Pro-active recruiting works for Bettyhill fire unit
Many remote, rural fire units struggle to attract crew, but Bettyhill has recently welcomed a new retained firefighter to the team.
And the service this week announced that there are two other potential recruits in the pipeline for Bettyhill, who are currently preparing for tests.
The newest recruit, gamekeeper Craig Rigby (26), explains the reason he answered the fire service’s call to live a life less ordinary, saying: “It’s something I had been thinking about for quite some time and I decided to apply.
“I am previously from Tain and moved to the Bettyhill area four years ago. I was keen to support the local community and joining the retained service has given me the chance to do just that.”
Local Senior Officer for Highland, Scott Hay, said he is delighted to have been able to increase resilience in the Bettyhill area and took the opportunity to issue a call for even more people to sign up to become retained firefighters.
He said: “Retained Duty System (RDS) recruitment is an ongoing issue for fire and rescue services across the UK and we rely on the goodwill and community spirit displayed by those who give up their time to help protect others.
“The station at Bettyhill is no different to stations across the country and numbers of staff can fluctuate for a variety of reasons. Thanks to our pro-active approach to recruitment, I am delighted to welcome Craig to Bettyhill.
“By joining the retained service Craig joins a long list of men and women who have taken the decision to live a life less ordinary, accept a social responsibility and help the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service protect the communities in which they live.”
He added: “Another important element for me is that we ensure our retained crews enjoy a fair work/life balance and to that end we are always looking to encourage more staff to provide relief cover for the crews already in post. For that reason we will continue in our efforts across the Highland area to sign up new RDS staff to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.”
- More on this story in Friday’s NT.
