Fire service chiefs are pleased with the drop in emergency incident numbers across the Stewartry.
The most up-to-date performance report – for between April 1 and September 30 – will be tabled at next week’s Stewartry Area Committee.
Station Commander Claire McNay describes the figures collated in the report as “very encouraging”.
She wrote: “Overall, there has been a slight reduction in the total number of incidents reported within the Stewartry. UFAS (unwanted fire alarm signal) incidents have reduced by 13 per cent and there have been fewer accidental dwelling fires, with zero fire fatalities and just two casualties with mild smoke inhalation.”
The number of accidental fires in the first half of last year saw a slight drop for the same period the previous year, and is now back in line with pre-Covid figures.
Occasions where firefighters attended special service incidents, where they support other emergency teams such as Scottish Ambulance Service, reduced slightly from 29 to 25.
However the number of casualties suffering unintentional injury and harm has remained constant.
The report states: “Unfortunately, firefighters have attended two fatal incidents whilst assisting other agencies or attending other types of special service incidents.
“At any traumatic event, the incident commander will implement the post incident support procedure (PISP).
“This supports firefighters’ mental health and wellbeing, which is paramount.
The report continued: “Our commitment to water rescue in Dumfries and Galloway is maintained with our water rescue assets at Newton Stewart and Dumfries.
“Although flooding during the summer was small scale, with just one incident in the Stewartry during this reporting period, the Community Action Team have delivered water safety awareness to Kirkcudbright, Castle Douglas, Dalbeattie and Dalry Secondary Schools.”
The high availability of Stewartry on-call fire crews contributed to Dumfries and Galloway continuing to be the second best performing area in the whole of Scotland.
