Fire service welcomes special '˜recruits'

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service donated the ‘Firefighter for a Day’ experience to a charity auction and successful bidders Betty Fair, Anne Smith and Jean Hodge spent the day with Group One crews at Motherwell Community Fire Station, as well as staff at the SFRS National Training Centre in Cambuslang.

The ladies donned full protective kit and joined the firefighters in tackling emergency scenarios replicating serious house fires and road traffic collisions.

Group Manager Owen Hanratty, the SFRS head of service delivery in North Lanarkshire, said: “There is a great tradition in the fire service of doing our bit to help charities and this was a chance to support a terrific cause.

“There was a lot of interest in the Firefighter for a Day experience and the money raised will help Down’s Syndrome Scotland continue to make a real difference.”

The auction which raised £2,236 was organised by Betty’s daughter Kim Gogarty whose own daughter Poppy (3) has Down’s Syndrome.

Kim said: “Raising money was a way of giving back for the continued support we receive from Down Syndrome Scotland and helping them support other parents in the same position.”

For more information Down’s Syndrome Scotland click here