Carrbridge Community Fire Station

Image: © Steve Houldsworth Taken: 21 Apr 2016

Tribute must be given to those who helped save the volunteer fire service in Carrbridge at the opening of the village's new fire station in 2009. Carrbridge along with 31 other units was threatened with closure; that's when the hard work began to save the units. The local community had a meeting to organise the plan for S.O.S (Save Our Service) then a public meeting in the village hall which was well attended by local people. A petition raised collected signatures against closure and a decision was made to email everyone in senior positions within the brigade, the Health and Safety Executive, Highland councillors and MPs. Eventually the Highlands brigade bosses decided against closure for most of the stations threatened with closure because of the huge public outcry and instead created Community Response Units in many places in the region including Carrbridge. The local crew was given the remit of attending road accidents and wildfires which was not the case with all units and they were equipped with new gear including their pagers and eventually a CRU fire appliance.

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