There were six divisions (A,B,C,D,E, and F) Each Division had a Senior Divisional Officer as Divisional Commander. In 1995 the six divisions were rearranged into four commands, Central, East, North and West. Central and West having an Assistant Firemaster as Commander and the other two Senior Divisional Officers as Commander.

Headquarters

Bothwell Road, HAMILTON ML3 0EA

Divisional Headquarters

1975 to 1995?

Firemasters

Senior Officers

At December 1975 these were the Senior Officers in the Brigade. A month previous Assistant Firemaster Peter J. McGill retired, I don't know which Asst. Fmr. below replaced him.

At April 2004 these were the Senior Officers in the Brigade.

Also on the Management Team  were Eileen Baird Director of Finance and Graham Haugh Director of Personnel and Development.

Management Team July 2005

Command Commanders July 2005

Ten Areas (formed October 2005)

Some of the Headquarters will change in the future once premises have been set up. e.g. Renfrewshire & Inverclyde will move into premises in the Command and Control Centre at Johnstone in about a year.

At 00-00hrs on Friday the 30th September 2005 Strathclyde Fire and Rescue officially changed from four Commands to ten Areas to give the brigade better association with the twelve councils that Strathclyde Fire and Rescue cover. Previously the Commands had to deal with more than one Council and some of the Councils had to deal with more than one Command, now each Council will only have to deal with one Area and each area will only need to deal with one or two Councils. At the same time the station codes also changed to reflect the ten new Areas.

Each Area will have an Establishment of 1 Area Manager, 2 Group Managers B, 3 Group Managers A, 1 Watch Manager A (Staff Officer) and 1 Crew Manager (Training) at Area Headquarters except Argyll and Bute which will have 5 Group Managers A and 2 Crew Managers (Training) and North and South Ayrshire which will have 4 Group Managers A and 2 Crew Managers (Training) due to the number of Retained and Volunteer Units.

Management Team 2008

Rank to Role

There are 113 Fire fighting units which run 170 appliances of which 121 are water Tender Ladders, 30 are Special appliances and 19 are Volunteer Support Units.
The largest station is D01 Ayr, which has 2 wholetime Pumps, 1 wholetime Hydraulic Platform, 1 wholetime Road Rescue Unit, 1 retained Pump and 1 retained All Terrain Vehicle. The smallest unit is a Non mobile Volunteer Unit which has a wooden garden hut with hose and small pump.

Staffing and Appliances

The establishment at the various types of stations (per watch at wholetime stations, where there are four watches) is as follows:-

A Volunteer Unit consists of 1 Volunteer Leader, 1 Volunteer with additional responsibilities and 8 Volunteers.

2005

Stations

New Stations built by Strathclyde Fire Brigade

NEWS

11/7/2008    Retired Deputy Firemaster Jim Coyle QFSM, JP. died on Wednesday the 9th July 2008, his funeral will be on Saturday 19th July at 9.30am in St Joseph’s Church, 73 Cardowan Road, Stepps, G33 6AA, thereafter to Bedlay Cemetery, Cumbernauld Road, Chryston, G69 0HX, for 11.00am. Link to Obituary.

June 2008 Leadhills and Salen Volunteer Units are now mobile.

11/4/2008      Strathclyde Fire Board have approved a £30m New Training Centre Project which will be a state of the art Learning & Development Campus to replace the existing Training Complex at Cowcaddens and the TRTC at Hamilton. Two possible sites are currently being looked at and the Centre is expected to be completed in 2013.

?/?/??             An order for £1m has been placed for the supply of technical rescue garments. These garments will be used by firefighters when they are not attending fires in buildings. The garments, considerably lighter and cooler to wear than standard personal protective clothing, will be worn at incidents such as road traffic collisions, urban search and rescue and grass and forest fires, as well as for working at height.

25/2/2008      The new station at Tighnabruaich will be Officially Opened in the evening.

18/2/2008      The last Water Tender Ladder at a Wholetime station went off the run at U01 Easterhouse, when L727UGA was replaced by SF57MWG  a Series 4 Scania Rescue Pump Ladder.

