Future of Dundee fire station in doubt as closure fear raised

A decision is to be made on the future of an under-threat fire station in Dundee.

Balmossie Fire Station is at risk of closure after the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service carried out a review of its resources.

The plans could see the wholetime appliance removed, leaving the station with just one on-call fire engine.

The proposals would also reinstate a second pump at the Kingsway East station, which was temporarily removed in September 2023.

A 12-week consultation carried out last year found 80% of respondents opposed the station’s closure.

The current image has no alternative text. The file name is: 5ca0568555e32fefc7b7609d43bccb89-1781707427.jpeg — Fire Brigades Union chair Alan Park

Fire Brigades Union chair Alan Park said the measures would mean longer response times for incidents in Broughty Ferry, Monifieth and parts of Angus.

“I certainly think if I were living in this area, or brought further, I would be worried. We don’t need to cut fire engines, we need more of them.”

He pointed to a fire at a recycling centre in Ladybank, Fife, which saw 12 engines deployed at the height of the blaze and around 60 firefighters involved over two weeks.

“The firefighters are driving, you’ve got backfill positions, you’ve got relief at the end of the incident. You’re also making sure there’s a continual supply of fire engines. That’s the difficult part of this.

“The public support has been tremendous. Given the weight of public opinion and hopefully the political pressure on the board.. We would like to see them make decisions that don’t reduce resources.”

A suite of recommendations on proposed changes to more than 30 fire stations across Scotland has been submitted to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) Board.

The decision will be made on Monday, June 22.

SFRS chief officer Stuart Stevens said: “The Service Delivery Review is about ensuring we have a fire and rescue service that is fit for the future – one that responds to changing risks and continues to protect people, communities and firefighters across Scotland.

“We recognise that these proposals represent significant change, and we have listened carefully to the strength of feeling expressed by local communities, our staff and stakeholders throughout the consultation process. That feedback has helped to inform the recommendations now being considered by the Board.

“Our priority throughout has been, and remains, public and firefighter safety. These proposals are focused on ensuring our resources are in the right places to meet risk and demand, while maintaining an effective, equitable and resilient emergency service for all of Scotland’s communities.

“It is important to emphasise that no final decisions have yet been taken. All recommendations remain subject to full consideration and approval by the SFRS Board.”