The future of Dumfries and Galloway’s fire stations is under review.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service wants to make changes to allow it to respond to modern demands.
And that includes looking to see whether some of its existing 365 stations should be merged or moved.
Fire Brigades Union Scotland (FBUS) is backing the consultation but warns it should not pave the way for cuts.
The service launched a pre-consultation survey – Shaping Our Future Service: Your Say – this week.
Deputy chief officer, Stuart Stevens, said: “Some of our ageing buildings are no longer fit for purpose and require urgent action.
“We have a significant number of fire stations without provisions such as dedicated locker rooms, dignified facilities or sufficient showering facilities.
“Our buildings need to be safe, provide welfare facilities and comply with guidelines around decontamination after incidents to help protect our firefighters’ health.”
Dumfries and Galloway has 17 fire stations, with the Stewartry served by facilities in Castle Douglas, Dalbeattie, Kirkcudbright, New Galloway and Gatehouse.
Only one of the 17 stations – Dumfries – is staffed full-time. The rest are served by retained firefighters, who work part-time.
In recent years, recruiting and keeping staff has been an issue in the Stewartry, with Dalbeattie, Gatehouse and New Galloway in particular having been short staffed.
The fire service’s survey claims there are changing demands on fire fighters’ priorities, with fewer home fires but more incidents of wild fires and flooding.
And an information pack includes one option – changing where stations and appliances are based.
It states: “This could involve merging stations in similar geographical locations to better reflect risk and demand.
“Merging or moving stations would allow us to better use our resources elsewhere in the Service and invest in new stations where required. By changing our footprint, we can reduce our running costs, reduce our capital backlog and potentially generate income from sites being sold.
“The construction of new buildings would also help to address issues with contamination and suitable welfare facilities while providing staff with a newer, modern workplace.”
A spokesman for FBUS said: “The FBU welcomes SFRS recognising what our members said and will fully and constructively engage with the strategic review. We share the view that there are huge issues to be addressed, most fundamentally how to deliver the funding and investment required for a modern, well trained and equipped fire and rescue service.
“Whilst giving our commitment to engage meaningfully in this review process, we want to make clear to the Scottish Government and SFRS, we will not allow this exercise to be a smokescreen for further cuts to firefighter jobs, or other measures that negatively impact the emergency response Scotland’s communities require.”
The online survey is open to the public until the end of June, with a consultation taking place later in the year.
