Engines bear new fire service badge

Aug 7 2012

Two fire engines are thought to be the first to bear the name of Scotland's new fire and rescue service.

Scotland's eight existing fire brigades are to be merged into one unitary authority which will cover the whole country.

The new service should be in place by April next year and the two new engines - which have just been delivered to Grampian Fire and Rescue Service - are the first to be ordered since the shake-up was announced.

The appliances, which cost just over £200,000 each and carry about £100,000 worth of equipment, have been badged under the new Scottish Fire and Rescue Service name.

Grampian Fire and Rescue Service's fleet manager Raymond Cheyne said: "We had plans to replace the two city-centre fire engines this year.

"The badging for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is needed because of the new single Scottish service coming into being next April."

He added: "We wanted to celebrate the new Scottish Service coming into place so chose to use the Saltire. We've used high-visibility striping to make it part of the functional design of the appliance."

Mr Cheyne also said all the markings on the appliances could be "readily changed if needed" when a standard livery for the new fire service is decided.

David Rout, Grampian Fire and Rescue Service's head of operations, said: "The new appliances acknowledge the changes that are coming next year and at the same time help maintain the high levels of professionalism that every one of our firefighters strives to achieve."

The fire engines are currently undergoing their final testing, with firefighters in the Aberdeen area due to start using them in a few weeks' time.