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 | 1 Orchard Park. (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 6/7/2024) |
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.
SFRS NORTH SDA STATIONS