Hansard

Although I do not represent Glasgow, like most people in Scotland I cannot fail to note how that city, its people and its emergency services have responded to very real emergencies in the past 13 months, such as those at the Clutha Vaults bar and in George Square. When a crisis occurs, we all depend on the professionalism, bravery and integrity of the emergency services to cope with the distressing situation.

I remind members that Scotland has a vast coastline adjoining a sea that can often be very cruel, as Mike MacKenzie recounted vividly this afternoon. Events such as the loss of all hands on the cement carrier Cemfjord in the North Sea remind us of the dangers of working at sea. Although I do not contend that it would have made a difference in that situation, the demise of Nimrod aircraft, which were formerly based in Moray, meant that there was one fewer search and rescue facility available.

However, our coastguard service provides vital support. Despite the UK Government’s plan to reduce the number of maritime rescue co-ordination centres, Aberdeen MRCC, which covers an area from Brora, in Sutherland, to the English border, has a vital role to play. Although it has, unfortunately, endured critical understaffing levels recently, it still provides a professional service in the face of adversity. I am not alone in considering the closure of coastguard services across Scotland, at both Fife Ness and on the Clyde, one of the many mistakes of the coalition Government.

Of course, emergency responses would be much less effective without the support of the army of volunteers who selflessly give their valuable time to help those who are in distress. The RNLI is well known as an emergency service that provides a high-quality life-saving service that is reliant on volunteers. It is a valuable asset to this country—indeed, to the United Kingdom—and many people owe their lives to it. With an average of 23 call-outs a day, it is likely that a lifeboat is out on a rescue right now. The cabinet secretary referred to the number of lifeboat stations round the coast. In my constituency, RNLI Anstruther, which covers the Firth of Forth and the North Sea, is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. The sea-going crew of only one score plus sacrifice many hours of personal time on rescue operations, exercising and, of course, maintaining the station and lifeboat.

Away from the sea, our mountain rescue service is another service that relies on volunteers. As the cabinet secretary mentioned, it provides a priceless number of volunteer hours and is more than worthy of mention, as are the staff and dogs of SARDA, the Search and Rescue Dog Association, which regularly assists the mountain rescue teams. Scottish mountain rescue teams regularly go into the mountains in what can be an unforgiving environment at any time of the year. Team members drop everything to react to the phone calls, which can come at any time and which often cause them to undertake long and dangerous rescues. The sacrifices that those volunteers make should not be underestimated nor left unappreciated.

The same could be said of our Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. Our firefighters have had a good year, with 28 per cent fewer deaths caused by fire than there were last year. That was due partially to the lowest ever number of house fires. Last year, more than 71,000 house visits were conducted nationwide. In North East Fife alone, the number of home fire safety visits that were conducted last year was 50 per cent greater than in the previous year and more than in any previous year. That is coupled with more telecare installations and installations of hard-of-hearing smoke alarms, in partnership with NHS Fife and Fife social services. That shows that there is a correlation between community engagement, increased personal safety and a reduction in the number of casualties that are caused by fires.

We are already into the third week of the new year. While some of us might have been revelling and merrily bringing in the new year, the Scottish Ambulance Service was having its busiest night of the year. From midnight on hogmanay to 7 am the following morning, 2,394 calls at a rate of 250 an hour were attended to. More often than not, the paramedics who were on call were dealing with people under the influence of alcohol and endured threats of, or actual, physical attacks. We clearly must continue efforts to stamp out that sort of behaviour against our emergency services.

Our Scottish Ambulance Service is ably assisted by first responder units, which involve yet more volunteers and communities throughout the country. In several cases, they have been responsible for the installation of public access defibrillators in towns and villages, and education in their use. In North East Fife, I know of at least 20 defibrillators in the east neuk alone. The Scottish Government is working on a national strategy for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, and I will meet the Ambulance Service tomorrow to discuss that further in the context of how it might affect first responders in my constituency.

Scotland’s national police force has been referred to in the Parliament at great length in recent years. Police numbers have increased over the past seven years while numbers south of the border have fallen significantly. Fear of crime is falling to historic lows in Scotland. Police participation in the emergency services is of course well known.

Criticism has been made that the creation of the single police force has led to less community engagement by local police officers. Last Friday, I met Chief Superintendent Gary McEwan of Police Scotland’s P division. On Monday, a pilot scheme started in Fife in which two community police officers are allocated to every single council ward in the local authority. Next Friday, I will meet the ward police officers in my patch. I wish that new scheme well. Although it is not specifically geared to emergencies, I have no doubt that it will not be long before the officers concerned are in an emergency situation.

Emergency services were necessary yesterday, are necessary today and will be necessary in future. We should all recognise their amazing contribution and the debt that we owe them.