28/12/2007    The Queen's Fire Service Medal has been awarded to Area Manager John Russell (Scottish Community Fire Safety Co-ordinator) in the New Year Honours list..

11/12/2007    15 Firefighters from Blue Watch at Paisley and Renfrew Fire Stations will tonight receive "The Chief Officer's Commendation" at Renfrew Fire Station for their actions in the Terrorist attack on Glasgow Airport on Saturday 30th June 2007, when they were the crews in the initial attendance.

29/11/2007    The 50th anniversary of the opening of Lanark fire station was held tonight and a number of retired employees including two who were present at the 1957 opening were joined by organisations and members of the community along with politicians, board members, senior officers and of course the duty crew. The station was officially Opened on St Andrew's night 1957 and there will be an Open Day this Saturday the 1st December.

15/11/2007   The Land Rover and forestry trailer which was at Douglas has been moved to Lanark but it will still be crewed by personnel from Douglas. The equipment will soon be put in a pod which will be transported by a Major Incident Unit.

13/11/2007  The first rescue of a person by Greenock's Aerial Rescue Pump was this morning around 12-40 am when one person was rescued from a fifth floor window of the high flat at Kelso Court in Belville Street, Greenock.

1/11/2007    The first two Automated External Defibrillators to go on the run in Renfrewshire and Inverclyde Area were on the two retained pumps at Gourock, other areas already have them on the run and soon every front line appliance in Strathclyde Fire and Rescue will carry one.

26/9/2007    Role descriptions changed from Manager to Commander.

24/9/2007    New Area Managers appointed.

September 2007 In the Role system the word Manager will be replaced by Commander e.g. Crew Commander, Group Commander etc. Firefighters are to be issued with caps, similar to Taysides with Red and White chequers round it. Areas are to be called Divisions and there is a possibility of some Areas merging.

The Official Opening of Iona Fire Station will be at 12-00 on Saturday 1st September 2007.

6/7/2007  The New Command Unit went on the run at Dreghorn. It's first turn out was before it went on the run to the terrorist attack on Glasgow Airport on Saturday 30th June 2007 when C.O. Sweeney requested it's attendance at the incident.

16/6/2007  Assistant Chief Officer Andrew Michael Shuttleworth was awarded the Queen's Fire Service Medal in the Queen's Birthday Honours 2007.

13/6/2007  Inverclyde and Renfrewshire Area Headquarters at Thornhill, Johnstone now occupied although the building work is not yet finished. Up till now they have had a temporary headquarters in the  North and South Ayrshire Area Headquarters in Barr Street, Ardrossan (This was West Command Headquarters previously).

May 2007    Assistant Chief Officer Andrew Shuttleworth (Strategic Planning) is leaving to take up a 2 year secondment with Her Majesty’s Fire Services Inspectorate for Scotland this month. ACO Bill McDonagh (Operations) is retiring in September, both posts have now been advertised.

27/4/2007 The Princess Royal will launch the Water Rescue Service at the Nautical College, Glasgow.

17/4/2007 An agreement was signed with the Trossachs Search and Rescue Team (search dogs).

5/4/2007 An Official Launch today of DNA kits will see the rollout of them across Strathclyde Fire & Rescue. The kits will allow DNA  samples to be taken when Firefighters are spat upon. The sample will be given to Police who will check it against the national DNA database. Greenock fire station already have kits on their appliances and a Glasgow crew became the first to use one earlier this week.

22/3/2007 Official Launch of Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Maritime Incident Response Group at Greenock Fire station. Today the MIRG Team became a declared resource to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA). This is the twelfth of fifteen units in the Britain to become operational.

10/2/2007 Approval has been granted to close two fire stations in the east of Glasgow and replace them with a single station costing £5m. Board members of Strathclyde Fire and Rescue gave their backing to the plan, which will see the closure of Cambuslang and Parkhead fire stations, at a meeting in Hamilton yesterday.

