Question reference: S5W-31565
- Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 3 September 2020
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Current status: Answered by Ash Denham on 17 September 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many fire appliances have been removed from service in the last year due to (a) staff unavailability and (b) budget restraints.
Answer
Operational decisions on the allocation of resources are a matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Board and Chief Officer. Fire and Rescue appliances can only be safely deployed when they have a full crew available. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service operates an Appliance Withdrawal Strategy for a variety of reasons including training, sickness absence and special leave. This strategy allows SFRS to deploy appliances in a flexible way to ensure that effective fire and rescue cover is maintained at all times to Scotland’s communities.