We need sustained investment after Edinburgh fire - Foysol Choudhury
The recent fire in Princes Street serves as a powerful reminder of the extraordinary courage, professionalism and dedication of Scotland’s firefighters.
I want to pay tribute to every member of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and all emergency responders who worked tirelessly, often in extremely dangerous conditions, to protect lives, homes and businesses.
Throughout my time as a Member of the Scottish Parliament, I consistently championed the work of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and repeatedly raised concerns about the impact that funding reductions and resource cuts could have on public safety.
I firmly believed then, as I do now, that public safety should never be compromised. Investment in our Fire and Rescue Service is not an expense. It is one of the most important investments any government can make.
One issue I campaigned strongly on was the proposal to remove the turntable ladder from Crewe Toll Fire Station. After meeting firefighters and hearing first hand about the operational implications, I publicly opposed the proposal, supported the Fire Brigades Union’s #CutsLeaveScars campaign and lodged a Parliamentary Motion calling on the Scottish Government to reverse the planned £11 million reduction in funding to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.
The turntable ladder is a vital specialist appliance used for tackling fires in high rise buildings and carrying out complex rescues.
At the time, I warned that removing this capability would leave more than 50 high rise buildings across north and west Edinburgh with reduced emergency cover. Every community deserves the highest level of protection possible and firefighters deserve the equipment they need to carry out their duties safely and effectively.
Following the serious fire at Breadalbane Street in Edinburgh, I submitted a series of parliamentary questions seeking detailed information from the Scottish Government and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.
These questions covered firefighters’ exposure to harmful contaminants, decontamination procedures following major incidents, the availability of specialist personal protective equipment, and the measures in place to protect firefighters from the long term health risks associated with repeated exposure to toxic smoke and hazardous materials.
Firefighters willingly put themselves in dangerous situations to protect others. It is only right that we do everything possible to protect them in return.
The challenges facing the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service continue to evolve. Climate change has increased the frequency of wildfires and severe weather events. Our cities continue to grow with more high rise developments and increasingly complex infrastructure.
Firefighters now respond to a far wider range of emergencies than ever before. These changing demands make sustained investment in staffing, training, specialist equipment and modern technology more important than ever.
The recent fire in Edinburgh once again demonstrates why we cannot afford to become complacent about public safety.
They deserve modern equipment. They deserve appropriate staffing levels. They deserve continued investment. Above all, they deserve to know that the public and our governments stand behind them.
I hope this latest incident serves as a reminder to all decision makers that investing in emergency services saves lives. We should never wait for tragedy before recognising the importance of properly funding those who protect us every single day.