By Adam Morris
Life is quiet for retained firefighters on Westray, a remote community even by the standards of the Orkney islands.
“But people need us – help is two hours away otherwise,” says Johny McEwen, a 45-year-old who has provided cover for the island of 600 people for the best part of 20 years.
The situation is similar in many parts of Scotland, where thousands of men and women provide an ‘on call’ service in the event of building fires, car crashes, and other incidents requiring the attendance of a firefighter.
But the service is fragile.
The headcount of 2,700 retained firefighters represents an 11 per cent drop in the space of a decade, while unions say the vacancy rate sits at around 30 per cent.
For McEwen, a father-of-three who balances his duties with being an additional support needs teacher in the local school, the role has proved both financially rewarding and fulfilling.
“For me it’s a second job, for lots of others it’s a third, four or fifth job,” he tells 1919.
“It’s exciting and gives you an opportunity to do things you wouldn’t otherwise, and there’s adrenaline when the phone rings.
“It’s unpredictable too; you can go for several months without getting a call, but then get three in a short space of time.
“I sometimes think it must be expensive to have all this cover, but I reckon we ‘break even’ when you consider the buildings and property we’ve saved.”
Even with a quiet station, the responsibility of being available is onerous.
“The system was dictated by a way of life that was more prevalent than now”
Retained firefighters typically have to commit to being around for between 90 and 120 hours a week, and are paid a modest retainer in exchange. Further wages are then earned by the hour when duty calls.
“That means not going out, obviously not drinking, and being no more than eight minutes away from your local fire station,” explains John McKenzie, regional secretary for the Fire Brigades Union in Scotland.
“For lots of people that’s just not possible. Most people don’t work that close to a fire station, and it makes even just going to the shops – assuming those shops are more than a few minutes away – impossible.”
However, McKenzie is also optimistic changes being brought in by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) this month will lead to an uptick in recruitment.
Among other alterations to the contract, financial terms are being strengthened and the minimum number of hours for cover is being reduced.
It means retained firefighters could commit to blocks of 30, 60, or 90 hours on call, creating more flexibility in the system and significantly lessening the burden of being on standby.
For Scotland’s 240 retained fire units – accounting for the vast majority of Scotland’s 360 stations – the amendments should lead to more participants coming through the door.
Unlike dropping headcounts in other public sector roles, McKenzie explains that government and the fire service are relatively blameless for the reduction.
“It’s a societal issue mainly,” he says.
“The system was dictated by a way of life that was more prevalent than now. People used to live and work in the same place, and employers used to be more willing to release them to attend emergency incidents.
“And then there’s rural depopulation. Young people are leaving, and those coming to live in those areas tend to be people retiring who wouldn’t be able to do the job.”
McEwen, who was persuaded to join the fire brigade by a local minister when he moved back to his home island two decades ago, outlined other reasons why people might be reluctant to sign up.
“In a small place like this people can show an interest, but they get put off when they consider they may have to attend incidents involving someone they know. They don’t like the idea of going to a road traffic collision and it being their uncle inside the car.
“But for me the benefits are it keeps things interesting – it feels good to be part of something worthwhile.”
Aware of the long-term downward trend, fire brigade bosses have embarked on several initiatives to boost cover.
More local training and tests, better integration into fire stations for candidates going through the process, and easier pathways for retained firefighters to become full-time employees are all underway.
A culture of increased flexibility enabling retained firefighters to have a better work-life balance has also been pursued.
“Our on-call firefighters are exceptional individuals who step up to protect their communities when needed most,” said Assistant Chief Officer David Farries.
“Our geography means that we rely heavily on our on-call firefighters and this model needs to be sustainable.
“Across Scotland fewer people now work in their communities but opt instead to travel to larger towns and are therefore unable to provide cover during daytime hours.
“We continue to recruit all year round, and we also continue to actively implement several improvements identified by a comprehensive review of our on-call model.”