Establishment 2000

Broxburn had a call sign of 59 in Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service, this was changed to L21, the new National Call Sign on 3/5/2017.

Broxburn firemen snub councillors

BROXBURN’S new Fire Station is scheduled to open on Saturday — in the middle of a blazing row.
For six of the ten retained part-timers have dampened the proceedings by refusing to turn out “on a matter of principle”.
The men claim that the dozen councillors who have been invited to the ceremony are nothing more than “parasites”.
One of the men, Sub. Officer Ian Muir, in charge of the station, said on Wednesday: “No councillors have been near this station in the two months we’ve been operational, but when there is free drink and food they swarm round like flies.
“The public are the people who are paying for this station and they should be coming to the opening instead.
“All the councillors are worried about is getting their picture in the paper and filling themselves full of drink.
“We do the same kind of public service as they do, but we don’t get all the perks. We have to pay for the wear and tear on our cars and our cleaning bills. We also get 40p in the pound off in tax whereas councillors get an allowance for attending the opening and certain tax allowances in their job.
“The Firemaster asked us to attend in full firefighting gear while the other four men went through the drill.
“But we refused. Why should we run around like a bunch of fairies for their enjoyment.”
Sub Officer Muir added that he will be “pulling out all the stops” at the Station’s open day next Sunday.
“This show is for the public, the people that matter,” he said.
Mr Douglas Close, Deputy Firemaster, Lothian and Borders Fire Brigade said that the whole thing was getting out of proportion. “It’s a pity that this has to happen on the one day that the town gets a first class fire station.
“There is no question of this turning into a binge. The station is being opened on a very low key with only 30 guests invited, including wives and families of the firemen.
“Because of financial cut-backs guests will only get one glass of sherry or whisky when they arrive. All the catering is being done within the brigade by volunteers.
(Lothian Courier, Friday, November 5, 1976. Page 18.)

Fire Station open day

<PHOTO> of the new station.
Sunday proved to be anything but a day of rest for Broxburn’s firemen, when they held an open day from 1 to 4 p.m. at their new Holygate Fire Station.
A long queue had formed 40 minutes before opening and at the end of three hours, at least 400 people had seen around the new premises, while most of the younger visitors had been around at least twice.
Fire Officer ‘A’ Division, Division Commander J. Welsh, gave the opening speech and a full local complement of 10 firemen had a hectic afternoon dealing with many questions and giving practical demonstrations of equipment. The Area Fire Prevention Officer from Laurieston, Station Officer Jim Brydon, besides many question and answer sessions, also gave a film show on Fire Prevention, mainly about the home, and demonstrated how to extinguish a chip pan fire, a demonstration he had to repeat several times, such was the interest shown.
The rescue of a person from a wrecked blazing car was also shown, plus the use of breathing apparatus to effect rescues from smoke filled burning rooms.
Several wet youths testified to the popularity of the competition for knocking targets down with jets of water, and the free tea and biscuits provided topped a great day out for everybody.
So successful was the day that many visitors requested that the open day become an annual event.
(Lothian Courier, Friday, November 19, 1976. Page 14.)

HISTORY OF THE BROXBURN FIRE UNIT 

Prior to 1939, Broxburn, although a large village, had no Fire Brigade. Edinburgh Corporation made a charge for allowing their Fire Appliances to attend incidents at Broxburn. Scottish oils had an Industrial Fire Unit but this apparently was only for use on their own premises and other specified properties.
With the outbreak of war and the formation of the Auxiliary Fire Service, an A.F.S. crew was formed in Broxburn. They were provided with two large Coventry Climax Fire Pumps which were fitted on trailers. The Unit acquired two old private cars which they serviced and made roadworthy for towing the Pumps. The vehicles were kept in the old slaughter-house which was owned by the Co-operative Society. The public apparently associated the Fire Unit with the Co-operative Society as Share Books were frequently shown to the personnel when attending fires.
Some of the earlier fire calls attended by the A.F.S. Unit were the direct result of enemy aircraft.
On Nationalisation of the Fire Service in 1941, the Broxburn crew were issued with uniforms and were trained in Edinburgh. At this time, work had commenced on the building of a new Fire Station at Station Road using tradesmen recruited to the Broxburn Fire Unit. The station was subsequently opened in 1943 and an Austin Towing Vehicle replaced the private cars.
In 1948 when the Fire Service was de-nationalised and handed back to Local Authority, ten personnel were recruited and a part-time Retained Unit was formed in Broxburn. The Unit was then provided with a self-propelled Water Tender Fire Appliance which carried 100 gallons of water.
The method of calling the personnel to fires during this period was by members of the public or Brigade Control dialing the local telephone operator who connected them to Scottish Oils who in turn took the particulars, operated the siren and house bells and informed the personnel of the address etc, on their arrival at the station.

PRESENT FACILITIES

Since those earlier days, there has been considerable advancement in the design of Fire Service Appliances and Equipment.
The Broxburn Unit are now called out by means of a Pocket Alerter which is operated by radio link from Brigade Headquarters and has telephone exchange line backup facilities. This arrangement enables personnel to have a much greater freedom of movement and results in a better response to fire calls.
The Unit is equipped with a 1973 Bedford Water Tender which is fitted with two-way radio communication and which carries a Portable Pump and 400 gallons of water.
The Broxburn Unit forms part of the first attendance to the following areas:- Broxburn, Uphall, Newbridge, Winchburgh and Ecciesmachan. They are also called as a supporting appliance to Livingston, South Queensferry and Turnhouse Airport.

Development of Population of Broxburn

                 1961       :               Approximately 9,000
                1971       :               Approximately 11,000
                1981       :               (Estimated) 18,000-20,000 

Emergency Calls Received : l970—l975 

                1970       : 114                       1973       : 327
                1971       : 118                       1974       : 255
                1972       155                         1975       : 244
(Source of document unknown)

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