J26 DUNS

1 Pump, Retained.

Stations

1948 Sunnyside, DUNS.
26/4/1960 Newton Street, DUNS.                   Photo

Firemasters

 

1956                       Sub Officer Gillies

? to 1983?              Sub Officer Jock Allison (there 1982)

90s                          Sub Officer George Fraser

? to ?                      Sub Officer Tommy Watson

2002                        Sub Officer Ronnie Burnett

2009                        Watch Manager Keith Hall (there May 2022)

 

Appliances

 

 

1948 GGX571 Austin K2/Home Office/SEAFB HrT
1958 RFS439 Karrier Gamecock/Carmichael WrT
1976? MSC204F ERF84PF/HCB Angus WrL
1980 VMS278R Dodge K1113/Hestair Eagle WrL
1990 WSG106W Dodge G1313/Carmichael WrL
1998 G238FSC Dodge G13c/Fulton and Wylie WrL
2001 P267WSH Scania 94D-260/Emergency One WrL/ET
2008 SN05JWO Scania 94D-260/Emergency One WrL/ET
2021 October SN12DLD Scania P280/Emergency One RP

 

Brigades

 

1941 to 1948 National Fire Service
1948 to 1975 South Eastern Area Fire Brigade
1975 to 2005 Lothian and Borders Fire Brigade
2005 to 2013 Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service
1/4/2013 Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

 

Notes

 

In the Integrated Risk Management Plan 2005/2010 a new team of Wholetime staff will be based at Duns Fire Station supporting the Retained staff and working a new shift pattern. (May 2006). This happened but SFRS withdrew the wholetime staff.

The South Eastern Fire Area Administration Scheme Order, 1948

  Equipment Retained
  1 Tender and Large Trailer Pump 1 Leading Firemen
    9 Firemen

Establishment 2000

 

Equipment

Retained

 

1 Water Tender Ladder

1 Sub Officer

 

 

1 Leading Firefighter

8 Firefighters

 

Duns had a call sign of 48 in Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service, this was changed to J26, the new National Call Sign on 3/5/2017.

 

CALLING FIRE SERVICES

The action by the Fire Service is: assuming the fire call to be received at Duns, the local exchange sounds the alarm, gives the address to Duns Fire Station, then notifies Galashiels who turn out on arrival at the fire, the officer in charge of the Duns appliance has to form an assessment of his requirements and if he needs more appliances he telephones Galashiels which will send the next nearest appliances to the number required. Fires requiring more than the normal attendance of two appliances are attended by officers from the whole-time service, or when specifically asked for by the officer in charge of the fire incident.
(The Berwickshire News, Tuesday, April 27, 1954. Page 6)

Duns Fire Brigade under Sub Officer Gillies dealt with a fire at Mungos Walls Farm pumphouse, on the banks of the Blackadder. There was no serious damage as a result of the outbreak
(Berwickshire News, Tuesday, August 21, 1956. Page 1)

New Duns Fire Station urgently needed 

Councillor Miss D. Burns found no secondes when she moved an amendment to a minute of the Housing Committee at Duns Town Council on Monday, which dealt with the site for a new fire station at Duns.
The Housing Committee reported they had received a letter from the Firemaster, South Eastern Fire Brigade, seeking the co-operation and assistance of the Town Council in obtaining a site for a new fire station in Duns.

Sale of land

The Town Clerk reported he had had a call from the firemaster who pointed out that the provision of a new station in Duns was a matter of urgency. He indicated that a site on the north part of the Brierybaulk housing site would be very suitable, and he enquired whether the Council would be willing to sell a piece of land there.
The committee agreed to consider the firemaster’s request sympathetically and agreed that they would be willing to enter into negotiations for the sale of a piece of ground approximately 100 feet by 70 feet in size, subject to the conditions that they received authority from the Department of Health to dispose the ground, and that the type of buildings to be erected was satisfactory.
Coun. Miss Burns objected to the proposal that the fire station be at Brierybaulk. This site, she said, was kept for housing.
Bailie A. Tait said the housing committee were aware of the point raised. The reason the fire authorities requested a central site was for speedy assembly. It would only take the space of one block of houses.
(The Berwickshire News, Monday, November 12, 1956. Page 7)

The new fire station at Newtown Street, Duns was completed during the year and the Brigade took occupation on 26th April.
(SEAFB Firemasters report 1960)

Duns Fire Brigade

“… On the 20th March 1958 a brand new fire engine, a water tender ladder was delivered to Duns. It carried 400 gallons of water and had a 45ft ladder. The tender had a built-in pump and a small portable pump. This was a self-contained unit carrying men and equipment. On 25th April 1960 the new fire station was opened in Newtown Street. In 1967 two-way radio was fitted in the Duns appliance…”
(An article called ‘Duns Fire Brigade’ in a Duns 500th anniversary brochure from 1990.)

September 2021, the station appears to have an extension on the left hand side. I think there used to be day manning? for a while at the station and this might have been built for that?

 

 

If you know of any mistakes in this or have any additional information please let me know.

 

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