* These appliances are for alternative manning only.

Establishment 2000

When the new call signs were being implemented in the WEST SDA over a 7 week period beginning 31/8/2020 doing 1 LSO Area per week, Lamlash was changed from R21 to G36.

County of Bute

Page 505

Fire fighting came under the Western Area Fire brigade, with headquarters at Paisley. There are units at Lamlash, Brodick, Whiting Bay and Loch Ranza the first two being retained units since 1939 and 1955 respectively, and the latter two being volunteer units since the same dates; before 1955 Brodick had a volunteer unit. Each village is independent, with its own officer in charge, but the officer at Lamlash has responsibility for the whole island, and Lamlash has also the largest amount of equipment, in the shape of one large and one light trailer pump, and one hose reel tender. A new fire station was built at Brodick and opened in 1955. There are few really serious conflagrations on the island, and, in spite of the poor water supply, the brigade can usually find some natural source which serves the purpose.
(Third Statistical Account for Scotland Vol.XI 1962)

1958 1 FWP to Lamlash. 1 Light TP from Lamlash sold.
In 1963 there were 11 Retained men.

Developers had put the finishing touches to a new fire station when they found they'd built it in the wrong place.
The bungled building in Lamlash, Arran, was built 21 feet from where it should have been, and residents' views have been marred by an ugly tower.
(Sunday Mail 6th June, 1999)
This was actually the new drill tower that was put up in the wrong place at the the old or existing station and was moved to the right position there after complaints from a neighbour. It was later moved to the new station when it opened.

<Photo> New station in operation. From left: Deputy Commander Keith Small, Sub Officer Dan Bremner, Roderick Hamilton, Bill Young, Graeme Hutcheson, Alex Sallows, Clifford Latona, Paul Jameson, Willie Currie, Neil Young and Robert Simpson.
The new Lamlash fire station is now in use. On Tuesday of this week it became operational. There will be no official opening until November when the Firemaster and many officials will visit and declare it open. But this Tuesday a small amount of formality marked Arran's oldest fire brigade moving from the home they have been in since l948 to a brand new, custom built premises.
It has been a long time in coming. The need came from the old garage being too small for the fire engine (called an appliance by those in the service). For example it could not go in with the extending ladder on top. Thus when an emergency call came the firemen first had to manhandle the ladder on top before setting out for the fire. Only two or three minutes but these could be crucial in the case of fire. A site had to be found and this was not easy because it has to be central. Once selected, there were objections. Some thought it could be dangerous being so near a corner; others said it would flood. There was a mildly acrimonious public meeting, then the plan went ahead. The building itself has gone on for a long time and it has looked finished for ages. But there was equipment to be installed even if the exterior looked complete. Now the next emergency call will go from the new station.
Prior to 1948 the fire engine was housed at Gordon's Garage. The fire officer was Jimmy Gordon's father. This was a retained unit meaning that the men received a regular pay to be constantly on call and many people still remember the wail of the old air raid siren alerting the firemen of an emergency. Brodick at this time had only a volunteer unit and the Lamlash sub officer was responsible for the whole Island. In 1955 Brodick got its own retained unit and its own sub officer. In I957 Lamlash had a new sub officer, Fred Marriott. He served until Mick Cannon took over in 1970 and since 1988 Dan Bremner has been in charge of the Lamlash Unit.
This unit meets for training every Tuesday evening and has a strength of ten men. Dan says it is not difficult to keep the strength up, there normally being enough people coming forward to fill any gaps. As for calls, they all carry a bleeper and the first six to arrive at the station read the message that has been relayed there following the 999 call and man the appliance to head for the fire.
This year has not been too busy although the average works out at about two calls per week. Not surprisingly there are fewer and fewer chimney fires but being called to road accidents is on the increase. Over the last year however, flooding has been their single biggest task, cutting away trees across the road and assisting householders at risk by the raging torrents of last October and hurricane force winds in December.
On Tuesday Mr. Keith Small who is deputy commander of Strathclyde Fire Service West Command visited the new station to meet the men and make sure that all was in order. He also told us that, as a community station its meeting room would be made available for meetings free of charge. And the old building? Well no decision has yet been made on that but the Fire Service has no use for it and, if another local authority use is not found it will almost certainly be put up for sale.
<Photo> The old fire station looking tiny in comparison to the new one.(Station with machine & vehicles outside)
(The Arran Banner Saturday 11th September 1999. Pages 1 and 2)

