S33 BEAULY

Retained Unit.

Stations

 

During war Shed Ferry Road, BEAULY.
? Garden Shed at rear Aird Motors, Croyard Road, BEAULY.
1980 to? Wooden Garage rear of the Police Station (beside Police garage.)                    Photo
? to ? Old workshops at  "Made in Scotland" premises
2001 Converted container in Lorry Park at rear of Police Station. BEAULY.             Photo
19/4/2008 New Station in Lorry Park behind Police Station (operational 13/11/2007)      Photo

 

Firemasters

 

? to 1993 Sub Officer Donald MacKenzie B.E.M. (there in 1988)
1994 to 2000 Sub Officer John Szarkiewicz
2000 to 2006 Sub Officer Malcolm Hannah (Jock)
2006 to 29/8/2018 Watch Manager Malcolm Hannah (Jock)  (Rank to Role)
30/8/2018 Watch Manager Martin Ingram (there Apr 2020)

 

Appliances

1990 MST713Y Ford Escort 35/HIFB UFA
1998 F428MST Ford Escort 55/HIFB UFA
1998 H487AAS Ford Transit/Fulton and Wylie LFA
2005 P520EAS LDV Convoy 400/HIFB LFA
2007 N683BST Mercedes 1124/Emergency One WrL
2010 July SY54CLX MAN 12-225/Emergency One WrL

 

Brigades

? to 1948 National Fire Service
1948 to 1975 Northern Area Fire Brigade
1975 to 1983 Northern Fire Brigade
1983 to 2005 Highland and Islands Fire Brigade
2005 to 2013 Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service (Name change only)
1/4/2013 Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

 

Notes

 

The Northern Fire Area Administration Scheme Order, 1948

  Equipment Volunteer
  Standpipe and Hose 1 Leading Fireman
    5 Firemen

Establishment 2007

  Equipment Retained
  1 Water Tender Ladder 1 Watch Manager
    2 Crew Managers
    7 Firefighters

 

 

23/11/1993 Sub Officer Donald MacKenzie received BEM and retired at the end of the year. He died around 25/2/2020.

1999/2000    Site acquired for a new station.

With the new brigade structure introduced in the summer of 2003 the 3 Divisions were re-organised into 2 Commands North and South, Beauly was put into South Command. Call signs remained the same.

On 1st April 2005 along with 61 other units Beauly was upgraded to a Retained Unit, drilling one night per week and receiving a retaining fee.

The new station went operational on 13/11/2007.

Beauly had a call sign of A46 in The Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service, this was changed to S33, the new National Call Sign, when the Control at Inverness closed on 6/12/2016 and moved to Dundee.

 

Fire Service in Beauly

Since it was formed (1968) the Fire Service in Beauly has had a very remarkable record of public service. The volunteers received no pay; moreover they did not even have a proper appliance.
The pump and hose were kept in a garden shed behind the premises of Aird Motors (in Croyard road) and transport was by ordinary car to the scene of the fire. At one time the crew were called out by the old war time siren but since the siren was removed (without letting the service know) the turnouts were made by telephone. In the latter years the unit, as part of the Northern Fire Brigade, was provided with some remuneration of expenses and in 1980 a trailer that took all the gear was supplied which had to be towed behind the crew's private cars. At this time the unit had moved to a site next to the Police Station Garage. (main road on the outskirts of Beauly, wooden garage)
In the Autumn of 1982 the unit took possession of a Escort van which took the equipment and ladders plus two crew members. This type of vehicle was known as an Ultra Light Fire Appliance. The method of turnout was far from being satisfactory; as the unit became busier the volunteers started to fund their own paging system, from 1991 to 1998 at a cost to them of £700 per year.
As part of the Highland & Islands Fire Brigade there was a proposal to axe the unit in 1996, which was successfully fought by the community councils, Councilor C Coutts and the MP Charles Kennedy. Finally in 1998 the unit was upgraded with a water carrying Light Fire Appliance based on a LWB V8 Ford Transit and equipped with the latest Breathing Apparatus. (Draeger PA 94 with the Firefly DSU)
The Beauly service is now one of ninety Auxiliary Firefighting Units throughout the large land mass covered by the Highland & Islands Fire Brigade. (12,000 sq miles) The unit comprises of twelve personnel and is based temporarily in the lorry park in the village. (which is also behind the Police Station) Land purchased next to this site will hopefully see a new Fire Station built in the years 2003/4. As one of the busiest auxiliary units in Britain it averages 100+ call outs per year in an area ranging from Muir of Ord to the villages of Kirkhill and Kiltarlity, to Struy and up Glen Strathfarrar.
Donald MacKenzie was Sub Officer of the Beauly unit until his retirement at the end of 1993, after 25 years loyal and dedicated service to the Beauly unit and the community. Donald was awarded the MBE in the New Years Honors list of 1994. From 1994 the Sub Officer in charge was John Szarkiewicz, who had joined the local fire service as a volunteer in 1976 and served until an injury forced his retirement in 2000. (injured at work and not while attending an incident) Malcolm (Jock) Hannah took over as the new Sub Officer and Charles Barclay and James Geddes as the new L/Ffs.
There are no fewer than four holders of the Fire Brigade Long Service Medal (awarded after 20 years service), who served in the local unit. They are A Jankowski 1982, D MacKenzie 1992, I Marr 1992 and J Szarkiewicz 1996.
Gary Tillman was presented with a citation from the Chief Constable for the Preservation of Life from Fire, for his part in rescuing a person in the fire at the commercial hotel. Gary joined the unit a number of years later.
The crew at present are Sub Officer Malcolm Hannah, L/Ffs C Barclay & J Geddes Ffs G Allan, G Tillman, S Lymburn, N Hercher, F Mulgrew, C MacGruer and K Stevenson.
(Extract taken from "The Village of Beauly" by Kilmorack Heritage Association Published 2001).

