* These appliances are for alternative manning only.

Establishment 2000

During 1959 a Light Trailer Pump was broken up for spares

1958 1 FWP to Millport

20/3/1913
Wheelbarrow for Fire Hose purchased at a cost of two pounds, three shillings and three pence.
Fire equipment stored underneath the Town Hall at Clifton Street
19/12/1923
Horn to be fitted to boiler of Gas Works to give notice of Fire Alarm, site of fire to be indicated as follows:-
(A) East Bay 1 long and 1 short blast
(B) Centre of Town 1 long and 2 short blasts
(C) West Bay 1 long and 3 short blasts
Fire Drill monthly, six shillings per drill.
8/12/1924
Agreed to pay members of the Fire Brigade and their assistants £2.10 pence for attending fire at 16 Ritchie Street.
11/10/1939
Warning bells to be installed in Firemen's houses.
19/8/1941
Fire Brigade to be taken over by National Fire Service.
8/10/1945
Fire Brigade reverted to control of Burgh.
3/10/1947
Fire Pump transferred to NFS on 19th August 1941 to be returned to Burgh, now known as Western Area Millport.
8/10/1947
Fire Alarm siren to be installed in Garrison roof, free of charge.
Fire Alarm was raised by phoning in to the local Manual Telephone Exchange, operator on duty sets the siren off from the exchange, also the bells in firemen's houses. There was 1 female a Miss Duncan who was employed as a part time Firewoman, on hearing the siren and bells all proceed to the local Gas Works where the Fire Engine was located, Firewoman called the exchange for details of the fire and remained at Gas Works telephone where Firemen phoned her if further assistance was required. The siren was tested every Friday at Noon.
25/7/1973
New modern station opened at Hastie Avenue. Name now Strathclyde Fire Brigade.
All part time firemen now carry alerters (radio pagers), when 999 is dialled from Millport, the call is connected to the operator at Greenock Telephone Exchange who asks for the number that is calling and connects the call to the South West Area Fire Brigade Control Room at Ayr telling them the number making the call, they take all the details and call firemen on their alerters. Firemen immediately make their way to the Fire Station at Hastie Avenue. Although a Western Area station calls went to South Western Area Control as back up was from SWAFB stations (Largs, Skelmorlie etc.)
1965 Retainer Fee £44 per annum, call out 12/6 for first hour
1998 Retainer Fee £3,000 per annum, call out £3 for first hour.
(Supplied by local people 15/8/1998)

In 1998 when someone dials 999 or 112(the European emergency number) the call is immediately put through to a free operator in the Warrington(1st choice) or Glasgow(2nd choice) Operator Centre and if none of them are free then it is put through to a free operator in one of the four other Operator Centres in the northern ring, the phone number comes up on her screen along with the name and address of the calling phone and the Emergency Authorities for that area. She highlights the Service required (Fire in this case) and this connects the call to Strathclyde Fire Brigade's Control room at Johnstone to whom she passes verbally the number, name and address (this will soon be transferred electronically), where the Fire Control Operator keys the information about the call into the Command and Control computer, the CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch) then puts on her screen who the Pre determined attendance will be and if she agrees she presses the accept button. A signal is then sent out over the Brigade's Main Radio Scheme to the appropriate station where the details of the incident are printed on the Station printer and a signal is sent out from the station aerial to activate the alerters for that station. The Firemen then make their way to the station immediately. The alerters are tested every night at 7 p.m. when a different tone is sent.

HONOURED

After thanking Mrs Morrison, the chairman introduced Mr Morton, asking him to officially open the station.
Mr Morton said he was both pleased and honoured. The new station would become symbolic of what the fire service means. "It is the least that can be done for men who give so much," he said. "I sincerely hope that the Millport brigade will never be called on to the extent of the Oban firemen, but if they did, they would be equally enthusiastic, willing and brave."
He then declared the station open by unveiling a suitably inscribed plaque.
The chairman called upon the Rev P. M. Houston to perform the dedication ceremony, after which presentations were made to Mr Morton by Sub-Officer W. Kelly, and Mr McDougall, depute county architect, on behalf of the architects, surveyors, engineers, builders and everyone who had anything at all to do with the planning and construction of the new station.
Mrs Evelyn M. Sillars, MA, JP, Convener of the County of Bute, in a vote of thanks said it was a great thing to know that the three islands which make up the county of Bute were all well equipped to fight fires, especially the wonderful new Millport station which was fitted with the most up to date equipment. "I hope you may never be called upon to work too hard," she told the firemen, "but the most modern equipment is no use without the men to work it and vice-versa and I would like to thank you all most sincerely from all of us and the people of Millport for giving us your time, your energies, your devotion and most of all for risking your own lives for our safety."
Mr Morton was introduced to the members of the Millport unit and the party were then taken. on a tour of the station.
(Largs and Millport Weekly News, Friday 3rd August 1973, Page 5)

Local Jottings Millport

There was a fire at the dance hall in the Garrison on Monday night. The hall was unoccupied at the time. The fire began in the stokehole where charcoal was stored many years ago. A lot of refuse was in it and it well alight. The speedy arrival of the brigade saved what could have been a very serious fire. The brigade are to be congratulated on the speed at which they turn out.
(Largs and Millport Weekly News, Friday 11th August 1972,Page 1)

12/8/1998 Plaque commemorating 25 years since station opened.

As a result of the appliance failing to start D330 YCS was sent to the island and kept at the back of the station as a spare appliance, but was later sent to Lochranza as their Ford P100 failed its M.O.T.

22/6/2001 Largest fire on the Island for over 30 years was a Make Pumps 5,   Hydraulic Platforms 1 at the Garrison building on Glasgow Street.

August 2001 Crew increased to fourteen and additional temporary Leading Firefighter created. A spare appliance provided which runs as a second appliance and kept in the newly built garage in the yard at the end of the drive up the side of the station. Posts created from vacancies in the retained establishment for the whole Brigade, eventually application will be made to upgrade establishment to two pumps and twenty Retained personnel.

by Elaine Bowers

Greenock fire chief Dave Adam has been instrumental in doubling the number of fire engines in Millport. Until just a few weeks ago, residents on the island of Cumbrae were served by just one appliance.
If back up was required crews were dispatched from the mainland. During the recent fire at the Garrison in Millport five pumps and a hydraulic platform from Greenock were sent to the scene.
When fires or floods occur during the night Caledonian MacBrayne ferry crews have to be called out to get the fire engines from the mainland across the water.
Eighteen months ago Mr Adam, who is assistant divisional officer and also sector officer for Inverclyde and parts of North Ayrshire, identified a need for another engine and a feasibility study was carried out.
Now the fire station in Millport has undergone an extension and five women firefighters have been trained to augment the team of 10 men. The fire engine is also supplied with cutting equipment for use in car accidents.
Mr Adam said: "This will increase our fire fighting abilities on the island and be of benefit to the community at large."
Since the new engine began operation a few weeks ago, there have been six incidents, which have been attended by both engines.
(Greenock Telegraph, 7th September, 2001. Page 13.)

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