The above is, of course, another trade union survey based on those with a grudge choosing to respond, in pursuit of better pay. They’re entitled but the Herald should, don’t laugh, have some journalistic principles.
How about this one. Report the evidence of trends in fire and in staffing?
See this:
Scotland sees huge reduction in serious fires and deaths but still retains more firefighters than England
In last 25 years, serious fires have reduced by more than 50% from 66 000 to 25 000.
Fatal casualties in fires have fallen by even more from around 125 000 to around 50 000.
In 2020 Scotland hd 3 636 firefighters. England has 32 171.
All things being equal, with 10 times the population, England should have 36 360 but only has 32 171. Scotland has 13% more pro rata.
I know bigger area per head but very wet and with few fires in much of it.
Sources:
https://www.firescotland.gov.uk/about-us/who-we-are/statistics
https://www.statista.com/statistics/877562/leading-fire-brigades-by-firefighter-numbers/
Talking-up Scotland 
Indeed IF only Journalists had any principles at all then we would all be better informed. As it is the readership live in darkness.
LikeLiked by 2 people
The one thing I look forward to with independence is that we will not have to convince the entire United Kingdom of anything. We will just concentrate on keeping the people of Scotland happy. The opinions of Scottish Unionists will no longer be foremost in the headlines. They will not matter. If they cannot support the country they live and work in what possible use are they?
LikeLiked by 3 people
You are absolutely right, but at the same time you point to another debate. Right now the comparator for Scotland is England (or the rest of the UK, or other parts), and more often than not these comparisons are positive, though sometimes while positive are not as bad as rUK. For instance while John shows more firemen, there have still be cuts to their numbers – just not as many.
In my view we need other comparators, particularly in western Europe, countries of a similar size like Denmark or Norway or the Netherlands (ok, its three times our population but its still small). That kind of comparison would often be odious, but the point is that it sets out what another small – but independent – country is able to achieve with its independence, and a vision of what we might achieve with our independence once we are rid of the dead hand of Westminster.
On thing these countries didnt have to suffer was not only 12 years of that bloody woman, but the dead hand of her influence on future debate (she said once that her greatest achievement was “Tony Blair”) and now she is about to be replaced by someone who positively endorses her (Sunak) or someone who plans to cut taxes and will cut public spending to pay for it (Truss) just as she would.
In an independent Scotland that debate could be re-run. We could get away from the ‘greasy spoon’ welfare state, where services are run on a knife edge of financial sustainability, replacing it with the Nordic view of being prepared to pay a reasonable level of tax while knowing that public services will be high quality. Just not in the UK!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not sure that it ever would come out as a bad statistic, Scotland has the fourth largest fire service in the world with between 8 and 9 thousand personnel, that doesn’t include the retained/ volunteer fire service. Compared to Denmark with just around 1,300 full timers. That most people don’t know that is down to the media SNP bad agenda. Why our politicians arent using that kind of info is frankly beyond me.
LikeLike
Just to be clear – because I wasnt – I wasnt thinking specifically of F&R, but public services generally. In that regard the UK is not really all that high a bar.
But to be devil’s advocate here, Scotland has about 80% more land mass (77900 km2) as Denmark (42951), but has between 6 and 7 times the number of firemen. There might be reasons for that, but I dont see the Danes letting their homes burn down. Perhaps something to learn?
LikeLike
There were reports that firemen could become paramedics. They have medical training. They could use swift transport to get to emergencies quicker. Car crashes or heart or stoke attack were swift attendance is vital. In order to resuscitate and save lives. Fires have decreased. Less coal fires and chip pans. Safer, healthier friers and grills. More homes and premises have adequate fire alarms.
During the pandemic less cars and transport was on the roads. Lockdown. There must have been less traffic and vehicles on the roads. People isolating or working from home. The fire service are essential workers and would have still been on shift. Some would have had covid and had to isolate. Especially before the vaccine was available.
The new roads, railways and bridges being built will have reduced accidents and death. More adequate, quicker essential traffic journeys. Better connectivity helps the economy with better swifter connections.
There was a reduction in people taking the driving test because of Covid. A backlog. Less younger drivers on the road. 18-24 year olds cause the most % of accidents. That is why their insurance is much higher. A (reduce) speed box in the vehicle keeps insurance premiums lower for young drivers.
LikeLike
“Ethical journalism in meltdown”!—
“Quick, send for an actual Editor”.
“Oh, there are none”!
LikeLike
Scottish media needs a boost to recover a once successful business model, yet insist on driving customers away by deploying “Meltdown”, “Disaster”, Tsunami”, or “Exclusive” on the most inane nonsense as headlines complete with colouration of text a la Sun…
– Ask the Sun’s “schlock horror” expert Chris Musson on how well his “Exclusive” nonsense has gone down for Sun sales, and he’ll talk about goldfish – Nobody paid him the blindest bit of attention, but he still got paid, and THAT is the problem – Journalists used to be paid for and praised on the quality of their work including investigative journalism. Now it’s what the client has paid for, including the script.
Journalistic integrity used to be a proud boast of Scotland, perhaps someday soon that will return…
LikeLiked by 1 person
And…
LikeLike
the casualty figures are wrong by a factor of 1000 !
LikeLike