 

We are at present two crew members short, however we will have two recruits very shortly. N Hercher and K Stevenson are both female and they were the first all female BA team in the Highlands to extinguish a kitchen fire.
Our present station is a steel garage which was purpose built and when our new station is completed this steel garage will be transported to upgrade another station (or that was the original plan).
(Sub Officer Hannah).

 

Highlands & Islands

Fire & Rescue Service

 

Beauly Fire Station 

Opening Ceremony 

Saturday 19 April 2008

 

Chief Fire Officer’s Welcoming Address: 

May I welcome all our guests and friends here today to the opening of the new Beauly Fire Station.
The Highlands & Islands Fire & Rescue Service is committed to driving down risk in all our communities across our Service area.
Today, we take another step towards this key objective in opening the new Beauly Fire Station. From here the Firefighters of Beauly can work with the community to make it a safer and better place to live.
I am very pleased to have here today, members of the Fire Board and particularly Fire Board Convener, Mr Richard Durham, who I am pleased to say will perform the Official Opening Ceremony.
Thank you all for attending, and supporting the work of this Service. 

Chief Fire Officer Brian Murray

 

Order of Opening Ceremony 

Raising Station Colours
Local Pipe Band 

Welcome and Introduction by District Officer
Group Manager Leishman 

Introduction from Chief Fire Officer
Brian A Murray 

Address and Unveiling of Plaque
Mr Richard Durham, Convener of Fire Board 

Reply to Convener
Watch Manager Malcolm Hannah, Beauly Station 

Station Blessing
Father Gaskell, Beauly 

Unit Personnel will show Guests around Station 

Harp music will be playing during refreshments

 

Watch Manager Hannah
Station Welcoming Address:
 

On behalf of the Beauly Fire Station personnel may I welcome you to our new Fire Station. 

This station is a far cry from the original garden shed that the unit started out from and although it has been a hard fought path to achieve this purpose built building and also the front line fire appliance, I am sure you will agree that these positive steps forward by the Fire Board and the Chief Fire Officer show the level of commitment Highlands & Islands Fire & Rescue Service are trying to achieve in providing safer communities in which to live and work.

Thank you for your attendance.

 

 

Highlands & Islands Fire & Rescue Service 

Helping Make

Highlands & Islands

Safer

  

The event started off in Beauty square marching to the fire station behind the local pipe band and flying our new station colours, in three ranks. On arrival at the station the crew were brought to a halt whilst the pipe band carried on for another 30 metres. The crew then carried out a left face and we marched off in single file headed by myself with Watch manager Hannah behind and Crew Manager Barclay, we peeled off to the left and the crew peeled off right. We then went through the ceremony of raising the flag (Geddes & Barclay) and standard (Hannah) before falling out for the formal station opening
(From Crew Manager Geddes.)

 

Crew at April 2009

Watch Manager Malcolm Hannan
Crew Manager Charles Barclay
Crew Manager James Geddes
Firefighter Gary Tillman
Firefighter Frank Mulgrew,
Firefighter James Murphy
Firefighter Martin Geddes
Firefighter Mike Bryant
Firefighter Martin Maclean
Firefighter Nikki Hercher

 

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

 

 

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