Aberdeen fire engines "off the run" 300 times in less than a year
Most of the incidents were because of a shortage of crews
Last updated 26th Sep 2018
Fire Engines in Aberdeen have been “off the run” 340 times in just 10 months.
81% of those incidents were because of staff shortages - more than anywhere else in Scotland.
In some cases, crews have had to be sent from as far away as Dundee or Inverness to provide cover.
The figures have come out in a Freedom of Information request from Scottish Labour.
North East MSP Lewis Macdonald said:
“These figures show the real impact of the Scottish Government’s drive toward centralisation of emergency services. It’s particularly concerning to find that more fire engines have been off the run here due to shortages of firefighters, than anywhere else in Scotland.
“When a fire happens every second can count, so it’s vital that when fire engines are needed there is no undue delay.
“The firefighters trade union have rightly asked the question: What will happen if there are two major incidents in the North of Scotland at the same time?
“I am calling for a meeting with senior management to find out what they are doing to address these issues, so that the safety of firefighters and the communities they serve is not compromised."