9/2/2007 SFR Board are expected to order a feasibility study into proposals to build a new £5 million state of the art purpose built Fire Station in Glasgow's east end to replace Parkhead and Cambuslang this would give a saving of up to £700,000 per year.

21/1/2007    The High Volume Pumping Unit (HVPU) for Strathclyde, one of four in Scotland is sitting in the yard at Cowcaddens, It will be stationed at Barrhead where there will also be an Environmental Protection Unit pod and Welfare pod. These Prime Movers and pods are provided under the New Dimension project funded by the Scottish Executive.

18/1/2007 Thursday drill night and the last Road Rescue Unit in Strathclyde, P792UGA, went off the run at Lesmahagow. The Water Tender Ladder and Road Rescue Unit being replaced by a Rescue Pump Ladder.

1/1/2007 In the New Years Honours Deputy Chief Officer Eileen Baird was awarded the Queen's Fire Service Medal and Assistant Chief Officer William Keith MacGillivray was awarded the M.B.E.

11th December 2006 Ex Firemaster John Jameson died today, a Requiem Mass will be held on Monday 18th December at 10-00hrs in St. Andrew's RC Church, Bearsden, then to Langfaulds Cemetery, Milngavie. There will be refreshments after the burial in Milngavie Fire Station.

8/8/2006 The three Forward Control Units went on the run and the Command Unit based at Springburn came off the run.

Assistant Chief Officer Small is to retire in June 2006. A request has been received for Assistant Chief Officer MacGillivray to be seconded to Her Majesty’s Fire Services Inspectorate for Scotland for an initial period of 2 years with the option of an extension for a further period. Two new Assistant Chief Officers will be appointed.

12/6/2006 At a large warehouse fire in the James Watt Dock in Greenock the assistance message "Make Fire Tugs two" was sent and two                Svitzer tugs the Flying Phantom and Svitzer Mallaig responded from their berths in the James Watt Dock. This is not something that happens very often, I can only recall three other occasions, Tuesday 22nd August 1978 around 6am the MV Dappo Sky was on fire at the Tail of the Bank and RMAS Rollicker and the Ramsgarth both firefighting tugs played 3 monitors on the superstructure. The others were a derelict pier on fire at King George V dock and I think it was the tug Flying Fulmar which was used to help extinguish this fire and sheds to the west of Custom House Quay one Greenock fair I think.

15th May 2006? approx Stand down period was changed to Midnight to 6-45am only, every day. There is no longer stand down on Bank or Public holidays.

24th May 2006 Chief Officer Brian Sweeney received the keys for £3.2 million worth of Fire Appliances, the 16 appliances consisted of 12 Rescue Pumps which will go to Helensburgh, Oban, Dumbarton, Clarkston, Kirkintilloch, Milngavie, Easterhouse, Govan, Maryhill, Castlemilk, Cumbernauld and Kilmarnock at a cost of £142,848 each plus 4 Aerial Rescue Pumps at £386,755 each which will be going to Polmadie, Yorkhill, Clydebank and Parkhead. The Scania appliances have bodywork by John Dennis Coachbuilders.  Photos

Retired Assistant Firemaster Jack Stewart (Jackie) died on Monday 10th April 2006 and his funeral will be on Wednesday 19th April at 11am in Clydebank Crematorium.

13th January 2006 Rank to Role came into operation.

16th December 2005 the sixth and last wholetime Road Rescue Unit was put off the run at station V04 Polmadie.

Annual Carol Concert at Greenock Fire Station, Thursday 15th December 2005 at 7-30 pm. Tea and Mince pies after.

25th October 2005 at 18-30 in Border's bookshop Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Alan Forbe's book "Everyday Heroes" The 30 year story of Strathclyde Fire Brigade was launched. Link from Index page.

11th October 2005. At 18-00hrs the third Major Incident Unit went on the run at station N02 Bellshill.

At 00-00hrs on Friday 30th September 2005 the 4 Commands were officially changed to 10 Areas and all station call signs were changed and all appliance call signs were changed to five character ones at the same time. The undress uniform has now been changed to Black shirts with rank markings on the collar and a sort of bomber jacket, hats have been done away with.

