A new 2 bay station was opened in 1980.

In June 2008 Watch Manager John Strachan was awarded the Queen's Fire Service Medal.

Stonehaven had a call sign of 95 in Grampian Fire and Rescue Service, this was changed to R33, the new National Call Sign, when the Control at Mounthooly closed on 8/11/2016.

Watch Manager John Strachan (Stonehaven) received his 40-year long service certificate from ACO Scott. (16/11/2016)

Public Subscribed £65 For Stonehaven’s First Fire Engine

A new fire station may be built in another part of Stonehaven in the late 1970s. This was indicated at a meeting of the North East Fire Area Joint Board in Aberdeen when Mr J. C. Donachie, firemaster, Aberdeen, said they would have to start thinking about leaving their present premises for a new purpose-built station.
With the increasing traffic in Allardice Street, especially in the summer, there is often difficulty in getting the fire engines out quickly when traffic has built up at up at the lights.
The firemaster will therefore be looking for a site where the engines will be able to make a quick get away.
Fire-fighting methods have changed greatly since the days when the first engine in Stonehaven was bought by public subscription for £65.

24 VOLUNTEERS

The money was raised, together with about £20 for a house in which to keep the engine, ladders and buckets, by contributions from 1/- upwards.
At a meeting of the town council on May 5, 1859, Provost Kinnear submitted a letter addressed to the council by Bailie Thomson about obtaining a fire engine for the town.
The engine was bought in Glasgow, and on September 1, 1859, it is reported that “a meeting of the inhabitants was convened in the Music Hall on the invitation of the town council to inspect the new fire engine and to appoint a brigade to manage it in cases of emergency. Bailie Thomson gave a detailed account of the nature of the gearing and mode of working the engine. About 24 young men volunteered their services to form a fire brigade”.
The following month the brigade was called to house fire in the Old Town, and their speed and efficiency were highly praised.

A HAND CART

About 43 years ago the brigade, which was then still under the jurisdiction of the town council, possessed a hand-cart, some reels of hoses and a few ladders. Two of the men pulled the hand-cart, while the others pushed.
They were called out to fires by the town’s bell ringer, and older members of the public recall seeing the late Mr George Little dashing from the town hall to the bell tower at Market buildings to ring the bell. The fire station was behind the town hall.
In 1929 the first mechanised equipment was bought. It consisted of a fire tender and trailer pump. On the tender were hose reels and a large fire extinguisher.
The fire brigade remained the responsibility of the town council until the outbreak of war, when it became the Auxiliary Fire Service.
Under the Fire Services Act 1947 local fire brigades were centralised under joint committees.
The present equipment at Stonehaven comprises a Ford water tender with ladder and fire equipment. It has a 40 ft. extending ladder, crash equipment and a 400 gallon water tank.
There is also a Commer pump water tender fitted with a 400 gallon tank and a light weight pump. Both machines carry breathing apparatus.

IN CHARGE

Mr William Young who has had 23 years’ service with the brigade, is sub. officer in charge of the Stonehaven station, a post he has occupied for the last 13 years. The brigade’s strength is 19.
Our photograph shows Stonehaven’s fire tender and pump with members of committee and fire brigade in November, 1929. Standing on fire tender (left to right): James Taylor, James George, Alex. McIntosh_. Seated on tender: William Christie, Robert Malcolm, Alex. McDonald, Wallace Burness. John Gordon, Henry Pirie. Standing: W. B. Malcolm, Bailie P. B. Murray. George Jamieson (burgh surveyor), Bailie Donald McLean, Bailie Commander White, Councillor George Gibson, Councillor Joseph McDonald.
(The Mearns Leader, Friday, November 10,1972.)

Firemen at new Headquarters 

<Photo> Crew in front of station and two appliances. (a Ford D Series and a Dennis F26?)
Stonehaven Fire Brigade moved into their new £112,000 station at the Mill O’ Forest at the weekend, after 42 years in their Allerdice Street headquarters. As the two units left the old building, the towns fire siren – formally an air raid siren – also sounded for the last time since the crews have now been issued with radio bleepers for future call outs.
Posing for a souvenir photo in front of their new quarters and the two crews with Assistant Divisional Officer Robert McBeath (centre) Station Officer Bill Ross (right of centre) and Sub Officer Ian Davidson (left of centre).
(Press and Journal, Monday, February 25, 1980. Page 3)

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

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