Inspection of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service North Service Delivery Area

13. The SFRS in the NSDA protects a population of circa 1.312 million people and covers an area of 47,462 km². NSDA staff are based predominantly at 165 fire stations. Our approach for this inspection was to achieve a representative sample of interviews with NSDA personnel and SFRS support and functional staff who work alongside them. This approach was necessary given the geography of the north of Scotland and the remoteness of some of the communities who reside there, and the fire service facilities in place to protect them. During the course of the inspection fieldwork, HMFSI carried out 54 station visits (33% of the total) and conducted 102 separate interviews with either watch officers or their crews. We also visited Dundee Operations Control (DOC) and conducted 5 separate interviews with watch officers, watches and Flexi Duty Officer (FDO) managers. In total for this inspection process we conducted interviews with station personnel, NSDA FDOs, Directorate staff and external LA and other Service partners for a total of 184 individual interview sessions.

The North Service Delivery Area has one hundred and sixty five Fire Stations that serve a population of 1.3 million people across a geographical area that spans forty seven thousand, four hundred and sixty two square kilometers.

As of 31st March 2024 the North Service Delivery Area had two thousand, nine hundred and fifty seven uniformed members of staff.

* Total Full Time Equivalent uniformed staff data provided by SFRS. There may be slight variance in total numbers due to rounding.

14. As of 31 March 2024, including FDO and off station personnel, there were 2,957 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) SFRS service delivery personnel based in the NSDA. The operational duty systems include Wholetime, Retained On Call, Volunteer On Call, Day Shift Duty Staffing and Flexi Duty. There are also a number of support staff duty systems employed, which vary according to the needs of the functional role.

15. The NSDA is made up of ten LA areas. These are Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus, Western Isles, Dundee City, Highland, Moray, Orkney Islands, Perth and Kinross, Shetland Islands.

16. There are four Area Commanders who are designated, under the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 (The Act), as Local Senior Officers (LSO). These LSOs lead the management of the SFRS’s local activities in the NSDA. They each have responsibility for service delivery in either a single, in the case of Highland (HL), or in allocated groups of LA areas, i.e. Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray (ACAM); Perth & Kinross, Angus and Dundee (PKAD); Western Isles, Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands (WIOS).

Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray (ACAM)

Aberdeen City

17. There are four fire stations in Aberdeen City. Three of these stations are Wholetime and are located at Altens, Central, which also serves as the LSO Area HQ, and North Anderson Drive. The fourth station, Dyce, is staffed by On Call personnel operating the Retained Duty System. NSDA staff are based at Dyce, which serves as the SDA HQ.

Aberdeenshire

18. There are 24 fire stations in the Aberdeenshire area. Twenty-three of these stations are staffed by On Call personnel operating the Retained Duty System and one, Peterhead, is staffed by Wholetime and On Call personnel.

Moray

19. There are 11 fire stations in the Moray area, with Gordonstoun school hosting a volunteer appliance also. Ten of these stations are staffed by On Call personnel operating the Retained Duty System and one, Elgin, is staffed by Wholetime and On Call personnel. Some of the LSO staff and functional support staff are also based at Elgin.

ACAM Appliances

20. Across ACAM there are 52 pumping appliances, and a total of thirteen specialist appliances including one high reach appliance, two water rescue units, one rope rescue unit, one Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) unit, four Hazmat units, three water carriers and one High Volume Pump (HVP) unit.

Perth & Kinross, Angus and Dundee (PKAD)

Perth & Kinross

21. There are 14 fire stations in the Perth and Kinross area. One of these stations, Perth, is Wholetime. Thirteen of the stations are staffed by On Call personnel, with 10 operating the Retained Duty System and three operating the Volunteer Duty System. Some of the LSO and SFRS functional staff are also based at Perth.

Angus

22.There are six fire stations in the Angus area. One of these stations, Arbroath, is staffed by Wholetime and On Call personnel. Five of the stations are staffed by On Call personnel operating the Retained Duty System.

City of Dundee

23. There are four fire stations in the Dundee City area. Three of these stations are Wholetime with Balmossie staffed by Wholetime and On Call personnel operating the Retained Duty System. LSO staff are based at Blackness Road Fire Station which hosts the LSO Area HQ.

PKAD Appliances

24. Across PKAD there are 36 pumping appliances, and a total of ten specialist appliances including two high reach appliances, two water rescue units, one heavy rescue unit, one USAR unit, three Hazmat units, and one HVP unit.

Highland

25. There are 61 fire stations in the Highland area. One of these stations, Inverness, is staffed by Wholetime and On Call Retained Duty System personnel. Fifty-one of these stations are staffed by On Call personnel operating the Retained Duty System. The remaining nine stations operate as Community Response Units. LSO and SFRS functional staff are based at Inverness fire station which hosts the LSO Area HQ.

Highland Appliances

26. Across Highland there are 63 pumping appliances, and a total of 11 specialist appliances including one high reach appliance, two water rescue units, one heavy rescue unit, one USAR unit, three Hazmat units, one HVP unit and six Community Response Vehicles.

Western Isles, Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands (WIOS)

Western Isles

27.There are 14 fire stations on the Western Isles. All of these stations are staffed by On Call personnel operating the Retained Duty System. Some of the LSO and SFRS functional staff are based at Stornoway Fire Station which serves as a local District HQ for the Isles.

Orkney Islands

28. There are 12 fire stations on the Orkney Islands. All of these stations are staffed by On Call personnel operating the Retained Duty System. Some LSO and SFRS functional staff are based at Lerwick which serves as a local District HQ for the islands.

Shetland Islands

29. There are 14 fire stations on the Shetland Islands. All of these stations are staffed by On Call personnel operating the Retained Duty System. Some LSO and SFRS functional staff are based at Kirkwall which serves as a local District HQ for the islands.

WIOS Appliances

30. Across WIOS there are 46 pumping appliances.