The official opening of Appin will take place on Friday 30th September at 19-30 and Lismore on Saturday 1st October at 14-30.

23rd September 2005 the fifth wholetime RRU (at Knightswood) went off the run and was replaced by an SEV (Ford Ranger) to tow 2 PWCs (Jet Skis) or a MkIII Zodiac boat.

12th August 2005 the fourth wholetime RRU (at Ayr) went off the run at 10-00. The RRU vehicle is still on the run but as an SEV (Supplementary Equipment Vehicle) to tow the inflatable boat.

22nd August 2005 at 11am the new Aerial Rescue Pump went on the run at Polmadie Fire Station in Glasgow. This appliance runs with a crew of six at all times and replaces a Water Tender Ladder and a Turntable Ladder.

An extrication challenge was held at Hamilton Headquarters on Saturday 14th May, 2005. This year's Strathclyde and Scottish Challenges were won by Ayr Fire Station. They also won Best Team Leader in both events. Inveraray were second in both and their medic won Best Medic award in both competitions also.

There will be a Press launch of Strathclyde Fire and Rescue in George Square, Glasgow on Wednesday 8th May 2005. A book of the History of Strathclyde Fire Brigade 1975 to 2005 titled "Everyday Heroes" will be published this year.

20/4/2005 The new Aerial Rescue Pump (ARP) has arrived in the Brigade. It will be going to BTC and Polmadie for crew training before going on the run at Polmadie to replace the TL and a Pump. More will be purchased to replace the other TLs first then the HPs and ALPs. It is the first machine to have a "battenburgh" stripe and it also has the new badge.

Mid April 2005, all wholetime stations in West Command now have at least 1 Rescue Pump Ladder.

April 2005, the Number Two post is to go to Eileen Baird, currently the Director for Finance, Legal and Administration. Mrs Baird, 41, becomes the only woman non-firefighter in such a senior Fire Service post in the UK. As well as continuing her role as Director, Mrs Baird will become the Deputy to Chief Fire Officer Brian Sweeney, succeeding Phil Robinson who retires in June.

Assistant Chief Officer (Temporary Deputy Firemaster) Phil Robinson retired on pension on 30th June 2005.

March? 2005 name change from Strathclyde Fire Brigade to Strathclyde Fire & Rescue. At the same time the Firemaster became the Chief Officer and Assistant Firemasters became Assistant Chief Officers. It just doesn't sound as authoritive or important, there was something about the title Firemaster that instantly told you who and how important he was, Chief Officer just doesn't have the same ring and Chief Officer of what?

The first Retained Road Rescue Unit to go off the run was the one at Inveraray which went off the run on Tuesday 22nd February 2005.

Middle of February Aerials were taken off the PDAa for AFAs for trial period. Aerials are on request only except for life threatening (Halls of residence, hospitals etc.) and persons reported turn outs.

Firemaster Brian Sweeney has been awarded the Queen's Fire Service Medal and Volunteer Leader Fraser McKenzie (F51 Lochgoilhead) the M.B.E.  in the New Year's Honours List. 31/12/2004.

The fire board have agreed that the brigade should prepare to change it's name to STRATHCLYDE FIRE AND RESCUE. December 2004.

The structure of the brigade will change from 4 Commands to 10 Areas. These will be:-
Argyll & Bute/East & West Dunbartonshire/North West Glasgow/North East Glasgow/South Glasgow/North Lanarkshire/South Lanarkshire/Inverclyde & Renfrewshire/North & South Ayrshire/East Renfrewshire & East Ayrshire.
Each Area will have an Area Manager (Senior Divisional Officer) and all Wholetime Stations will have Station Managers. It will come into effect in October 2005 and should take 2 years to complete. December 2004.

Assistant Firemaster Brendan McCaffrey was seconded to the Scottish Executive on the 5th November 2004.

Wholetime Firefighters are now crewing retained appliances along with Retained Firefighters at Wholetime/Retained stations and vice versa if necessary as of Monday 1st November 2004.

