New Headquarters at Thornhill, Johnstone 1963 replaced headquarters at Paisley Fire Station.

£90,000 HEADQUARTERS FOR JOHNSTONE

The Western Area Fire Headquarters, which cost £90,000 to build, is now directing fire operations from Johnstone to places as far away as Oban and Tobermory.
All the staff have now moved into this magnificent modern building, from which all fires in Renfrewshire, Bute and Argyll are controlled over an area of 3,500 square miles. The fire control room, the nerve centre of the entire fire fighting force in the western area quickly and efficiently issues instructions to fire stations, stipulating how many fire brigades should go to the various fires in the area.
There is very little possibility of any mistake being made in the number of fire appliances sent out to a fire. One of the girls who works in the control room explained: -
“Every street in Renfrewshire is down in the attendance list. Whenever we receive a call here, we find out where the fire is and look up the street in the attendance list. Having found out this information, we proceed to direct the necessary appliances to the fire.
“Although this method would appear to be completely infallible, it sometimes happens that we receive a call from a housewife who thinks that her whole house is in flames. We may decide from the answers she gives us in her excitement to send several fire engines, and when they arrive at the house the firemen find that it was only a pot which had boiled over on the cooker, and that she had managed to put it out by herself.
“As often as possible,” continued the girl with the fires of the whole area at her fingertips, “we in the Control Room handle the fires without bothering the Firemaster at all. We do not feel that the responsibility we have is too great, and it gives us a certain pleasure to feel that we are doing such a worthwhile job."
The staff in the ultra modern, abstractly carpeted office have nothing but praise for their new surroundings. The spacious rooms with contemporary style desks and comfortable chairs, provide an amenable setting for the important work that is carried on within the walls. The officials pursue their individual business in their curtain clad offices of which they are very proud and make sure that any crisis which arises will be dealt with immediately.
The personal needs of the occupants of the building have not been overlooked, as there is a streamlined kitchen, complete with stainless steel unit and sparkling electric cooker. Some of the girls also take advantage of the facilities of the kitchen to make their meals at lunchtime. Nor do they have to carry their meal more than a few yards from the cooker, since the kitchen is fully equipped as a dining room with formica covered tables and suitable chairs.
Mr Joseph Hartil, Firemaster of the Western Area, said, “In this project we have the area headquarters, administration centre and fire control. Behind the administrative block progress is being made on the area stores and workshops which are not yet completed.
“Although there will not be a fire station here in the future, we have acquired a site in King’s Road for the proposed fire station. The headquarters at the Thorn will not be opened formally, but the Western Area Joint Committee will perform an unofficial opening ceremony on November 25.”
<PHOTO> Firemaster Joseph Hartill. Wearing the Queen’s Fire Service medal which was presented to him at the opening of the new Barrhead Fire Station, is Firemaster Joseph Hartill.
<PHOTO> Two girl operators seated at the vast control panel in the new Western Area Fire Brigade Headquarters.
(Paisley and Renfrewshire Gazette. 6^th November, 1964. Page 11.)

WESTERN AREA FIRE BRIGADE

WESTERN AREA FIRE BRIGADE

Area Headquarters
5 Thornhill
JOHNSTONE
Renfrewshire

TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE.

VISIT TO WESTERN AREA FIRE BRIGADE
TUESDAY, 24^th October, 1967 

May I extend a warm welcome to the members of the Committee on the occasion of their visit to the Brigade. I trust that the weather will be kind so that you may see, in comfort, a fair representation of the towns and villages within the Area. It is intended to pass or visit Fire Stations at Darnley, Barrhead, Paisley, Greenock, Port Glasgow and Headquarters, all in Renfrew County, and Dunoon in the County of Argyll.
In the course of your visit your escort will be at your disposal to meet any wishes you may have on route. 

Yours sincerely,
J Hartill
Firemaster.

