Establishment 2000

The wholetime Establishment is split over 4 watches, Red, White, Blue and Green working an average of 42 hours per week on a 2 days, 2 nights and 4 days off rota.

Galashiels had a call sign of 34 in Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service, this was changed to J03, the new National Call Sign on 3/5/2017.

Galashiels Station Log Book

31/12/1926    At 6-15pm on this date the Brigade was called out for drill which consisted of removing Motor Fire Engine to new Station in Paton Street and cleaning Fire Engine and apparatus. Subjoined is a list of the expenses of the turnout. All the Members of Works Committee being present.

31/12/1926    The Fire Engine was removed to New Station in Paton Street at 6-30 pm on this date.
(From Log Book in Galashiels Fire Station)

New Municipal Buildings at Galashiels – New Year’s Day was attended with special interest in Galashiels, as it marked the opening of the new municipal buildings, which form part of the war memorial scheme, now completed at a cost of about £23,000. The ceremony was a simple one, and was witnessed by a crowd of several thousand people. Shortly after nine o’clock in the morning the Town Band paraded the principal streets, returning to the municipal buildings about 10 o’clock, when at the main entrance Provost Hayward, with the Magistrates and Town Council, were met by the War Memorial Committee. After a prayer of dedication had been offered by the Rev. John Ronald, the buildings were handed over by ex Provost Watson, honorary treasurer of the fund, to Provost Hayward, who, in the name of the Town Council, expressed his great pleasure at having the honour of excepting so magnificent a gift. Thereafter, in the absence of Sir Robert Lorimer, architect of the scheme, Mr Marshall, builder, Hawick, on behalf of the contractors, presented ex Provost Watson with a gold key with which the doors were thrown open, and Provost Hayward and the Town Council were invited to enter. The buildings are handsomely constructed of white freestone, and include a large Council Chamber, with committee and Magistrates retiring rooms; and adequate office accommodation for the Town Clerk, Burgh Surveyor, Burgh Chamberlain, and Water Officer. In addition to the municipal offices, there are provided new police quarters, the cost of which falls to be borne equally by the Government and Town Council, also a new fire station fronting on Paton Street.
(The Scotsman, Monday, January 3, 1927. Page 5)

Presentation to Veteran Firemen – Two of the oldest members of Galashiels Burgh Fire Brigade, Sergeant Robert Deans and Fireman Thomas Fraser – who have retired under the age limit regulations, were on Friday evening each presented in the fire station with a case of pipes and a tobacco pouch by the members of the Brigade. Sergeant Deans has 22 years’ service and Fireman Fraser has 20 1/2 years’ service on the Brigade
(The Southern Reporter, Thursday, May 19, 1927. Page 5)

National Fire Service – The popularity of Mr Nicholson of Galashiels, Senior Company Officer, was clearly evidenced at the Selkirk Fire Service Burns supper on Thursday evening. He said that under the new National Fire Service, of which they were all members, there was no over or under lapping as in the past. The only boundary to the service was the sea! Mr Nicholson was Firemaster of Galashiels before this scheme was instituted. He has Selkirk associations, being a nephew of Mrs Turner, Castle Street.
(The Southern Reporter, Thursday, January 29, 1942. Page 4)

Promoted 

Section Leader Murdo McKinnon, of Galashiels Fire Service, has left Galashiels to take over new duties as Company Officer in charge of Dalkeith Fire Station. Company Officer Mackinnon, who has had 15 years full-time fire service, was for 10 years at Fire Brigade headquarters in Edinburgh before taking over his duties at Galashiels over four years ago. The vacancy at Galashiels Fire Station following Company Officer McKinnon’s promotion, is to be filled by Section Leader Wood, who has been stationed previously at Leith.
(The Berwickshire News, Tuesday, May 23, 1950. Page 7)

SOUTH EASTERN FIRE AREA JOINT COMMITTEE

PHOTO of station with Dennis WrT, Merryweather PE and Land Rover ET on forecourt

GALASHIELS FIRE STATION

Opening by Councillor George Drummond

Chairman of the South Eastern Fire Area Joint Committee

Saturday 23^rd March 1974

NEW FIRE STATION, ABBOTSFORD ROAD, GALASHIELS
********

OFFICIAL OPENING.

by

COUNCILLOR GEORGE DRUMMOND
Chairman of the South Eastern Fire Area Joint Committee

on

SATURDAY, 23RD MARCH 1974.
********

ORDER OF PROCEEDINGS

Chairman George Drummond and The Firemaster will inspect station personnel on parade.

Councillor John Harrison, Selkirk, will welcome the Chairman and invite him to open the Station.