Deputy Firemaster Brian P. Sweeney who has been Acting Firemaster since the first of March was appointed Firemaster/Chief Executive of Strathclyde Fire Brigade on 25th October 2004.

The third Road Rescue Unit to be taken off the run as a result of the provision of Rescue Pumps was the one based at Renfrew at 10-00 hours on Wednesday 14th April 2004. The Rescue Pump replacement is to be completed by October 2008.

The Foam Salvage Tender moved from Dreghorn to Kilmarnock on the 20th March, 2004 (but is keeping the call sign D059) in preparation for it being replaced by a Major Incident Unit (New Dimension) as they have to be stationed at 2 Pump stations for manpower.

Temporary Assistant Firemaster Keith Small is Commander of Central and West Commands. 1/3/2004.

Firemaster Jeff Ord is to retire from the Brigade on the 1st March to take up the post of HM Chief Inspector of Fire Services for Scotland and Assistant Firemaster Rab Coke is to retire on the 1st April 2004.

Oban Fire Station was Officially Opened on the 16th January 2004.

Firemaster Jeff Ord has been awarded the CBE in the New Year's honour's list. 31/12/2003.

The First Minster is to recommend to Her Majesty the Queen that Mr Jeff Ord, currently Firemaster with Strathclyde Fire Brigade, should be appointed HM Chief Inspector of Fire Services for Scotland. Mr Ord OstJ QFSM GIFireE will take up appointment in March 2004  in succession to Mr Dennis Davis, who will be leaving the post at the end of this year. 3/12/2003.

Blackwaterfoot and Lochranza Volunteer Stations were Officially Opened on the 25th and 26th of November 2003 by Councillor Jane Gorman.

Assistant Firemaster Brian Sweeney was promoted to  Deputy Firemaster and took over the post on 21st November 2003.

East Command is the first to get the new PBI Gold Tunics and leggings, Gallet Helmets and Leather boots.  November? 2003.

The second Road Rescue Unit to be taken off the run was the one at Motherwell on Thursday 17th July 2003.

Oban Fire Station upgraded from 2 Pump Retained to 1 Pump Wholetime and 1 Pump Retained went operational with Green watch at 09-00 on Monday 14th July 2003.

Deputy Firemaster David Kennedy is to retire in November 2003.

The first Road Rescue Unit to be taken off the run was Dumbarton's in December 2002 as North Command now has twelve Rescue Pumps on the run.

Strathclyde's first Rescue Pump went on the run at F07 Dumbarton on Thursday the 17th of January, 2002. Y546TNS is a Scania 94D-260 with bodywork by Emergency One. Other Rescue pumps (1 at F06 Helensburgh and 2 at F01 Clydebank) will follow soon with older pumps being retrofitted as Rescue Pumps and eventually the RRU will be withdrawn. North Command is the first to get these new pumps and will be followed by East Command then West Command.

The Queen officially opened the new Command and Control Centre at Johnstone on Thursday 5th July, 2001.

Sunday 17th June 2001 the "Citizen Firefighter" bronze statue was unveiled by the Lord Provost of Glasgow Alex Mossan and the Convener of Strathclyde Fire Board Councillor Joe Shaw outside the Quality Inn Hotel (formerly Central Hotel) on Gordon Street. This was the third and last of three projects by the Millennium working group. The bronze statue by Kenny Hunter shows a firefighter in BA.

The Minister of Justice at the Scottish Parliament gave his approval at the end of last week for a new Fire Station at Oban with one wholetime and one retained crew. 21/6/2001.

Assistant Firemaster Dr. Robert Docherty is to retire on the 28th February 2001. (FIRE magazine January 2001)

The new Command and Control Centre at Johnstone opened on Monday, 12th February, 2001.

Oban and Cumnock will be upgraded to one wholetime and one retained pump at each station. (Semper Peratus No.4)

Firemaster Jeff Ord in Fire Times February/March 2000 said the brigade would be upgrading two retained stations to wholetime.

THEY DIED ON DUTY

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