Crewing challenges highlighted as decision made to close Fetlar fire station
ONLY one application to work as an on-call fire fighter at the station in Fetlar has been received since 2021 – and the applicant was not even a resident of the UK.
A report to members of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) board also said requests for a base for fire-fighting equipment, volunteer arrangements and provision of domestic fire extinguishers “cannot be supported within the current legal and operational framework.”.
The dormant station will close amid long-term staffing challenges, with no operational activity since 2011.
The decision was taken on Monday by the SFRS board as part of a suite of changes across the country as part of a service delivery review.
Consultation on the Fetlar closure has already been held with the community.
A report to the SFRS board said there would be an annual saving of around £13,000 in maintenance.
It also said if the SFRS decided to keep the Fetlar station open, the potential cost of upgrading or replacing the building could reach £2.5 million.
The report said there have been five incidents in Fetlar from 2009/10 to 2024/25, with the last incident said to be a house fire in 2018.
It added that in the last seven years the incident workload has “easily” been absorbed by stations in Unst and Yell.
However, this requires access via a ferry, and there has been concerns about the speed of response.
A consultation saw 62 people support closure and 28 oppose.
Analysis of the consultation said there was a “general acceptance” that recruitment and retention in Fetlar was not viable.
The island, which is said to have 60 residents, is experiencing an ageing population which also saw the primary school mothballed four years ago.
There was agreement that proposed solutions include a base with equipment and training volunteers in emergency first response “were not viable given the need to maintain training and competency levels to ensure firefighter safety”.
SFRS managers also said there was already strong partnership working and the multi-agency response to emergencies, while highlighting the emphasis on prevention.
After closure, the Fetlar building would be put up for sale, with a “capital receipt” suggested of around £15,000.
The Scottish Ambulance Service had looked into the temporary use of the station for storage and vehicle parking, but SFRS said it cannot retain a non-operational asset for lease.
The ambulance service, however, said it would not be interested in buying the building upon closure.
SFRS chief officer Stuart Stevens said: “The service delivery review is a critical programme to modernise how we work and deliver long-term sustainability.
“Its primary purpose is to ensure that we meet emerging risk and demand across Scotland, while enabling us to address urgent property issues.
“These changes are the start of a strategic redesign of the service to improve outcomes for the communities of Scotland.”
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