Dedication by the Reverend Angus McDonald

Presentation to Chairman Drurnmond by The Firemaster South Eastern Fire Brigade James Anderson, F.I.Fire E.

Vote of Thanks by Provost David Atkinson

Vice Chairman, South Eastern Fire Area Joint Committee

Demonstration of Drills by the station personnel

Selection of music by the Pipes and Drums
of the
South Eastern Fire Brigade

MEMBERS OF SOUTH EASTERN FIRE AREA JOINT COMMITTEE

********

CHAIRMAN:                                        COUNCILLOR GEORGE DRUMMOND
VICE CHAIRMAN:                              PROVOST DAVID ATKINSON
EDINBURGH:                                       CHAIRMAN
                                                                BAILIE WALTER DALGLEISH
                                                                BAILIE JAMES S. COOK
                                                                BAILIE MRS. PHYLLIS HERRIOT
                                                                COUNCILLOR OWEN HAND
                                                                COUNCILLOR IAN A. CRAMOND
                                                                COUNCILLOR A. DOUGLAS WILSON
                                                                COUNCILLOR WILLIAM B. W. LYLE
MIDLOTHIAN:                                    MR. P. K. HAMILTON
EAST LOTHIAN:                              MR. RICHARD WILSON
BERWICK:                                            MAJOR N. P. THOMSON
ROXBURGH:                                        VICE-CHAIRMAN
SELKIRK:                                              MR. JOHN HARRISON
PEEBLES:                                              MR. W. W. M. ROSE
WEST LOTHIAN:                                MR. W. DRUMMOND

********
FIREMASTER      J ANDERSON, F.I.Fire E.

HISTORY OF GALASHIELS FIRE BRIGADE

The first Fire Station built in Galashiels came into being after a letter to the Council in February 1864 from Mr William Brown, Deacon of the Manufacturers’ Corporation who offered to present “a good and well furnished Fire Engine to the town on condition that the Commissioners (of Police) get a proper house for keeping the engine and keep also under their command the number of men considered suitable for the working of it”. The gift was unanimously accepted on the oforementioned conditions and a Committee was appointed to find, a suitable “house”.
The Border Advertiser, on 25th March 1864, reported that ‘the gift and the manner of its acceptance are creditable to both parties in the transaction and the unanimity displayed is all the more beautiful for its rarity”.
The engine was ordered from Mr William Harkless, Glasgow, and on completion, the Superintendent of Leith Fire Brigade was asked to check the engine “to examine all its details and see its capacities tested". The engine was a manual one with a capacity of about 150 gallons per minute and equipment consisted of eight 40 foot lengths of 2½  inch leather hose, two dozen leather buckets, hammers, saws, other tools and six suits of clothing with fireproof helmets. Land was fued from Mr Scott of Gala and a “house” built at a cost of £92. Mr Adamson, Gas Manager, was appointed Superintendent and instructed to organise a force of 18 men to work the engine.
From a report at the time it was thought the engine would be of great service to the town; it would be at the very first applicable to the mills and understood that it would be equally applicable to many other properties near the dam; and though they might require to lay down pipes to extend its benefits to every property in the town, no doubt the Commissioners would try and get water some way.
By 1870, costs must have been receiving some consideration as a meeting of the Commissioners decided that persons requiring the Brigade should pay half the cost and the Commissioners the other half. This may well have been prompted by an increase in pay for the firemen from 2/- to 5/- for the quarterly drill and from 1/6d to 3/- per hour when attending fires.
On 13th March 1899, the “Rules and Regulations for the Conduct and Management of the Galashiels Fire Brigade” were printed. Under these rules, the Brigade consisted of a Firemaster, Sergeant, Engine master and five Firemen, one of whom shall be the Water Officer of the Corporation.
A number of the rules are quoted below which give, to some extent, an idea of the system under which the Brigade operated.
“Any Fireman requiring at any time to temporarily leave the Burgh must intimate the same to the Firemaster as also his return.
On an alarm of fire being received, the Chief Constable or other Officer in Charge at the Police Office, shall cause two or more Constables to be despatched to warn the members of the Brigade whose names and addresses will be supplied to him by the Firemaster, which names shall also be on slips of paper so that the Constables may invite the services of civilians in warning members.
There shall be a muster of the Brigade for practice at least four times, at regular intervals, during the year.
On the occasion of the services of the Brigade being called outside the Burgh, the Chief Constable, or Officer in Charge at the Police Office, shall forthwith obtain the consent of a member of the Corporation to the Brigade proceeding, and, upon that consent being obtained, shall order the necessary horses as speedily as possible.
A record shall be kept by each member with the streets alphabetically arranged, showing the position of all the hydrants, and he shall at all times be liable to be questioned by the Committee on his knowledge thereof”.
Included with the Rules and Regulations was the following advice

