SNP ministers have been accused of treating firefighters with “contempt” after shocking new figures revealed that 18 stations across Scotland have no running water.
The stats, obtained by the Scottish Conservatives, come in the wake of proposals unveiled this week by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) to close up to 13 stations due to funding cuts.
The 18 fire stations lacking running water are primarily located across the Highlands and rural areas, and include Foyers, where it was reported that firefighters had to use wet wipes to clean equipment.
SFRS, which has seen its budget cut by £57 million in real terms over ten years, was criticised by the Health and Safety Executive earlier this year for the facilities at some stations.
Shadow community safety minister Sharon Dowey has slammed the SNP for risking the health and wellbeing of dedicated fire service staff.
Scottish Conservative shadow community safety minister Sharon Dowey MSP said: “These shocking figures are proof of the SNP’s contempt for Scotland’s brave firefighters.
“It’s shameful and negligent that they are risking the health and wellbeing of dedicated emergency workers by denying them access to the most basic yet essential facilities at work.
“SNP ministers have been short-changing the service for years, leaving firefighters to do their job with one hand behind their back, jeopardising public safety.
“On their watch, the number of firefighters is plummeting, stations are being earmarked for closure and now we learn a growing number of bases lack running water.
“This situation is intolerable, unsustainable and could have devastating consequences.
“SNP ministers must ensure all of Scotland’s fire stations are fit for purpose immediately.”
Notes to editors:
There are 18 fire stations without running water across Scotland. Largely located in the Highlands, they are Colintraive, Cromarty, Foyers, Glenelg, Kerrera, Kinlochewe, Lybster, Muck, Nethybridge, North Ronaldsay, Ratagan, Salen, Seil, Spean Bridge, Staffin, Stronsay, Torridon, and Westray. (SFRS FOI, 19 June 2025, available upon request)
It was reported in 2022 that at least 11 fire stations then had no running water. This means that in the three years since, the problem has worsened, or no action has been taken. (Sunday Post, 3 October 2022, link)
The lack of running water has put firefighters at increased risk of cancer. The Fire Brigades Union warned, “Many rural stations have inadequate facilities and, as a result, we believe exposure has been an unacceptable and avoidable risk not only to the health and safety of our firefighters, but also to their families. That means firefighters attending wildfires in the same remote areas where stations don’t have basic facilities such as running water. That means there is nowhere within the workplace for firefighters to fully decontaminate, shower and change within an hour of leaving a call-out.” (Sunday Post, 3 October 2022, link)
The lack of running water has forced some firefighters to shower at home after fires, putting their families at risk. The Fire Brigades Union warned, “In the worst cases where there is a lack of running water supplies, our members are getting back into their own vehicles to travel home, risking taking with them whatever carcinogenic material they may have picked up on the job. We fear that has meant family cars being contaminated, and any clothing brought home risks impacting the health of families in much the same way asbestos did when it was brought home by workers years ago.” (Sunday Post, 3 October 2022, link)
The lack of running water has forced firefighters to clean their equipment with wet wipes. The BBC reported in April 2024 that at Foyers Fire Station, which as of 2025 still does not have running water, firefighters use wet wipes to clean their equipment. (BBC News, 29 April 2024, link)
The Health and Safety Executive has previously taken action against the SFRS due to their failure to provide running water and sanitary facilities. The HSE warned the SFRS, “You have failed to provide adequate facilities and fire stations at Bressay, Walls and Hillswick in the Shetland Islands in that there are no fixed toilets, rest facilities, showers or changing areas at any of the facilities. Further, there is no running water at Walls station and no portaloo at Hillswick station. These arrangements are insufficient for any workplace but cause particular difficulties in the event of having to decontaminate after a response to a fire.” (The Shetland Times, 13 February 2025, link)
Between 2013 and 2023, the SFRS saw its funding levels cut by around £57 million in real terms. Data obtained by the Fire Brigades Union from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre in 2023 showed that the SFRS has seen its funding levels cut by around £57 million in real terms since 2013. (Criminal Justice Committee, 4 September 2024, link)
The SFRS said they need a capital budget of £80 million but were given £47 million in the 2025/26 Budget. The SFRS said, ‘£496m of this [is] to develop the operational estate up to modern station design standards. Our estimate is that we require a capital budget of approximately £80m per annum sustained for 10 years to deal with our investment backlog challenges. The SFRS Budget for 2025-26 increased capital funding from £43 million to £47million which is still far below £80 million. (Criminal Justice Committee, 4 September 2024, link; SFRS, 27 February 2025, link)
The SFRS has lost more than a thousand firefighters on the SNP’s watch. The SFRS had 7,878 firefighters in 2012-13 but this was down to 6,663 in 2022-23. This is a loss of 1,215 firefighters and a 15% decrease. (Fire Brigades Union, 24 October 2023, link)
45% of fire stations are in poor or bad condition. Around 61% of SFRS buildings are over 30 years old; 45% of operational property estate is currently in poor or bad condition, and 75% are deemed unsuitable. (Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, 30 April 2024, link)
73% of fire engines in Scotland are over 10 years old. There are 480 fire trucks in use by the SFRS and 351 came into service between 10 and 28 years ago. (SFRS FOI, 7 May 2025, available upon request)