In the Integrated Risk Management Plan 2005/2010 a new team of Wholetime staff will be based at Whitburn Fire Station supporting the Retained staff and working a new shift pattern. (May 2006). This happened but SFRS withdrew the wholetime staff.

Whitburn had a call sign of 61 in Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service, this was changed to L23, the new National Call Sign on 3/5/2017.

Establishment 2000

Whitburn opens its new fire station

One of the most handsome public buildings in the area is the new Whitburn Fire Station, officially opened last Saturday. Already the police force is eyeing it enviously, and the elegant lines of the structure add new style to West Main Street.
Councillor Willie Drummond performed the ceremony which was accompanied by appropriate pomp and circumstance.
The South Eastern Fire Brigade Pipe Band played a selection of pipe and drum music, and the Whitburn unit gave an impressive drill display-summoned by Councillor Drummond’s sounding of the alarm bell.
William Drummond was welcomed by chairman of the South Eastern Fire Area Joint Committee, Councillor George Drummond.
In his speech, William Drummond traced the history of Whitburn fire station’s development.
Whitburn’s sophisticated fire fighting methods of today are a far cry from the prewar defences of a hose barrow manned by six burgh employees who followed their normal employment and reported for duty upon receipt of a fire call.
This appliance was housed in a lowly garage situated up a pend, opposite the Miners’ Welfare Club in West Main Street.
At the outbreak of the 1939-45 war, an A.F.S. unit was formed in the town, equipped with a light pump which was towed by a motor car.
This unit fought wartime fires only, other fires being attended by Bathgate and West Calder who continued fire cover after the war.
The following period brought a large influx of recruits from the Armed Forces which needed to be trained to replace firemen who had served for “The duration of the present emergency only.”
Two training schools were opened in Scotland, one at Paisley and the other at Whitburn.
At the Whitburn Fire School, a heavy mobile appliance, manned by recruits, was made available to assist in fighting fires in the town area. It attended a serious underground fire in Burngrange Pit, West Calder, where fifteen miners perished in March 1947.
Since 1961, Whitburn’s population has increased from 5,933 to 15,000. The number of fire calls has climbed even more dramatically. In 1969, 560 calls were received from the Bathgate, Livingston and West Calder areas. In 1973 it was 1,236.
These considerations, plus the increase in the number of industrial buildings within the burgh and the difficulty of meeting attendance times to Fauldhouse, decided the South Eastern Fire Area Joint Committee to locate a fire station at Whitburn.
As this is a new station rather than a replacement one, a public meeting was held in Whitburn Academy in January 1973 to explain the object of building a fire station and seek recruits.
Training of selected personnel commenced with weekend courses followed by one drill night per week at Bathgate. Weekend courses in breathing apparatus were conducted at the South Eastern Fire Brigade Training School, Edinburgh.
A Bedford water tender which carries 400 gallons of water and a portable pump has been purchased and commissioned by Whitburn.
The Whitburn fire station will attend calls in the south west section of West Lothian and will be part of the first attendance to Fauldhouse, Longridge, Greenrigg, Blackridge and Armadale, as well as Whitburn.
Following Councillor Drummond’s speech, the new building was dedicated by Rev. W. Hume, and firemaster Mr James Anderson presented the councillor with a desk set.
A vote of thanks was proposed by the vice chairman of the Joint Fire Committee, Provost David Atkinson.
<PHOTO> The new fire station.
<PHOTO> Councillor William Drummond sounds the alarm.
<PHOTO> Some of the firemen. (Sub Officer, Leading Fireman and six firemen)
(Lothian Courier, Friday April 19, 1974. Page 17.)

Recruitment took place early 1973 with training at Bathgate station from March 1973 to the official opening on 13th April 1974. Calls in 1973 averaged 70 to 100 to around 550 in 2001.

The first turn-out for Whitburn station was on Thursday 18th April 1974.

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