The Western Fire Area Administration Scheme Order, 1948

                                                                                    Equipment                                                                                                     Volunteer

                                                                                    1 Two Men manual Pump                                                                            5  Firemen

Volunteer Frances has then last laugh

Frances McLean (19) spends her working life as head waitress at the St Catherine’s Hotel on the shores of Loch Fyne, but at a moments notice she is ready to turn out as a volunteer fire fighter.
She is probably the youngest female volunteer in Strathclyde and has been a member of the St Catherine’s Unit for just over six months.
Frances explained how she became involved: “Some of the men who came into the hotel were kidding me on about joining and so I Just decided to take them up on it.”
As the “baby” of the Unit she has had to take some kidding, but Frances now feels that she has been accepted by the rest of the Unit.
The leader of the Unit, Mr Lewis Laurie, who owns the St Catherine’s Hotel, has no doubts at all about Frances’ ability.
He said: “She is a girl of tremendous calibre. She’s very fit and is very capable.
‘‘In fact. Frances is capable of doing anything a man can do in the fire service.”
Mr Laurie has been leading the St Catherine’s Unit for the past eight years
He said: "I feel that the auxiliary’s job is to assist the professionals.”
Frances enjoys being a member of the Unit and it’s true to say that she is following in her father’s footsteps because he is a member of the Volunteer Unit at Strachur.
(Strathclyde Fireman No. 4. January, 1979. Page 2.)

1951 A hose box sufficiently large to hold the equipment of the Volunteer Fire Party was erected at a central point in the village.

In 1953 there were seven men.

28/1/1998 Apparently 2 volunteers and application has been made to Scottish Office to close Unit.

29/10/1998 Alison Clark is the only member of the unit at present and the unit hasn't been operational for a couple of years, calls being covered by Strachur.