Balintore fire cover action call as Easter Ross councillor slams antiquated 'Trumpton' vehicle
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THE emergency fire response in an area of Ross-shire which has witnessed dramatic change over the past two decades is "severely lacking" and needs beefed up to minimise risk of avoidable tragedies.
Locals are being urged to have their say in a forthcoming strategic review amid fears in one area that a "battered" 20-year-old vehicle used by a community response team is simply unfit for purpose and could pose a risk to the public.
The serious concerns were raised with fire chiefs by a community representative in Balintore this week amid promises that the existing light duty vehicle will be replaced "soon".
Balintore Community Fire Station is a part of an on-call volunteer duty system with a crew trained and equipped to respond to wildfire and road traffic incidents.
But with the emergence of a multimillion-pound freeport on the Cromarty Firth, an airfield at Fearn, massive whisky warehousing and the possibility of a biogas plant still looming, representatives believe there's a need for immediate action.
Tain and Easter Ross councillor Maureen Ross, who this week met Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) Highland area commander Michael Humphries, earlier outlined "major concerns" including a long list of "unresolved" safety issues surrounding the existing vehicle. She said: "The...safety concerns are so bad the crew do not want to put themselves nor the public at risk by taking this vehicle onto the road, meaning the vehicle will not be used."
She said: "The SFRS need to seriously address the issue of the outdated appliance – should such an old vehicle with no current technology and lack of equipment be used as a front line appliance? I think we all know the answer to that." She says it looks "like something from Trumpton Fire Station".
While the crew has an "admirable reputation" for its response to the increasing menace of wildfires, it's unacceptable they don't have access to a hose reel and pump, she said.
"The risks in the Easter Ross peninsula are significantly higher than many other areas. There is the Nigg Energy Park, Glenmorangie whisky warehouses, civil aviation airfield, four primary schools, numerous farms and a housing scheme of over 190 wooden houses. There are also various industrial opportunities that the freeport will bring to the area."
The loss of a garage premises near Balintore in a blaze last August highlighted the crucial period of time that can elapse for a response from Invergordon and Inverness. She said: "The consequences of that incident was not just a building burnt down. People lost their business and others their jobs."
Mr Humphries told her this week that "there are a number of appliances based in the Highlands similar to that of the LDV at Balintore, and all need replacing"and that the local crew "will receive a replacement vehicle very soon" that will meet the requirement for a community response unit.
Any beefed up response capable of attending house fires would require additional training and a different contract. To bring change she encouraged locals to complete the SFRS Strategic Services Review Programme consultation coming out soon.
Kevin Kirk, chairman of Balintore and Hilton Community Council, said the emergency response capabilities "are severely lacking", describing the existing vehicle "not fit for purpose" without the capabilities needed in an emergency. "The old and battered appliance is many years past its sell by date. It instils absolutely no confidence.
"Do we have to wait until there is a tragedy involving this equipment until someone wakes up? And of course it will be too late then. There is an ongoing debate in the area about the situating of a biodigester gas plant in our midst. Heaven forbid if there were to be a catastrophic event concerning this facility. I'm afraid the ad hoc set-up we have is not going to cut it. This situation cannot be allowed to go on. It needs to be rectified urgently."
SFRS Group Commander Jamie Thrower confirmed plans to replace several vehicles this year, including at Balintore Community Fire Station.
He said: "New vehicles will be supplied and fitted with brand new equipment including on-board water tank, pump, and new technology rescue equipment.
“However, it is incorrect to suggest that this specific appliance is unsafe and not fit for purpose. We have a national network of modern, fully equipped fleet and equipment workshops, including one based in Inverness, ensuring all our fleet and equipment is regularly inspected, maintained, and that any defects raised are promptly resolved.
“The Highland area has already received significant investment during recent months with new purpose-built fire appliances delivered to Thurso in September 2023, Lochcarron and Strontian in October 2023, and Dornoch scheduled for this month.”
