FIRE service chiefs are pleased with the drop in emergency incident numbers across the Stewartry.
The most up-to-date performance report – for between April 1 and September 30 – will be tabled at next week’s Stewartry Area Committee.
Station Commander Claire McNay describes the figures collated in the report as “very encouraging”.
She wrote: “Overall, there has been a slight reduction in the total number of incidents reported within the Stewartry. UFAS (unwanted fire alarm signal) incidents have reduced by 13 percent and there have been fewer accidental dwelling fires, with zero fire fatalities and just two casualties with mild smoke inhalation.”
The number of accidental fires in the first half of last year was a slight drop for the same period the previous year, and is now back in line with pre-covid figures.
Occasions where firefighters attended special services incidents, where they support other emergency teams such as Scottish Ambulance Service, reduced slightly from 29 to 25.
However, the fire service performance report explains: “Despite this, the number of casualties suffering unintentional injury and harm has remained constant.
“Unfortunately, firefighters have attended two fatal incidents whilst assisting other agencies or attending other types of special service incidents.
“At any traumatic event, the incident commander will implement the post incident support procedure.
“This supports firefighters’ mental health and wellbeing, which is paramount. We respond alongside our Scottish Ambulance Service colleagues to gain entry and assist as medical first responders, which can make all the difference in our more remote rural communities.”
The report continued: “Our commitment to water rescue in Dumfries and Galloway is maintained with our water rescue assets at Newton Stewart and Dumfries.
“Although flooding during the summer was small scale, with just one incident in the Stewartry during this reporting period, the Community Action Team have delivered water safety awareness to Kirkcudbright, Castle Douglas, Dalbeattie and Dalry Secondary Schools.”
The high availability of on-call fire crews across the Stewartry has contributed to the Dumfries and Galloway LSO Area continuing to be the second best performing area throughout the whole of Scotland.
Daytime hours between 11 am and 10 pm remains the busiest time for fire service callouts across the region. This highlights the ever-growing need to maintain the number of firefighters available during the day.
