From the Herald on behalf of the UK-based Fire Brigades Union and with the intention of challenging another aspect of SNP Government performance:
SCOTLAND’s fire brigades are tackling emergencies during the pandemic with nearly 800 fewer firefighters than eight years ago, leading to concerns the nation is not ready to deal with new threats. The Fire Brigades Union has sounded alarm bells as data reveals that the numbers of firefighters and control room staff have dropped by 11% from 7197 in 2011/12 to 6406 in 2019/20.
It was actually, in Scotland, only 123 or 4%:
Click to access fso_statistics_2018_19.pdf
The report is strangely based on UK statistics and references to a ‘post-Grenfell building safety crisis.’
Is there a post-Grenfell building safety crisis in Scotland, with different regulations and a history of zero comparable fires? Not according, to the evidence here:
As for those ‘800 fewer firefighters’ was that just a lazy Anglocentric calculation of Scotland’s share of the 11 000, 19% drop across the UK and not actual data for Scotland?
In the same period, deaths in fires fell from 62 to 44, a 29% fall.
Click to access firefatalitiesanalysisreport2018_2019.pdf
In the same period ‘retained duty’ (firefighters) staff have been reduced from 3 076 to 2 953, down 123 or 4%.
Click to access fso_statistics_2018_19.pdf
Finally, even if there were staff reductions, might that be a science-based development?
There were 38 723 fire incidents in 2009/10. In 2018/19, there were 26 712, 31% fewer fires but only 11%, according to the Herald, 4% in reality, fewer firefighters.
Click to access incident_statistics_2018_19.pdf
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
Coal fires dying out and reduced smoking numbers have reduced fires. MUP is keeping people alive. Chip pan smoking fires. People falling asleep while under the influence.
There were suggestions Fire service personnel could act as emergency medics. They have paramedic skills. Scottish Gov increased SNHS funding. Any decrease in fire service numbers is more than made up in paramedic funding. Increasing fire alarm regulation and provision. Saves lives. Put off for a year because of complaints.
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The mantra of all MSM is
F**CK the Facts
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Well done you have put together facts that once again show the Herald newspaper is not telling the truth.
I do not think it’s incompetence I believe it’s done purposely with malice to alarm the public and try and infer that Scottish government are doing so well but only because they are cutting corners anything to downplay Scotland’s government good performance
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Of course it’s deliberate Terence. They, the Herald, along with most of the M.S.M, are organs of the British State, absolutely determined to thwart Scottish Independence. As I have said many times, this is only the phoney war, just wait until we call a Second Scottish Independence Referendum. Not long now.
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Indeed. Also they are determined to minimise or reduce support for the SNP in the run up to the Scottish ekection in May, The Brit state must be bloody terrified at the fact the SNP are the most popular party among the Scottish electorate. The next few months are going to be interesting. What else might they try though, that’s the worry.
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They say ‘new threats’. What the hell does that mean? Sounds like a very odd statement indeed.
I’d say sinister in fact. The real ‘threat’ to Scotland is from the union.
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