CAUTION to the MEMBERS of the BRIGADE

 No member should, when alone, enter any premises that are on fire, in case of his being overpowered by heat, smoke, etc. When others are present, he may be easily drawn back by means of his leather belt or by a rope attached thereto, in which case he may, with greater safety, enter places otherwise attended with great danger. Rooms, when on fire, should always be entered on the hands and knees, the Fireman taking the hose with him. On the discovery of fire in any buildings the doors and windows should be closed to prevent currents of air. If this is not done, the fire fanned by the air, will break out with much fury; let the doors be closed and streams of water introduced by means of scaling ladders from without, the director being pointed into the building. This is much more effective than from without.
It would appear that at about this time the post of Firemaster was combined with that of Water Officer and Inspector of Lighting and this arrangement prevailed for a number of years.
Costs appear quite regularly in reports made at the time and one where the Brigade assisted Selkirk at a fire at Linghie Mill in 1901, the cost was £22.6/-. including £7 for use of the engine and apparatus, £2.5/- for horses and £5.5/- for the services of 35 assistants. Another fire at Earlston resulted in an account of £29.8.6d being rendered.
Obtaining payment for the services of the Brigade must have been a problem as, at a Council meeting the following statement was made - “With regard to the matter of the Fire Brigade turning out to fires outside the Burgh, the Provost indicated that there were sometimes difficulties in getting the full outlays for the Brigade. Unless these outlays were met, the Council might have to consider whether they would let the Brigade go outside the Burgh.”
In 1921 a motor pump was purchased and this was housed in part of the Burgh buildings. When the Burgh buildings were altered in 1925, the Brigade premises were moved to Paton Street.
The 1920’s was an eventful decade for the Galashiels Fire Brigade with regard to fires. During this period the largest fires in the history of Galashiels occurred. The first was in April 1923 when the Skinworks’ wool stores and drying houses were gutted by fire. The total damage was estimated at £60,000. The Brigade was complimented on their speedy turnout by Bailie Dorward at a Council meeting; the call being received at 6 a.m., and twelve members of the Brigade in attendance within six minutes. Later that same month, the entire Skinworks was destroyed by fire, the estimated damage being £250,000. On this occasion the Galashiels Brigade was assisted by the Brigade from Hawick. Arrangements for assistance must have left something to be desired as the alarm was given at 12.15 a.m., Galashiels Brigade arrived at the fire at 12.25 a.m. but Hawick did not arrive until 03.40 a.m. The rapid development of the fire however made the efforts of the Brigades rather hopeless.
In 1928 Ladhope Old Mill owned by Laidlaw & Fairgrieve, was destroyed, the cost being about £100,000. By this time assistance arrangements had improved as the alarm was given at about 11.00, Galashiels arrived at 11.10 and the Selkirk Brigade at 11.40.
By 1938 a new appliance was considered necessary and a limousine type was purchased and remained at Galashiels during the war years. With the outbreak of war, the Paton Street station proved to be unsuitable and in 1942, the station in Roxburgh Street was opened. The arrangement of the Brigade was typical of war time needs with mobilising control at Paton Street and appliances at Roxburgh Street and Green Street with a number of light pumps at premises around Galashiels.
On the formation of the National Fire Service in 1941, control of the Brigade passed to the Fire Force Commander, Mr. W.B, Muir who was responsible for Edinburgh and the South East of Scotland.
After the war the Fire Services Act 1947 was introduced by Parliament to transfer the firefighting functions from the National Fire Service to Fire Brigades maintained by the Local Authorities. Under this Act, Scotland was divided into eleven fire areas and Galashiels became part of the South Eastern Fire Brigade in accordance with the fourth schedule of the Act.
The South Eastern Area includes the counties of Berwick, East Lothian, Midlothian, Peebles, Roxburgh, Selkirk, West Lothian and the County of the City of Edinburgh. The whole of this area came under the command of Firemaster A. B. Craig until he retired in 1962; control then passed to Firemaster F. Rushbrook who subsequently retired in 1970. Since then, and up to the present, the Brigade has been under the command of Firemaster James Anderson.
On the termination of the National Fire Service, Galashiels remained as a whole time station with additional part-time firemen.
Mobilising control of the Border Retained Stations also remained at Galashiels and these stations are still mobilised from Galashiels.
Conditions and facilities in the station at Roxburgh Street have, over the years, become more cramped mainly due to increases in the station strength and the addition of an Emergency Tender. At the present time the station strength is one Divisional Officer, three Sub Officers, three Leading Firemen, twenty-four Firemen and three Watchroom Attendants, there are also ten part time Firemen.
The station appliances consist of one 1957 Merryweather Pump Escape which carrys 100 gallons of water, a 50 foot wheeled escape ladder and has a pumping capacity of 1,000 gallons of water per minute: one 1972 Dennis Water Tender which carries 400 gallons of water, a 45 foot ladder, a portable pump with a capacity of 250 gallons per minute and has a built in pump with a capacity of 500 gallons per minute: one 1965 Land Rover Emergency Tender specially designed to carry a wide range of equipment for use at large fires, road transport, railway or machine accidents.
To accommodate the personnel and appliances, a new station was considered necessary and work was started on the new premises in the summer of 1972.

