Establishment 2000

By 1955 arrangements had been made at Shotts to have an existing building adapted as a Temporary Fire Station by the Lanarkshire Fire Brigade. (this happened sometime between 1948 and 1955)

In April 1961 the new station was nearing completion.

2004 Sub Officer George King retired but had his service extended, he is also known as Watch Manager now instead of Sub Officer

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, Shotts was changed from N11 to D22.

Fire Precautions in the Home

COUNTY EXHIBITIONS ARRANGED

“Fire Precautions in the Home” exhibitions are to be held by Lanarkshire Fire Brigade in many parts of the county during this year and a start is being made at Shotts, Biggar and Stepps on the 16^th, 20^th and 23^rd February, respectively.
The exhibition is one that every person should see and so take advantage of the work of the Lanarkshire Fire Brigade in preparing this display and demonstration.
The exhibition at Shotts will also incorporate the opening of the new Fire Station at Dykehead Cross. The Lanarkshire Fire Brigade have purchased the site and until it is possible to build a modern Fire Station the existing building on the site has been adapted as a temporary measure. Even as a temporary Fire Station the work of which has mostly been carried out by Lanarkshire Firemen, the accommodation is of a fairly high standard and will greatly assist in the operational efficiency of the Part time Retained Unit in Shotts.
You are strongly advised to be at Dykehead Cross at 7 p.m. on Friday, 16^th February, when the local Unit, prior to the opening of the Station, will perform a drill demonstrating the use of their own fire appliances. Immediately after the official opening of the Station, members of the public will be permitted to inspect the Station and also have explanations given of the “Fire Precautions in the Home” exhibition.
The Exhibition is of great interest and as well as learning how many fire are caused and so many lives lost, you will also see something of the work of your local Fire Brigade Unit.
(Wishaw Press and Advertiser. Friday, 9^th February, 1951. Page 12.)

NEW FIRE ENGINE

A new Dennis Fire Engine will be driven straight from Guildford to Shotts tonight for the opening of the new Shotts Fire Station, and will be on view. A demonstration will be given by the members of the local unit. Lanarkshire Fire Brigade are to be complemented on their excellent work in making a first class station in Shottskirk Road. The public are welcomed to the opening tonight at 7 o’clock.
(Wishaw Press and Advertiser. Friday, 16^th February, 1951. Page 12.)

FIRE STATION OPENED AT DYKEHEAD

MISS HERBISON COMMENDS “ENTHUSIASM AND FINE SPIRIT”

STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF FIRE PRECAUTIONS

“If we could have through the whole of Scotland and Britain the enthusiasm and fine spirit which the members of the Shotts Fire Brigade have shown, then we would have nothing to fear in the future,” said Miss Margaret Herbison, M.P., Joint Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Scotland, when opening the new temporary fire station at Dykehead Cross, Shotts, last Friday evening.
<PHOTO> of Miss Herbison.
The fire station, which is directly opposite Miss Herbison’s home in Shotts, was a garage before it was converted. Formerly the retained firemen operated from a small hut in Benhar Road which became unsuitable as a part time fire station. “I must have taken great enthusiasm and spirit to continue in the Fire Service in Shotts when you were working in such bad conditions,” Miss Herbison told the members of the Service who were assembled at the opening ceremony.

GREAT IMPROVEMENT

“The conditions here are a great improvement,” she said. “This is a temporary station; the men who work in it are not full time firemen. They are doing their ordinary job of work as well. The Firemaster had great difficulty a place like this. He has given a great example in showing what can be done by initiative and enthusiasm. In Lanarkshire and all over Scotland many of our fire stations are needing improvements and indeed some need to be replaced, but we have to take into account the capital investment programme. The Government has to make economies and we have to take into account the materials for building. Although Lanarkshire County Council has in house building a record we can be proud of, we all know we need many more houses, so the Government, in making decisions, has to weigh up the need for one thing against another.

GOOD WORK

Miss Herbison went on to refer to the keenness and adaptability of the fire brigade in Shotts under Firemaster Nisbet, G.M., O.B.E. They were making do with what they had  magnificently. She was amazed to see how much solid good work had been done on the new temporary fire station even in the last week. She realised fully what great work had been done  by the men interested in this venture. The enthusiasm that the fire brigade in Shotts had shown was something that was a great credit to Scotland.

FIRE PRECAUTIONS

Miss Herbison commended the Fire Precautions in the Home Exhibition which she also opened inside the fire station. “Mothers and fathers should pay particular attention to this Exhibition,” she said. “So many lives are lost and so many people injured because some elementary fire precaution in the home has not been taken.” She hoped that the men and women of the Fire Service using the new station would have great happiness in their work and that the public would enjoy the Exhibition on view there. Also on display was an atomic bomb exhibit in connection with recruitment to the A.F.S.

ON PARADE

Outside the temporary fire station a number of visiting officers from other part time retained stations in Lanarkshire, together with some of the 42 A.F.S. volunteers, were on parade in the drill yard, under the command of Mr H D Duncan, M.B.E., Deputy Firemaster.

Miss Herbison pressed the switch that sounded the siren situated above the fire station. The siren called the Shotts part time retained unit from their old station in Benhar Road, and on arrival they gave a demonstration in the handling of their fire equipment. The new fire engine for the County had arrived from Guildford, over 400 miles away, only ten minutes before the ceremony started and it was inspected before the opening.

SOCIAL HOUR

After the opening ceremony, Miss Herbison was the guest of honour at a dinner in the Station Hotel at which Firemaster A. H. Nisbet expressed the thanks of the brigade for the interest shown by Miss Herbison and by the chairman, and members of the Lanarkshire Fire Brigade Joint Committee.

