Plea made for new Wick fire station
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CASH which could become available to build a new fire station in Thurso – or upgrade it – should be pulled to replace the facility in Wick.
That’s according to a former Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service North deputy area commander who said the building in the east of the county is in a far more dilapidated state.
Jim Haggarty argued there is a greater need to replace facilities in Wick.
Mr Haggarty, who retired from the fire service in 2006, first made his claims online at www.johnogroat-journal.co.uk after it was revealed in a report to the Highland and Islands Fire Board that Thurso – along with Stornoway – could be in line to share over £2 million to improve facilities.
Speaking to the Caithness Courier, Mr Haggarty said there is a pressing need to relocate Wick’s fire station away from its current location at the harbour.
He said the facility in Martha Terrace has suffered due to its proximity to the sea and, unless moved, the building will continue to experience damage.
"Being based at the harbour, Wick fire station has taken a hammering from weather conditions which has caused a lot of damage to the building. In the winter, there was water that used to run down the appliance room walls and a lot of the time staff had to carry out patch-up works at their own time and expense," he said.
"Even the drill tower had to be replaced 10 years ago as the weather had caused so much damage it was not safe to use. Even if they built a new fire station at the same site, the same problems would occur over and over again and that is why it needs to move to a different site in the town.
"Despite Thurso fire station getting on in years, it is still in a vastly superior condition due to it being in a more sheltered location. Out of the two stations, Wick is the one which needs to be thought about replacing first."
Thurso was highlighted as one of 35 stations across the region which is in need of being upgraded or replaced.
Caithness station manager Ian Luckock said a number of stations had been reviewed as part of the capital investment appraisal and Thurso, along with Stornoway, were considered as priorities.
"Both fire stations are relatively of the same age, but on the outcome of the appraisals, Thurso is in more of a dilapidated condition than Wick," he said.
"From an elements and weather perspective, I couldn’t disagree that Wick fire station does suffer damage, but the decision to build it at its current location was made 50 years ago.
"Wick has better facilities than what currently exist in Thurso – times and circumstances change and the welfare facilities at Thurso are still in the same state as they were in 1962 when fire officers were all male.
"Thurso fire station now has three female officers and there is no separate facilities for them to use, whereas all staff at Wick are male."
Thurso councillor Donnie Mackay, a member of the fire board, said he is not aware of the condition of Wick’s station but argued Thurso is justified in being in line for a replacement as much as any other facility in the Highlands.
"It does not meet the required standards of a modern-day fire station and it needs upgrading," he said.
"The fire service would have done a survey of each station and ranked where the need for upgrading was the greatest and Thurso would not have been mentioned in the report unless there was an urgent need to replace it."
His Wick colleague, Gail Ross, who also sits on the board, pledged to look into the matter.
"I would never say that the facility in Wick was in a position where it deserved funding more than in Thurso," she said. "But if the station is in the state that is being claimed, I would say that they are equally deserving of upgrades."
Any decision on a new fire station at Thurso is not expected for at least 12 months after the single Scottish fire service has been established.