NEW FIRE STATION AT GALASHIELS

The new station is built in traditional construction with a warm coloured facing brick to all elevations enabling the station to blend sympathetically with the amenity of the area.
The dominant feature on site is the 60 feet high drill tower which accommodates six external training balconies and provides internally the facilities for drying the operational hoses. The tower is of reinforced concrete construction with facing brick cladding.
Other features on the station include the warm ivory coloured sculptured glass fibre fascia to the appliance room, and pyramid type glass fibre rooflights to the main administration block. Less noticeable but essential for the requirements of the station are the electrically operated up and over doors, to the appliance room and 30 foot deep underground pump testing wall in the drill yard and a 30 foot long underground crawl tunnel leading from the smoke room to the drill yard
The station has been designed to accommodate 4 fire appliances and is staffed by a personnel of 46 which include 3 Watchroom Attendants.
Accommodation of the station includes Watchroom, 3 Admin. Offices, a Lecture/Recreation/Dining Room, Kitchen, Quiet Room, Dormitory, Leading Firemen’s Room, Locker Room, Drying Room, Scrub Area, Toilet accommodation and Muster Room.
Ancillary accommodation includes a Switchgear Room, Boiler house, Smoke Room, garage accommodation for two vehicles with a workshop and stores for batteries, breathing appliances, hoses, cleaning materials and foam containers.
A five apartment residential house has also been provided which overlooks the adjoining public park area.
Internal finishes to the station have been selected for their hard wearing qualities. In the heavy duty areas quarry tiling floors, facing brick walls and plastic faced plasterboard ceilings have been incorporated whilst the remainder of the station makes use of vinyl tile flooring, timber wall panelling and carpet tiles. The station buildings are heated throughout by an oil fired system.
The building is operated from the Watchroom which is so positioned to oversee the general station activities and is adjacent to the steel framed appliance room.
The Locker Room, Showers, Scrub, Drying and Toilet areas have been designed en-suite and are laid out in sequence approved by the Fire Authority.
The dormitory and quiet rooms are situated on the quieter eastern side of the building and face on to a paved patio area which in turn is screened by a pierced concrete wall.
A large dining room and modern fitted kitchen fulfil the eating requirements for the personnel. The administrative area of the station is contained within three offices situated on the southern side of the building and in close proximity to the main entranceway.
The contract period was 15 months to be completed by October 1973 and the tender figure amounted to £163,000.

ARCHITECT:                                                        J & J Hall.

CONSULTING ENGINEER:                                Maurice Barker & Associates

MAIN CONTRACTOR:                                      Melville, Dundas & Whitson Ltd.

SUB-CONTRACTORS:

Decking & Bit-Felt Roofing                                Briggs Amasco Ltd
Screeding & Floor Finishes                                Dunlop Semtex Ltd
Plasterwork                                                           David Fisher & Sons.
Structural Steelwork                                            Grampian Engineering Co.
Glass Fibre Fascias & Rooflights                      Glasdon Ltd.
Metal Windows, Doors & Screens                   Jas Gibbons Ltd.
Ceramic & Quarry Tiling                                     Douglas James & Co.
Glazierwork                                                            Geo. Lindsay & Co.
Suspended Ceilings                                             Kelsey Roofing Industries.
Landscaping                                                         Lothian Landscape Co.
Plumbing Installation                                          Plumbing & Heating Services.
Electrical Installation                                           Jas Scott Ltd, Edinburgh.
Heating & Mechanical Installation                   Jas Scott Ltd, Glasgow.
Precast Concrete Roofing                                   Siporex Ltd.
Excavation & Drainage                                       Tractor Shovels.
Metalwork                                                             Osbourne Metal Ltd.
Painterwork                                                           A.T. Rolland.
Road Surfacing                                                     Kings & Co Ltd.

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