Student firefighters sprang into action to put out several wildfires during a recent training exercise.
Gordonstoun, situated set in 200 acres of countryside by the Moray Firth, is the only school in the UK to have its own volunteer unit linked to the Fire Service.
Deputy Assistant Chief Officer (DACO) Ross Robison, head of training in Scotland, was on hand to see twenty of the young, qualified firefighters expertly deal with the fires using high-pressure hoses.
Dressed in full kit the students, aged 18 and 19, dealt with several wildfire ‘hot spots’ before tackling a larger ‘out of control’ fire during the training exercise in forest near Ogston, close to Gordonstoun.
The school staff and students make up Station R60, Gordonstoun Volunteer Unit of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS).
Gordonstoun even has its own fire engine driven by school staff and crewed by senior students, all trained by SFRS.
They respond to incidents 24/7 during term time as part of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS). Last year, the students helped to put out an eight-hour gorse fire in the village of Garmouth, around 20 minutes from the school.
Student Jack Merrilees, 18, Captain of Fire, is the student lead for the fire service at Gordonstoun and is responsible for creating training drills and exercises.
The 18-year-old said:
“As an active Unit of SFRS, it is important that we take part in regular exercises to test our capability to deal with these type of incidents.
“The recent exercise was a huge success with all our firefighters completing a wildfire drill quickly and efficiently, which showed our abilities as wildfire specialists.
“The drill will help us in the future, as it prepares us to be ready to rapidly fight spot-fires and bush fires, both of which we may get called out for. The visit from the DACO was also useful, as it helps us show how beneficial we are as a support crew for other Moray SFRS units.”
Matilda Vowles, 17, one of the current Watch Leaders, said
“We’re a wildfire specialist unit, so we did a drill in which we utilised both high and low-pressure hoses as well as other wildfire specialist equipment.
“The feedback from DACO Robison and the experience from the wildfire exercise has helped us with preparation for active call-outs.
Iain Murray, Commander of Gordonstoun Fire Station, added:
“It was tough test for the students having to find, then damp down several wildfires in various hot spots in the forest. They then had to tackle a much bigger ‘out of control’ wildfire to see how they would cope with a more serious and complex situation.
“It was great to see the students’ training kick in as they used both low and high-pressure hoses to bring the fires under control.
“The Deputy Assistant Chief Officer was there to see the students in action, which obviously added a little bit of pressure, but they showed great determination and professionalism in tackling the wildfires. This is a crucial part of their training and ensures they are fully prepared if they are called out to deal with a live wildfire incident.”
Around 40 boys and girls, aged between 17 and 19, are part of the fire service at Gordonstoun.
There are three watches – red, white and blue – and the crew on each one must carry a pager one in every three weeks during term time when the Fire Service is on-call 24/7. The fire appliance is driven by a staff member with five students in the back, fully equipped to deal with fire incidents.
Mark Witkowski, Station Commander for Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire & Moray LSO Area, said:
“The recent wildfire exercise carried out by the Gordonstoun Fire crew was a great success and challenged the crews in a realistic scenario. As we approach the wildfire season it’s important for crews to have a full knowledge of how wildfires progress and how SFRS respond to them. The Gordonstoun crew will provide valuable support and response with local SFRS crews to this type of incident.”
Ewen McIntosh, On Call Support Watch Commander for SFRS in the Moray area, added:
“As part of our ongoing partnership with Gordonstoun, it’s encouraging to see the students demonstrate such confidence and capability during realistic wildfire training.
“Exercises like this ensure they are well‑prepared to support local SFRS crews when required, and their professionalism throughout the scenario reflects the high standard of training they receive.”
The school-based service was established by students in 1942 to help put out fires during the Second World War and has continued ever since. Today, the 40 students in the service are supported by five staff members.
The fire appliance and one support vehicle – together with all the PPE, uniform and other equipment – is maintained by SFRS as part of their resources in the Aberdeen City and Moray (ACAM) area.
Service to the community is one of the founding principles of education at Gordonstoun, and the fire service is one of the school’s seven community and rescue services.
The students spend around three hours training every week as part of the volunteer unit to ensure they are fully prepared and ready to attend incidents when called upon by the SFRS.