The new fire station at Lamlash, in use since September, was formally opened on Tuesday evening.
The opening of a new fire station involves not just a tape cutting exercise, but a ceremony. And a very grand one it was too. Senior officers were there from North Ayrshire Council, from the police and from the coastguard and of course from Strathclyde Fire Brigade. Most senior were Strathclyde Firemaster Geoff Ord and Dennis Davis who is HM Chief Inspector of Fire Services in Scotland.
The new garage for the appliance (fire engine) was decked out with flags and made to look warm and inviting. The actual unveiling of the plaque was done by Councillor Joe Shaw who is convenor of the fire committee. And despite five separate speakers and two ministers being introduced by NAC councillor Jane Gorman, who chaired the event, the ceremonial part was over in half an hour. It was as if it had all happened before.
Which it had, for the opening of a fire station is an important and well rehearsed matter. It is so because of the commitment that is required to be a fireman and the danger into which firefighters are often placed. The speakers acknowledged this and paid tribute to their enthusiasm and to their professionalism.
To one, Bill Young, it went further and Bill was surprised to be presented be Firemaster Geoff Ord with a 30 years long service certificate. He told us that he believed it to be unique, being the only one presented to a retained firefighter. Mr. Ord concluded the ceremony by telling the audience, "you've now got a station that matches the commitment and the passion of the Lamlash firefighters."
<PHOTO> The Lamlash firemen. At the front are Dennis Davies, Chief Inspector of Fire Services, Scotland, Leading Fireman Dan Bremmer and Strathclyde Firemaster Geoff Ord. Standing second from the left is Deputy Firemaster David Kennedy who, in his previous post, was head of the West Brigade and as such saw the new station through against some initial opposition.
<PHOTO> Firemaster Geoff Ord presents Bill Young with his 30 years service certificate.
<PHOTO> The fire engine garage was converted to a hall for the ceremony.
(The Arran Banner Saturday 4th December 1999. Page 11.)

New station was occupied on 7/9/1999 and the official opening was on 30/11/1999.

Tuesday 30th November 1999

GUESTS ASSEMBLE

WELCOME
Assistant Firemaster Phil Robinson
Commander, West Command

INTRODUCTION OF PLATFORM PARTY
Councillor Jane Gorman
Deputy Convener, North Ayrshire Council
Strathclyde Fire Board Member

OPENING CEREMONY
Councillor Joseph Shaw
Convener, Strathclyde Fire Board

DEDICATION OF STATION
Reverend Bill Ross
Parish of Lamlash & Kilmory

Father James Thomson
Brigade Chaplin

REMARKS
Councillor Sam Taylor
Convener, North Ayrshire Council

FIREMASTER’S REMARKS
Firemaster Jeff Ord OStJ QFSM GIFireE

BUFFET

LAMLASH PERSONNEL-30 NOVEMBER 1999

                                                    Sub Officer I Bremner                                                  Leading Firefighter R Hamilton
                                                    Firefighter W Young                                                   Firefighter H Hutchison
                                                    Firefighter W Currie                                                    Firefighter N Young
                                                    Firefighter A Swallows                                               Firefighter P Jameson
                                                    Firefighter R Simpson                                                 Firefighter C Latona

OUT WITH THE OLD
On Tuesday 7 September 1999 the doors of the ‘old’ Lamlash Fire Station were locked for the very last time.
Originally built circa-1946-1950, during the days of the National Fire Service, the Station served not only the local community of Lamlash but the residents of the Isle of Arran as a whole. However, the last 50 years had taken their toll on the structure and this, coupled with increased and ongoing maintenance costs, together with the limited facilities necessitated the decision by the Strathclyde Fire Board to plan ahead and search for not only a new location but also the necessary capital to finance the construction of a new Lamlash Fire Station.

IN WITH THE NEW
With the assistance and hard work of both the Brigade’s Property Section and North Ayrshire Council’s Department of Architectural Services a prime site location approximately a quarter mile along the road from the original Station was identified and purchased. The new Fire Station took 12 months to build.

MAIN CONTRACTOTRS
Barr Construction
Dunollie Road
Oban

ARCHITECTS
North Ayrshire Council
Departmeent of Architectural Services
Director:- Mr. Graham Wallace