Fire services in Scotland

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Fire services in Scotland are provided by local brigades, and since the establishment of a devolved Scottish government in 1999, are the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Justice in the Scottish Government.[1] Prior to devolution, the responsibility lay with the Secretary of State for Scotland (the relevant "Secretary of State" referred to in legislation applicable to Scotland).

Fire Services have undergoing dramatic changes in recent years, both due to a change to operational procedures in the light of terrorism attacks and threats, and also in response to the 2002 publication of a review of the fire services in the United Kingdom by Professor Sir George Bain. His terms of reference were described as follows: "Having regard to the changing and developing role of the Fire Service in the United Kingdom, to inquire into and make recommendations on the future organisation and management of the Fire Service..."[2] In the foreword to the review, Bain stated that it was carried out independently and objectively: "...the Review was put together with the co-operation of the Government, the employers' organisations and fire authorities in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland."[3]

Contents

[edit] Legislative history of fire services

  • 1824: Establishment of municipal fire service in Edinburgh[4], the first public fire brigade in the UK[5]
  • 1885: Creation of Scottish Office transferring administrative (but not legislative) responsibility to Secretary of State for Scotland.
  • 1938: Fire Services Act 1938 combined the functions of 185 fire brigades and imposed fire-fighting duties upon local authorities,[6]
  • 1941: Fire brigades transferred to National Fire Service (NFS) to form No.11 Region[7]].
  • 1947: Fire Services Act 1947 returned fire brigades in Scotland to local authority control[8], mostly via joint boards. 11 brigades were created[9] resembling somewhat the NFS areas. Section 36 of the Act dealt with its application to Scotland. Parts of the Act remain in force in Scotland.
  • 1959: Parts of the UK Fire Services Act 1959 remain in force in Scotland.
  • 1996: Creation of additional joint boards consequent to local government re-organisation.
  • 1999: Devolved government begins in Scotland and responsibility for Fire Services transfers from Secretary of State for Scotland to the Scottish Government
  • 2005: Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 The scope of this act includes a "fire safety regime for non-domestic premises", but it also includes legislation that allows for the provision and operation of fire and rescue services for the eight local authority and joint board FRS in Scotland.[10][11]

[edit] Scottish brigades

The Scottish brigades are still broadly based on the system of local government regions in use from 1975 to 1996. With two exceptions fire authorities are now joint boards responsible for groups of Council Areas.

Brigade Council Areas (if different from brigade name)
Central Scotland Fire and Rescue Service Clackmannanshire, Falkirk, Stirling
Dumfries and Galloway Fire and Rescue Service
Fife Fire and Rescue Service
Grampian Fire and Rescue Service Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray
Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service Highland, Orkney, Shetland, Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles)
Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service East Lothian, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scottish Borders, West Lothian
Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Argyll and Bute, East Ayrshire,

East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire
Tayside Fire and Rescue Service Angus, Dundee, Perth and Kinross
  • See also Fire Master for more information about chief fire officers in Scotland

[edit] Her Majesty's Fire Inspectorate for Scotland

In Scotland Her Majesty's Fire Inspectorate Inspectorate for Scotland (commonly known by the shortened and nationally-unqualified form "HMFSI") exists to inspect all fire Services in Scotland to ascertain how they are discharging their functions under relevant legislation [2]. It functions as an autonomous body under the charge of the Justice Ministry of the Scottish Government[12]


[edit] Other fire and rescue services

Other specialised fire and rescue services are operated in Scotland, for example at airports and military establishments.


[edit] References

  1. ^ Scottish Executive - Justice - Fire
  2. ^ FRS Online (accessed 02 Sep 07) links to full report PDF: Independent Review of the Fire Service pub Dec 2002
  3. ^ FRS Online (accessed 02 Sep 07) links to full report PDF: Independent Review of the Fire Service: foreword page: i
  4. ^ General History
  5. ^ Fire Service History
  6. ^ Scottish Executive - The Scottish Fire service
  7. ^ NFS
  8. ^ Scottish Executive - The Scottish Fire Service
  9. ^ [1]
  10. ^ Scottish Executive (Justice) Fire Safety (accessed 19 feb 07)
  11. ^ Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, Crown copyright, (accessed 23 Feb 07)
  12. ^ Scottish Executive: Justice Her Majesty's Fire Service Inspectorate for Scotland (accessed 30 May 07)

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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Fire services around the world