Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service
Encyclopedia
Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service is a Local Authority fire and rescue service
covering an area of 2500 square miles (6,475 km²) of south east Scotland, and serving a total population of 890,000.
The current Chief Officer, Jimmy Cambell, started his career there as a Fireman in 1975, before moving to other Services through promotion.
He returned to take the Chief Officer post in April 2010.
Our service is delivered through 35 local fire stations within the areas of five Councils. They are the City of Edinburgh, West Lothian, East Lothian, Midlothian and the Scottish Borders. The administrative Headquarters are in Lauriston Place, Edinburgh.
Currently, there are:
West Lothian has 3 Retained only stations (Broxburn, Linlithgow and West Calder), 1 Wholetime and Retained station (Bathgate), 1 Wholetime and DSDS station (Livingston), and 1 DSDS station (Whitburn).
Edinburgh has 7 wholetime only stations (Tollcross, Marionville, Crewe Toll, Newcraighall, Sighthill, McDonald Road and Liberton), and 1 Retained station (South Queensferry).
Midlothian has 1 Wholetime only station (Dalkeith), and 1 DSDS station (Penicuik).
East Lothian has 1 Wholetime only station (Musselburgh) and 5 Retained only stations (Tranent, Haddington, North Berwick, Dunbar and East Linton)
Scottish Borders has 2 Wholetime and Retained stations, (Galashiels and Hawick), 1 DSDS station, (Duns), and 10 Retained only stations, (Eyemouth, West Linton, Lauder, Coldstream, Peebles, Innerleithen, Kelso, Selkirk, Jedburgh and Newcastleton).
Melrose Fire Station closed its doors for the last time in August 2007.
Its Service Headquarters are located at Lauriston Place in Edinburgh, which also houses The Museum of Fire, and it has separate training and Logistical Support Centres at Goldenacre and Newbridge.
-LBFRS has 3 teams trained in Swift Water Rescue, that attend any incident that requires rescue from water sources, such as canals, lochs, rivers and flooding but not tidal water. These teams operate out of Bathgate, Galashiels and Marionville
The majority of our frontline fire appliances have the capability to carry out rescues in inland watercourses such as lochs, reservoirs and rivers. This capability comes in the form of trained personnel and appropriate equipment such as lifejackets, throw lines, rescue lines and inflatable hose apparatus.
We can also utilise this capability to undertake rescues from other unstable surfaces such as ice, mud or slurry.
This capability is enhanced by our Incident Support Units (ISUs). These ISUs carry inflatable ice rescue paths and inflatable rescue boats, which are powered by rear-mounted motors. Our Major Incident Unit, based at Newcraighall fire station, also carries an inflatable ice rescue path. (NB Newcraighall are not a swift water rescue station)
-LBFRS has 2 teams trained in Line Rescue/Rescues from height, fully trained and equipped to the highest standards. These crews are stationed at Tollcross and Newcraighall.
Our line rescue capability allows us to carry out height rescues from places such as cliffs, high buildings and plant, wells, etc. Our line rescue teams operate from two fire stations within the Lothian and Borders area, Newcraighall and Tollcross. We have teams on all four watches at both bases to provide 24 hour cover.
The more typical localities at which we are required to carry out height rescues include Salisbury Crags, Roslin Glen and the Edinburgh Castle Rock.
Our line rescue teams also stand by to assist the police in potential suicide incidents, endeavouring to secure the safety of all involved, including the rescuers.]
-LBFRS have 1 team trained up in USAR based at Newcraighall. USAR teams attend incidents where there has been a building collapse, also sometimes RTC's which involve HGS's.
-LBFRS have 1 team trained in Mass Decontamination, based at Crewe Toll Fire Station. Mass Decontamination is used at Chemical, Biological, Radiation or Nuclear (CBRN) incidents such as terrorist attacks.
-LBFRS Fire Investigation Unit (FIU) is based at Livingston Fire Station. It attends incidents on request of the officer in charge at an incident. It is sent automatically to chemical incidents, "make up" messages and to fatalitys. The FIU is also sent to Central Scotland Fire & Rescue Service if requested as part of a mutal aid agreement.
-LBFRS Detecting Identifing and Monitoring(DIM) Unit is also based at Livingston. It was purchased by the Scottish Government as part of the resilience measures. The DIM Unit is sent to all chemical/unknown substance incidents. It is able to identify substances, and is like a mobile laborotry.
-The High Volume Pumping Unit (HVPU) is based at Hawick fire station. It was also purchased by the Government and is used to deal with pumping water long distances either to a fireground if it is needed, or to deal with flooding incidents.
-Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service currently have the capability to deal with incidents at Hound Point oil and gas pumping installation in the Firth of Forth. Teams of specially trained and suitably equipped personnel from our fire stations at Crewe Toll, Mcdonald Road and South Queensferry deal with incidents at this installation.
We are currently developing procedures for a sea borne approach to vessels in distress within the Forth estuary.
We have also expressed an interest, along with another fourteen of the UK’s thirty-nine coastal Fire and Rescue Services, in forming part of a national response for helicopter approaches to vessels in distress within the UK’s territorial waters.
Fire services in Scotland
Fire services in Scotland are provided by Fire and Rescue Services each under the control of a Fire and Rescue Authority or a joint fire board ....
covering an area of 2500 square miles (6,475 km²) of south east Scotland, and serving a total population of 890,000.
The current Chief Officer, Jimmy Cambell, started his career there as a Fireman in 1975, before moving to other Services through promotion.
He returned to take the Chief Officer post in April 2010.
