News

20/3/2013    The Grampian Fire and Rescue Service Standard was laid up today at 11-30 am in a Ceremony at North Anderson Drive to mark the end of Grampian Fire and Rescue Service.

25/7/2011    The wholetime pump and crews moved from Dyce Fire Station to Altens Fire Station today making Dyce a one pump and incident support vehicle Retained Station and Dyce a two pump and prime mover Wholetime Station.

27/7/2010    A new fire training centre has been opened at Portleithen at a cost of £320,000. The facility uses real fire to generate heat and smoke unlike like others in Scotland which simulate heat and smoke.

26/6/2009    Chief Fire Officer David Dalziel has been honoured by Grampian Fire Board for 40 years service. He is one of the longest serving senior officers in the country.

8/12/2008    The new Fire station at North Anderson Drive is to be opened today by Alex Salmon.

29/4/2005 Grampian Fire Board decided that the new stations at Bridge of Don and Kingswells would not go ahead following the move away from the former National Standards of Fire Cover to a risk based assessment. Both these areas are low/very low risk areas.

19/2/2005 Bridge of Don temporary station closed and the appliance moved back to North Anderson Drive as a second machine.

On the 1st of January 2004 the four watches (A, B, C and D) were split into eight teams on a trail basis to break down watch culture. Each watch was split into two teams and when one team was on it's first day the other team was on it's second day. The next day one team was on it's second day with a team from another watch on it's first day and the other team was on it's first night with a team from another watch on it's second night. Then both teams were on together again one on their first night and the other on their second night. This way the watch was only together one day and one night and for the other day and night they were with a different team. I am led to believe it caused problems with training and probably other things as the trail was abandoned on the 9th January 2006 and they reverted to a four watch system only this time the watches were called Red, White, Blue and Green the same as other brigades in the country.

Assistant Firemaster David Dalziel is to be promoted to Firemaster in December when Firemaster John Williams retires. Assistant Firemaster David Dalziel was with Strathclyde Fire Brigade before he moved to Grampian Fire Brigade. (30/9/2004.)

Notes

Neil Morrison 1993 HM Chief Inspector for Fire Services in Scotland.

HISTORY OF GRAMPIAN FIRE BRIGADE

The City of Aberdeen has been witness to many disastrous fires during its early existence, due in part to the ravages of war and to great fires occurring outwith the control of the inhabitants.

In those early days, the people of Aberdeen would have fought fire armed only with buckets of water to quell the flames and long-handled hooks for demolishing the flimsily built houses, so creating a fire break in the narrow streets of the town.
In 1721 the Town Council appointed a Watchman to patrol the narrow streets and closes during the hours of darkness, raising the alarm should fire break out.
During the 18th century various fire insurance companies opened agencies in the City of Aberdeen, the first being Sun Fire Office which commenced business in 1738. Many others followed as the city grew in size. In 1762 the City Council purchased a fire engine from London, for the princely sum of £65. Half the cost was borne by the Sun Fire Office.
The 19th century saw three insurance companies engaged in fighting fires within the City of Aberdeen, each with their own engine and crew of firefighters. By 1826 these insurance companies were amalgamated to form the Aberdeen Engine Committee, headed by Lord Provost Hadden of Aberdeen. The committee organised and ran the Fire Brigade until 1835 when all engines and equipment were handed over to the Police Commissioners who had been granted additional powers to take full charge of fire-fighting in the City of Aberdeen.
Fire stations during the 19th century were little more than sheds for holding the fire engines and equipment safely under cover. The five ‘stations’ were located at Footdee, Mealmarket Street, King Street, Concert Court and George Street. Firefighters were summoned to duty during daylight hours by the ringing of the Town House Bell; by night it was the duty of the Watchman to rouse the firefighters from their homes. Most of the serving firefighters at this time were members of the Shore Porters Society, a Company established in the City of Aberdeen in 1496.
It was not until 1885 that the first steam fire engine was purchased with a purpose-built fire station located in Frederick Street to accommodate it. This was augmented in 1893 with a larger ‘Steamer’ named ‘PRINCESS MAY’.
The firefighters of the City of Aberdeen Fire Brigade were still only part-time at this time, with the Firemaster undertaking the duties of the Lighting Inspector, and his staff pursuing other vocations such as slaters, chimney sweeps, etc.
In 1896 a full-time professional establishment came into service under the command of Firemaster Inkster and Deputy Firemaster Pullock. These professional firefighters set about reorganising the City of Aberdeen Fire Brigade and recruiting men suitable for the work involved.
The fire station located in Frederick Street was found to be grossly inadequate for the running of a full-time Brigade and plans were laid in 1897 for a new fire station to be built at 256 King Street. This station was officially opened in 1899 at a cost of £16,500. At the time of the opening, the City of Aberdeen Fire Brigade consisted of four officers, 12 firefighters and eight auxiliary assistants.
In 1905, Aberdeen City Fire Brigade purchased Scotland’s first motorised appliance. By 1923 all of the Brigade’s appliances were motorised, heralding the end of the horse-drawn era in Aberdeen.
By the 1930s, the Aberdeen City Fire Brigade was renowned as being one of the most modern, best equipped and up-to-date fire brigades in Britain, a trend that has been maintained right through to the present day. Grampian Fire Brigade continues to lead, with the acquisition of the latest appliances and equipment available on today’s market.
(Aberdeen City Council, Official Guide 2003. Page 80.)

If you know of any mistakes in this or have any additional information please let me know.

THEY DIED ON DUTY

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