was highlighted as a health and safety concern. Firefighters may have to go home to get washed and changed after dealing with incidents and perhaps dangerous chemicals, putting their families and homes at potential risk. This needs to be urgently rectified as firefighters and their families deserve our support and the best facilities and equipment to keep them as safe as possible.
This year marks 200 years since the creation of the Edinburgh Fire Engine Establishment, the world’s first municipal fire service and precursor to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS). We might normally take the existence of the fire service for granted, which makes celebrating the bicentennial of this enduring and universally good idea all the more important. Firefighters bravely and selflessly run into dangerous situations, where instinct would tell us to run away.
SFRS would not exist today without the work of James Braidwood. He founded the Edinburgh Fire Engine Establishment and became the first ‘Master of Fire Engines’, laying the foundations for modern fire and rescue services and influencing future firefighting techniques and training in Scotland and internationally.
Earlier this month, a Scottish Parliament event was held to mark the work of James Braidwood and the bicentennial, and I have signed a motion in the Scottish Parliament acknowledging this significant anniversary. A special service is due to be held at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh on 23rd October.
The Scottish Fire Brigades Heritage Trust will hold informative and educational events throughout Scotland this year and I hope that there will be sessions in Shetland schools to highlight the vision of James Braidwood and the Edinburgh Fire Engine Establishment.
It is important to remember and share our history for generations to come. In 200 years from now I have no doubt that new technology and techniques will advance firefighting born from ideas of those not yet born. While the basics and principles of firefighting and rescue will endure, there will continue to be innovation from future generations.
After all, it is not the fire engines, buildings or equipment that are at the heart of the service, but the public-spirted nature of the people involved. This drive to help others, to save lives, continues to attract firefighters and support staff to SFRS, and indeed to all the other emergency services that we rely on.