Service History
Lothian & Borders Fire & Rescue Service is the oldest municipal fire brigade in the UK, founded in 1824 under the leadership of James Braidwood, who later went on to establish the London Fire Brigade.Stations and Service Area
Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service provides a wide ranging safety service to more than 890,000 people living and working within a 2500 square miles (6,475 km²) area of the south east of Scotland.Our service is delivered through 35 local fire stations within the areas of five Councils. They are the City of Edinburgh, West Lothian, East Lothian, Midlothian and the Scottish Borders. The administrative Headquarters are in Lauriston Place, Edinburgh.
Currently, there are:
- 19 Retained only fire stations
- 9 Wholetime only stations
- 3 Day Shift Duty System (DSDS) stations (wholetime cover on weekdays, retained cover at night and wekends)
- 3 Wholetime and retained stations
- 1 Wholetime & DSDS station
West Lothian has 3 Retained only stations (Broxburn, Linlithgow and West Calder), 1 Wholetime and Retained station (Bathgate), 1 Wholetime and DSDS station (Livingston), and 1 DSDS station (Whitburn).
Edinburgh has 7 wholetime only stations (Tollcross, Marionville, Crewe Toll, Newcraighall, Sighthill, McDonald Road and Liberton), and 1 Retained station (South Queensferry).
Midlothian has 1 Wholetime only station (Dalkeith), and 1 DSDS station (Penicuik).
East Lothian has 1 Wholetime only station (Musselburgh) and 5 Retained only stations (Tranent, Haddington, North Berwick, Dunbar and East Linton)
Scottish Borders has 2 Wholetime and Retained stations, (Galashiels and Hawick), 1 DSDS station, (Duns), and 10 Retained only stations, (Eyemouth, West Linton, Lauder, Coldstream, Peebles, Innerleithen, Kelso, Selkirk, Jedburgh and Newcastleton).
Melrose Fire Station closed its doors for the last time in August 2007.
Its Service Headquarters are located at Lauriston Place in Edinburgh, which also houses The Museum of Fire, and it has separate training and Logistical Support Centres at Goldenacre and Newbridge.
Specialist Rescue
Lothian & Borders Fire & Rescue Service (LBFRS) has dedicated teams strategically placed around the service area, to provide specialist help when required. The types of specialist teams are:- Swift Water Rescue
- Line Rescue
- Urban Search & Rescue (USAR)
- Mass Decontamination
- Fire Investigation
- Detecting, Identifing and Monitoring Unit
- High Volume Pump Unit
- Firefighting at Sea
-LBFRS has 3 teams trained in Swift Water Rescue, that attend any incident that requires rescue from water sources, such as canals, lochs, rivers and flooding but not tidal water. These teams operate out of Bathgate, Galashiels and Marionville
The majority of our frontline fire appliances have the capability to carry out rescues in inland watercourses such as lochs, reservoirs and rivers. This capability comes in the form of trained personnel and appropriate equipment such as lifejackets, throw lines, rescue lines and inflatable hose apparatus.
We can also utilise this capability to undertake rescues from other unstable surfaces such as ice, mud or slurry.
This capability is enhanced by our Incident Support Units (ISUs). These ISUs carry inflatable ice rescue paths and inflatable rescue boats, which are powered by rear-mounted motors. Our Major Incident Unit, based at Newcraighall fire station, also carries an inflatable ice rescue path. (NB Newcraighall are not a swift water rescue station)
-LBFRS has 2 teams trained in Line Rescue/Rescues from height, fully trained and equipped to the highest standards. These crews are stationed at Tollcross and Newcraighall.
Our line rescue capability allows us to carry out height rescues from places such as cliffs, high buildings and plant, wells, etc. Our line rescue teams operate from two fire stations within the Lothian and Borders area, Newcraighall and Tollcross. We have teams on all four watches at both bases to provide 24 hour cover.
The more typical localities at which we are required to carry out height rescues include Salisbury Crags, Roslin Glen and the Edinburgh Castle Rock.
Our line rescue teams also stand by to assist the police in potential suicide incidents, endeavouring to secure the safety of all involved, including the rescuers.]
-LBFRS have 1 team trained up in USAR based at Newcraighall. USAR teams attend incidents where there has been a building collapse, also sometimes RTC's which involve HGS's.
-LBFRS have 1 team trained in Mass Decontamination, based at Crewe Toll Fire Station. Mass Decontamination is used at Chemical, Biological, Radiation or Nuclear (CBRN) incidents such as terrorist attacks.
-LBFRS Fire Investigation Unit (FIU) is based at Livingston Fire Station. It attends incidents on request of the officer in charge at an incident. It is sent automatically to chemical incidents, "make up" messages and to fatalitys. The FIU is also sent to Central Scotland Fire & Rescue Service if requested as part of a mutal aid agreement.
-LBFRS Detecting Identifing and Monitoring(DIM) Unit is also based at Livingston. It was purchased by the Scottish Government as part of the resilience measures. The DIM Unit is sent to all chemical/unknown substance incidents. It is able to identify substances, and is like a mobile laborotry.
-The High Volume Pumping Unit (HVPU) is based at Hawick fire station. It was also purchased by the Government and is used to deal with pumping water long distances either to a fireground if it is needed, or to deal with flooding incidents.
-Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service currently have the capability to deal with incidents at Hound Point oil and gas pumping installation in the Firth of Forth. Teams of specially trained and suitably equipped personnel from our fire stations at Crewe Toll, Mcdonald Road and South Queensferry deal with incidents at this installation.
We are currently developing procedures for a sea borne approach to vessels in distress within the Forth estuary.
We have also expressed an interest, along with another fourteen of the UK’s thirty-nine coastal Fire and Rescue Services, in forming part of a national response for helicopter approaches to vessels in distress within the UK’s territorial waters.
See also
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