APPRECIATION EXPRESSED

Bailie Fox (Motherwell), Chairman of the Committee, who presided, said this evening’s celebration was really the result of a promise made some time ago to the Scottish Home Department when they finally granted the Committee permission to acquire the garage, which had now been transformed into a fire station. “Originally, our proposal had been rejected but, after examination by Home Department officials, they agreed on condition that we kept our expenditure within a certain figure.” Bailie Fox expressed appreciation of the fire brigade who, he said, had so richly deserved the new premises. He expressed appreciation of Miss Herbison’s presence and thanked Mr David Mackie, a member of Lanarkshire Fire Brigade Joint Committee and a local councillor, who had stood aside at the last minute when it was realised after all that Miss Herbison would be able to perform the opening ceremony. Owing to the indisposition of Mr Hector McNeil, the Secretary of State, she had come north to fulfil some of his engagements on Friday.

ATTRACTIVE LAYOUT PLANNED

Miss Herbison at the dinner referred to the proposal to lay out the front of the fire station attractively with shrubs, and seats for old people. She felt that there was something she personally would like to do in connection with this proposal and she had been examining arrangements whereby she might have the chance of providing two seats in front of the fire station herself for old people in addition to the others to be erected.

KIND GESTURE

Firemaster Nisbet said that Miss Herbison had been very kind to fireman. Nobody at the ceremony noticed her slipping a high packet of cigarettes into the new station for the firemen. “These little gestures mean an awful lot to a fireman,” he said. He stressed the importance of adequate accommodation for the fire brigade as a means of maintaining efficient service. While the accommodation might have to last 20 years, they had to make allowances and look ahead for developments that might have to take place. “You must give a fire brigade good accommodation or you are not going to get a good fire brigade,” said the Firemaster.

OTHER SPEAKERS

Mr A. B. Hume, Scottish Home Department, who attended the ceremony along with Mr A. D. Wilson, H. M. Inspector of Fire Services, and Mr H. G. Whiles and Mr W.H. Thrower of the Department, said a very excellent job had been done in transforming a rather primative garage into a fire station. The Home Department was very glad to see such an excellent station for a retained unit. The appreciated what the Firemaster had said about the difficulty of maintaining the enthusiasm of the men. The little clubroom behind the appliance room would be a real godsend to the brigade, he thought. The amenities would help to bring the unit up to strength.
Mr Hume said he and Mr Wilson had been very impressed by the drill the fire brigade had staged that night. He appreciated the opportu8nity of meeting the men and the Fire Authority and the Firemaster.

DISAPPOINTED

Mr Wilson, H. M. Inspector of Fire Services, said he had inspected the Lanarkshire Area for about two years and he had been a little disappointed as an Inspector not to find anything to criticise! He commended the Shotts Brigade on their turnout for the opening ceremony.
Mr David Mackie said it was encouraging to part time firemen to give them the best facilities possible. They would appreciate the new station and any fires that broke out would be readily and speedily attended to. Mr Edward Daly, another member of the Committee, proposed the vote of thanks.

SHOTTS FIRE BRIGADE MEMBERS

Names of the members are :- Leading Fireman William Haston; Firemen Robert Craig, Alex. King, George King, James McKeating, Alex. Tennant, Thomas Hilditch, John Miller, Hugh Law, and William Haston jun.
(Wishaw Press and Advertiser. Friday, 23^rd February, 1951. Page 5.)

OPENING OF FIRE STATION

Work on the very modern looking new fire station in Shottskirk Road is nearly completed and a formal opening ceremony has been arranged for April 6. The ceremony is to be performed by County Councillor W. Davie.
(Wishaw Press and Advertiser. March 31, 1961. Page 15.)

New Fire Station Opened

<PHOTO> An exterior view of the new fire station in Shottskirk Road. Photo by Marzella, Shotts.
<PHOTO> Councillor Davie unveils the wall tablet

“A credit to Shotts, and indeed the whole fire service,” was the description applied to the new fire station in Shottskirk Road, when it was officially opened last Thursday evening, by County Councillor William Davie (Stane).
Before unveiling a wall tablet to mark the occasion. Councillor Davie spoke of the two previous fire stations, and their inadequacy. He said they had waited 10 years for the present building, but it had been worth it.
The new station, built on the site of the old one, was started almost a year ago and cost £9000. It contains a control room, muster bay and kitchen, as well as the section housing the fire appliance. It is manned by 11 pert time firemen, six of whom are on call at any time during the day. Shotts station in the past has won the championship for efficiency in the part time class, on four occasions and further honour came when Fireman Law won the rose bowl, on display in the muster bay, for hydrant drill.
A celebration dinner was held afterwards in the Co-operative Hall, attended by Miss Margaret Herbison, M.P., and Mr A. D. Wilson of the Scottish Home Department, along with various county officials. Speaking at this function, Mr Davie said he was honoured to be the one chosen to open this fine building, and that Shotts now had a fire station worthy of the town and it’s fire service. It was, he felt, the equal of any part time station in Scotland.

MORE EFFICIENT

Mr A. D. Wilson said that the overall efficiency of the Lanarkshire Fire Service had been greatly increased by the new station, commented that 75 per cent of Scotland’s fire cover was provided by part time firemen, and that units in this area had achieved the highest standards.
Chairman of the Seventh District Council, Mr Frank Gormill, also spoke, saying the station was an asset to the community, had artistic as well as practical merit, and, he said, greatly enhanced the appearance of that area.
During the evening, Mr Davie was presented with binoculars, by the architect of the building, as a memento of the occasion..
Chairman was County Councillor James Aiton (Hallside) and the votes of thanks were proposed by County Councillor W. MacLachlan (Carluke). The after dinner programme of song and recitation was provided by Shotts firemen.
(Wishaw Press and Advertiser, Friday, April 14, 1961. Page 15.)

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