Scottish Fire and Rescue Services College Gullane
The Scottish Fire Rescue and Services College Gullane (SFRS College Gullane) was a national training facility, located in East Lothian that operated from 1954 to 2015. It was the training centre for the 8 separate Scottish fire services, which merged in April 2013 to form the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS). It was used for the initial training for all new recruits and also for other specialist training.
History
The college opened in 1954 in a former hotel building.[1] The size of the facility grew over the years, eventually occupying seven buildings.[2]
The Howat review, completed in 2006, looked at government spending and recommended the college should close and merge with the Scottish Police College at Tulliallan, Fife.[3] In 2008 the Scottish Government announced that these recommendations had been rejected.[4] The college closed on 31 March 2015.[5]
Staffing
There were 38 members of staff, who were either employees of the Scottish Government, or on 2-year secondments from the fire services.
Training
Over a sixty years period trained more than one thousand firefighters each year.[1]
The college ran a range of courses:
- Firefighter Foundation Programme - 13 weeks
- Breathing Apparatus Instructors Course
- Road Traffic Collision Operators Course
- Road Traffic Collision Instructors Course
- Fire Safety Officers development modules 1, 2 and 3
- Health Safety and Risk Management: Managing Safely (IOSH)
- NEBOSH - General Certificate
- Urban Search and Rescue tool skills
- Community Planning and Community Safety Partnership Working
Housing development
In September 2015 the SFRS put in an application for a housing development to be built on the site.[6]
References
- 1 2 Swanson, Ian (14 March 2015). "Firefighters mark end of an era at Gullane college". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
- ↑ Cameron, Courtney (3 December 2015). "100 houses to be built on Gullane fire college site". East Lothian Courier.
- ↑ "Efficiency drive sparks fears over fire centre's future". The Scotsman. 19 June 2007. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
- ↑ "Fire college saved as minister pours cold water over merger". The Scotsman. 18 January 2008. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
- ↑ "Closure ceremony at Scottish Fire and Rescue Training College (video)". East Lothian News. 13 March 2015. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
- ↑ Ritchie, Cameron (26 March 2016). "Plans for 100-plus houses in village outlined in public exhibition". East Lothian Courier. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
External links
- "Official website". Archived from the original on 10 January 2015.