Highlands & Islands Fire & Rescue Service Structure
Highlands & Islands Fire & Rescue Service is tasked with providing a service to one sixth the landmass of the United Kingdom, an area equivalent in size to Belgium. The population of approximately 280,000 and the industrial infrastructure is spread across the large mainland area and numerous islands. Communications can be difficult and many communities need to be effectively self-sufficient, in the knowledge that support of any kind may be hours away. Protecting the people and economy of this area is therefore a demanding challenge that requires an innovative and caring response.
Fire Board
The Fire Board is the legal Fire Authority constituted under the Fire Service (Scotland) Act 2005. It discharges a range of duties in accordance with this Act, the Fire Service Framework, the Local Government (Scotland) Act 2003 and the Civil Contingencies Act 2004. Its principal activities are budget setting and policy adoption but it is also responsible for the management systems that ensure the effective and efficient delivery of fire services to our communities. The Fire Board meets on a quarterly basis and is supported by a number of sub committees and working groups.
Executive Command
This is the Service’s policy making forum and consists of the three Principal Officers – the Chief Fire Officer, Deputy Chief Fire Officer and Assistant Chief Fire Officer. In addition, the Head of Corporate Services attends in an advisory capacity. This group meets on a fortnightly basis.
Service Management Team (SMT)
This team consists of the three Principal Officers and all Heads of Department. This group acts as a policy advice and ‘sounding board’ forum. The SMT are responsible for the management of the Service’s performance and act as a strategic communication forum. The SMT meet on a fortnightly basis.
Functional Areas
All heads of function are based in Inverness and manage the following areas:
- Community Risk Management
- Corporate Services
- Engineering and Supplies
- Human Resources
- Learning & Development
- Operations Delivery
- Operations Support
The Fire and Rescue Service's functions are delivered through a network of 127 locations consisting of:
- 1 Wholetime Station
- 95 Retained Stations
- 31 Community Response Units
District Offices
Locally based, multi-role professional officers centred in 11 District Offices provide all of the following support to their designated stations and surrounding communities:
- Community Risk Management
- Operations
- Training
- Administration
These offices are located in Inverness, Aviemore, Fort William, Invergordon, Portree, Ullapool, Dornoch, Thurso, Stornoway, Kirkwall and Lerwick.