WESTERN AREA FIRE BRIGADE 

The Western Area Fire Brigade was established on 16^th May, 1948, and is administered by a body corporate by the name of Western Fire Area Joint Committee with a common seal and power to hold land.
The Joint Committee consists of 20 members appointed annually in May, by the fire authorities, as follows :-

County Council of Renfrew                                7

County Council of Argyll                                   3

County Council of Bute                                      1

Town Council of Paisley                                     4

Town Council of Greenock                                 4

Town Council of Port Glasgow                          1 

The Chairman of the Joint Committee, Doctor J. W. Macfarlane, D.L., J.P., Ph.D., W.H.Sc., M.I.E.E.,M.I. Mech.E., R.R.S.E., has held this office since the Fire Brigade was established and is now the longest serving Chairman in Scotland. The Clerk and the Treasurer to the Joint Committee are the County Clerk and County Treasurer, County Council of Renfrew, respectively.
The Joint Committee meets bi-monthly, the meetings being held, in rotation, in premises of the Constituent Authorities, with one additional special estimates meeting held normally in the County of Renfrew. Other special meetings are held as and when necessary. This arrangement meets the general approval of all members.

FIRE BRIGADE AREA, STATIONS Etc.
The Brigade covers the Counties of Renfrew, Argyll and Bute, including the large Burghs of Paisley, Greenock and Port Glasgow. With an area of some 3,533 square miles, the population is 426,971, the rateable valuation £10,676,386 and the Fire Brigade Rate 9.2d. Brigade Headquarters are situated a Thornhill, Johnstone, Renfrewshire, and include the Brigade Control Room, Workshops and Stores. There are 7 wholetime Stations, 14 retained Stations and 32 volunteer Stations in the Brigade Area.
Administrative and operational control of the Brigade is exercised from Brigade Headquarters. The Area is divided into 4 Divisions, vis., “A” Division covering mainly East Renfrewshire; “B” Division, West Renfrewshire; “C” Division the County of Bute; “D” Division, the County of Argyll (including the Inner Hebrides). A sketch plan of the Area and the organisational plan is attached as appendices.

FIREMASTER
The Firemaster has considerable latitude in the general handling of the Brigade and has absolute authority with regard to the operational efficiency. He attends all meetings of the Joint Committee, who meet to discuss and determine policy and to deal with such matters as staffing, pensions, conditions of service, appliances and equipment, capital projects, etc.

PERSONNEL
The County of Renfrew is covered mainly by wholetime members of the Brigade but the Counties of Argyll and Bute rely entirely on retained and volunteer firemen under the supervision of a wholetime Divisional Officer and one Station Officer. (Approval has been given for the appointment of a second Station Officer to improve Officer cover and training).

DUTY SYSTEM
In common with many other Brigades, difficulty has been experienced in recruiting men with the desired qualifications resulting in the Brigade being considerably undermanned. In consequence the Joint Committee brought into operation from 1^st September, 1967, an extended availability system which permitted members to do 8 hours duty in excess of the standard duty week of 48 hours. This is allowing the Brigade to function with a smaller and more efficient establishment, and at the same time is permitting all members of the Brigade to increase their earnings considerably.

RESIDENTIAL OFFICERS
All residential officers perform 96 hours duty per week except the Assistant Firemaster who is conditioned to 120 hours per week. Generous arrangements have been made to allow those officers considerable freedom of movement whilst on duty and a good standard of housing is provided.

RELATIONS WITH OTHER BRIGADES
Relations with other Brigades are excellent both on the operational and in the personal field. Agreements have been made under Sections 2 and 12 of the Fire Services Act, 1947, with six adjoining Brigades to provide reinforcements and mutual assistance on request. In Scotland the arrangements on a “knock for knock” basis without the need for involved financial adjustments. The six Brigades with whom agreements have been made are – City of Glasgow, South Western, Lanarkshire, Central Area, Northern Area and Perth and Kinross.

APPLIANCES AND EQUIPMENT
The Joint Committee makes provision in the Annual Estimates for the replacement of obsolete appliances and equipment based on a ten year programme of requirements and in this sphere the brigade is very well equipped to deal with any emergency.

PREMISES
Since 1948, 13 new fire stations have been built, including Headquarters, 8 of these being within the past 4 years, to replace adapted and out-of-date buildings. Plans for another 2 have been approved but it will be 3 or 4 years yet before the Joint Committee are able to complete their modernisation programme.

FIRE PREVENTION
The Fire Prevention Department officers are authorised inspectors by the Fire Authority and carry out all duties required by the Fire Services Act, 1947, The Factories Act, 1961 and the Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act, 1963.

CONCLUSION
It is hoped that this booklet may be of interest to the members of the Departmental Committee and that it may be helpful to them in understanding the geographical layout of the Western Fire Area.