999 call from woman trapped in Glasgow flat after fire broke out in stairwell released

A 999 call from a woman trapped in her flat after a fire broke out has been released to highlight how emergency calls are handled.

The emergency call was made by a woman trapped in a block of flats in Glasgow earlier this year when smoke began to come through her door.

The audibly frightened caller was rescued by firefighters as Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) call handler Beth McInnes stayed with the woman on the phone.

She urged the woman to remain calm and stay near the window of the flat after the fire had taken hold of the stairwell of the building.

Beth McInnes is a firefighter call handler based in Renfrewshire. Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

Another person was also rescued during the fire as the caller, who remains anonymous, said: “I feared for my life that night.

“I’m incredibly thankful for all the help from Beth and all firefighters who helped me.”

Firefighter control worker Beth said: “It was a team effort. As much as I was the one on the phone, the rest of the team in the control room supported me.

“I’m glad that the caller was brought to safety.”

SFRS is now recruiting for operations control staff across its three sites in Johnstone, Dundee, and Edinburgh.

Firefighter control offers frontline support across Scotland during emergency incidents and coordinates resources for the service.

Speaking of her role, Beth said: “I find my job to be both challenging and incredibly rewarding.

“It’s truly fulfilling to know that I could potentially be a source of reassurance and comfort for someone in their time of need and have the opportunity to make a positive impact every day.”

Area commander control Jacqui MacDonald said: “Our firefighter control play an important role in responding to various emergencies, from fires to water rescue.

“I encourage those who have strong teamwork, communication and problem-solving skills under pressure to apply.

“Our dedicated instructors will provide full support and guidance throughout the training to ensure that every individual becomes a skilled firefighter control capable of handling emergencies of all kinds.”

More information on the roles available can be found here.