The Perth and Kinross Fire Area Administration Scheme Order, 1948

                Equipment                                                                                             Retained

                1 Standard Towing Unit                                                                      1 Leading Fireman
                1 Light Trailer Pump                                                                            5 Firemen

The Perth and Kinross Fire Area Administration Scheme Order, 1952

                Equipment                                                                                             Retained

                1 Pump Appliance                                                                                1 Leading Fireman
                                                                                                                                5 Firemen

Establishment 2000

                Equipment                                                                                             Retained

                1 Water Tender Ladder                                                                       1 Sub Officer
                                                                                                                                ? Leading Firefighters
                                                                                                                                ? Firefighters

Dunkeld’s New Fire Station
To be Opened To-night

Modern in aspect and design, Dunkeld’s new fire Station which will be opened this evening by the Earl of Mansfield, Lord Lieutenant of Perthshire, represents another important step towards the realisation of Perth and Kinross Fire Brigade’s scheme for the modernisation of all part-time stations.
Flat roofed and built on a single storey level, the new station replaces the existing local headquarters which were rented from a local hotel.
The layout comprises – an appliance room, containing the most up-to-date water tender fitted with radio and modern firefighting equipment; a watch room with calling out arrangements; a lecture room with provision for film shows; kitchen; toilets and showers; a kit drying room; and a station store room.
In addition there is a muster bay with a personal kit locker for each of the part-time firemen. The large outside drill area can be illuminated during the winter months to enable the training programme to continue.
The new station is sited just off the main A9 road through Dunkeld, and opposite the Birnam Hotel.
At tonight’s ceremony, Lord Mansfield will also hand over to three members of the Fire Service, Queen’s fire service, long service and good conduct medals for 20 years’ service.
The recipients will be – Archibald Irvine, 16 Kenmore Street, Aberfeldy, and Peter G. Sheriff, 2 Craigower Crescent, Pitlochry (both part-time firemen); and regular fireman Hector Bennet Aitken, 15 Melville Street, Perth.
<PHOTO> The new fire station at Birnam, Dunkeld, which will be officially opened this evening by the Earl of Mansfield, Lord Lieutenant of Perthshire.
(Perthshire Advertiser, Wednesday 29 May,1963. Page 1.)

Dunkeld’s New Fire Station
Opened by Lord Mansfield

Opening Dunkeld’s new £8,000 fire station on Wednesday evening, the Earl of Mansfield, Lord Lieutenant of Perthshire, spoke of the large amount of fire damage caused by carelessness.
He went on “Last year there was an increase of 40 per cent, in fire damage in the combined counties, and a large amount of this was due to human carelessness. It seems to be getting worse.”
It was very difficult to know what to do about it, said Lord Mansfield. All that one could do was to keep trying to get the general public to understand what awful risks they exposed themselves and others to by carelessness.
Earlier, Lord Mansfield had spoken of the necessity for each station and the part-time firemen who manned them. No county could afford to have the number of full-time manned stations that they would like, and therefore had to depend largely on retained firemen and volunteers.
“We owe these men a deep debt of gratitude” he continued “Without their efforts serious fires would be more common, damage more than it is, and probably there would be more loss of life.”

Backbone of the Service

Mr. A.D.C.Main, chairman of the Joint Fire Committee, told the large invited audience that Dunkeld was the eighth fire station to be constructed by the committee.
There were, he said, 19 units in the area. One was full-time, at Perth Headquarters, three were voluntary and 15 retained.
Mr. Main also paid tribute to the part-time firemen of Dunkeld. He said : “We know that the retained men are the backbone of the fire service. Although referred to as part-time, they are no less effective than their full-time colleagues, with whom they work side by side on many occasions.”
He also had a word of praise for the local employers who, “allowed the men to drop their tools as soon as the siren went.”
Lord Mansfield opened the new station by breaking the glass fronted alarm bell, setting in motion the first “call out” of the ten local firemen. Later he was presented with the miniature axe cum bottle opener with which he had performed the opening ceremony.
In charge of the station is Sub Officer John Sinclair. Also on the strength of the Dunkeld unit are his son Ian, his brother William and his son in law John Young, all firemen.
(Perthshire Advertiser, Saturday 1 June, 1963. Page 8.) 

<PHOTO> Two brothers who serve at Birnam Fire Station, Mr. J. and Mr. W. Sinclair, pictured at Wednesday’s opening
<PHOTO> Mr. J. Sinclair, Jun, (left), pictured with his brother in law, Mr. H. Young.
<PHOTO> Lord Mansfield opens Dunkeld’s new fire station at Birnam on Wednesday. Looking on are Firemaster A. Masson, and his deputy, Mr. D. McMurtrie
(Perthshire Advertiser, Saturday, 1 June, 1963. Page 20.)

<PHOTO> means there was a photo in the newspaper, the photo is not on this site.

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