Tarbert
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Contact details
Tarbert Retained Station
Main Street
Tarbert
Current complement: 12
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Appliance Type
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MIDI FIRE APPLIANCE |
Tarbert Vacancies
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Welcome to the Tarbert Firefighters Web page.
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There are twelve retained firefighters based in Tarbert Firestation which was
newly built in the year 2000, and officially opened on the 15th of June 2001 by Alasdair Morrison
MSP and the Firemaster, Brian A.Murray. The full crew consists of a Station Sub-Officer, supported
by two Leading Firefighters plus nine other Firefighters in total, who all live within a few
minutes travelling distance from the Firestation. A pager alert system enables us to respond as
rapidly as possible and be underway in the shortest possible time, to assist with any emergency
which we may be called upon to deal with.
The area we cover can be quite extensive occasionally, as necessitated by our
highly professional Fire Control Room Operators in Inverness, and can entail the crew being
mobilized anywhere throughout the whole of the Isle of Harris, from coast to coast, and from shore
to mountain top, and as far north as required in the Isle of Lewis.
The Firestation has been very well designed and is situated just off the main
road, opposite the Police Station in Tarbert village. It comprises a large vehicle bay which houses
our MAN Fire-Appliance, along with a workshop, utility room, compressor area, and a washroom for
servicing our Breathing Apparatus after use. The remainder of the building is two storey, with a
front foyer, main office, storerooms, changing room, toilets and shower rooms on the lower level,
while upstairs comprises a large lecture room and a kitchen with all facilities. External to the
Station are parking and training areas, along with a four storey lattice tower where we carry out
ladder drills and various other exercises during our training evenings once a week.
There had been a Volunteer crew in Tarbert for many years, which was then
rated-up to become an Auxiliary outfit. This unit has now been up-graded once again and given
Retained status. The original Firefighting unit was sited in one part of the garage beside John
Murdo Morrison`s house at East Tarbert. The unit then moved to the rather cramped old garage
lock-up at Scott Road, but recently when funding became available, a modern Firestation was built
at it`s present location.
When the new Firestation opened, a new MAN Appliance replaced the small
Mercedes van previously used, (this vehicle has now been passed on to the Firefighting unit in
Great Bernera), and an intensive period of on-going training was initiated to attain and retain
proficiency using the extra equipment carried onboard the vehicle. All of Tarbert`s Firefighters
are trained in the use of Breathing Apparatus for search and rescue, (our Appliance carries four BA
sets plus four spare bottles), and we all undergo refresher courses at the Fire and Rescue
Service`s training school at Invergordon annually.
Hydraulic cutting gear is carried on the Appliance for use at Road Traffic
Accidents and this is also exercised regularly along with many ladder and pump drills. All the crew
are First Aid trained and undertake extensive and varied courses arranged by the Highland and
Islands Fire and Rescue Service Training staff to enhance our abilities as
Firefighters.
Although by definition we are Firefighters; when our pagers activate and we
are called-out to an emergency, the incidents we respond to can be very varied and may not
necessarily involve fighting fires. Past incidents have ranged from moor fires, garage fires,
chimney fires, and house fires with varying degrees of severity, to road traffic accidents, fuel
spillages, ship flooding and sinking's, etc. and damage limitation & debris clearance during
and after storm and hurricane force winds. Local Community fire safety has recently been
incorporated into our remit, and will continue to become a large part of our future workload. Since
moving in to our new Firestation, we have responded to 140 emergency calls.
Long Service & Good Conduct Medal
In June 2005, Leading Firefighter James Irving was presented with his Long Service
and Good Conduct Medal by Divisional Officer Jim Haggarty. This medal is awarded
following 20 years service with the Fire Service.
The present crew (in March 200
5) are
Donnie Martin, Jimmy Aird, Seumas Morrison, Chris Sutton, John
Fergusson,
Alisdair Macleod, Donald Hodgson, Davey MacAskill, Angus Martin, Stevie
West,
Martin West & Cameron Morrison.
In common with other Retained Fire Units throughout the Highland &
Islands Fire and Rescue Service, all the Firefighters based in Tarbert Firestation live and work
locally, and depend upon their employers to allow release from employment instantly their pagers
are activated. Without our employers goodwill and acceptance of this inconvenience, it would be
impossible for us as Firefighters to carry out the tasks we are trained for. Having a varied
workforce in the crew however, we bring with us a wealth of experience across a wide range of
fields, and this only enhances the skills available when we are called-out to an emergency
situation.We all enjoy the immense challenge and reward which the job brings with it, serving for
the safety, good, and well-being of our local people, and the wider Harris Community which we
ourselves are part of.
A Fundraising car-wash in aid of the New York Firefighters after 9/11
commenced in 2001, and has since become an annual event in our calendar, raising funds for special
events and local charities. Since our first car-wash, £6,130 has been donated to local groups and
other good causes. Special mention must be made with thanks to the local community who make it all
possible.
Another event which the Tarbert Firefighters arranged one particular year,
seems almost set to become an annual occurrence. Guy Fawkes or Bonfire Night could perhaps be an
inappropriate event for a team which normally extinguishes fires, but the safety benefits of an
organized event with the obvious enjoyment value for local children, plus the fact that all profits
from hosting the fireworks display helps us to raise funds for charity, sways the balance
favourably. Weather, and funds permitting, the event is held annually on the 5th of November, or as
close to that date as possible.
During our fundraising days, while we wash and valet your car, feel free to
visit the Firestation, look around and ask questions. We are here to serve you, the community; and
have leaflets and brochures available with regard to all aspects of fire, and fire safety in your
homes. A free of charge personal visit by one of your own local Firefighters can be arranged if you
would like a home fire-safety check to be carried out, along with advice given about fire-safety
plans, smoke alarms, escape routes, etc.
In bringing this web page to a close, we would like to thank our families and
friends who so kindly help out in so many different ways before, during, and after our fundraising
occasions, year after year, and also to the Isle of Harris and Scalpay communities in general for
their amazing and ever generous support. We look forward to seeing you all at our next
event.
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Webpage design, layout and photographs by Donald Macleod Hodgson
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