Establishment 2000

Present Strength September 2004

                                                                                                                                        1 Sub Officer
                                                                                                                                        2 Leading Firefighters
                                                                                                                                        5 Firefighters
                                                                                                                                        1 Recruit

Macduff had a call sign of 69 in Grampian Fire and Rescue Service, this was changed to R26, the new National Call Sign, when the Control at Mounthooly closed on 8/11/2016.

Firemen on air
IMPROVED RADIO SERVICE BEING SET UP NOW 

The improvement at a cost of £24,000 of the North Eastern Fire Board’s radio communications system – involving the introduction of multi-channel equipment and the setting up of three additional repeater stations – is now under way, said Firemaster John Donnachie yesterday.
When completed, the sophisticated electronics should give trouble free radio contact over the board’s entire area.
The move was recommended last year by the finance and general purposes committee of the Area Joint Board following consideration of a detailed report by Mr. Donnachie.
The board minute referring to the project was formally endorsed at yesterday’s board meeting at Banff.
The seven channel equipment will provide radio systems at Torslaig in the Buckie-Fochabers area, to replace the system at Covesea, Foudland (Huntly), Cairn-Monearn (Stonehaven), and new systems at Morrone (Braemar), Alvah (Banff) and Mormond Hill (Fraserburgh), all linked up to central control at Aberdeen.
The equipment is being supplied and installed by Pye Telecommunications Ltd. on the basis that the expenditure will be incurred during 1974-75.
Mr. Donnachie explained after the meeting that the existing communications system, 20 years old, did not now meet modern requirements.
He said a further possibility, taken into consideration as a result of the new system, was the use of “pocket alerters” for retained personnel throughout the area. These could be tied in with the radio scheme and would do away with the present system of sirens and home call bells.

MACDUFF ASSET

The siren wailed briefly at the push of a button yesterday as Station 25 was officially in operation, marking the near completion of a long building programme.
Station 25 is Macduff’s latest £21,000 asset, ceremonially opened by Provost George Wood, Portsoy, the board chairman.
Provost Wood said that with the opening of the station, soon to be followed by a similar one at Banff, the board’s building programme was nearly over, 30 stations having been constructed since the board’s inauguration 26 years ago.
He said the Macduff unit, which has been functioning since last August, covered not only the burgh but also a large agricultural landward area. Many fires were on farms and often some distance away. Last year the unit responded to 55 calls.
A walled drill yard lies at the rear of the station, with the 50ft drill tower and combined underground water tank and hose target capable of holding 500 gallons of water.
The engine is the modern Dennis water tender capable of pumping 500 gallons per minute and has a built in 250 gallon water tank. It is fitted with the latest VHF radio system enabling its crew to keep in constant with the area control centre at Aberdeen.
After the address guests watched outside as the 10 man crew of the station staged a drill in the yard.
The board agreed to advertise for sale the ground and building belonging to them which was the former home of the Banff fire service. It is now obsolete because of the burgh’s new station.
(Press and Journal Friday, February 1, 1974. Page 3. NE edition)

MACDUFF FIRE BRIGADE

First recollection of a Fire Brigade based at Macduff is in 1905 when a wheel barrow complete with canvas hose and ball type standpipe was stored in the slater’s yard of Mr Fred Ross in Institution Street (now occupied by Banff & Buchan District Council) who at that time was known as the Local Firemaster. The fire crew were employees of Mr Ross.
The wheel barrow was still in use until 1928 when a Steam Pump was purchased from the City of Perth Fire Brigade by the Town Council. In the same year the Station moved to other premises in the Old Mill in Market Street.
The Steam Pump was replaced in 1937 by a Drysdale Trailer Pump which was towed by a car from the garage of Mr George Morrison in Market Street. The station moved in the same year to the Burgh Yard in Buchan Street, where they remained until moving to a new station which was built at a cost of £21,000 by the North Eastern Fire Area Joint Board and opened on January 31^st, 1974.
During the 1939-45 War the Station was manned by 18 men and 3 message boys. Two Austin Tenders with Coventry Climax Trailer Pumps of the National Fire Service and the Drysdale Trailer Pump made up the Fire Service. Message boys on bikes were used to deliver fire calls and fire messages to the Fire Commanders during incidents.
The National Fire Service was disbanded in 1948 when Macduff Fire Brigade became part of the North Eastern Fire Service and, on regionalisation, a unit of the Grampian Fire Brigade.
( An article from Macduff station, page 82 of unknown book.)

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

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