Vintage fire engines will parade through a town to kick-start an event where firefighters take life-saving messages to the public.
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) crews will take part in a Demonstration Day in South Lanarkshire this weekend to raise awareness of dangers and help prevent emergencies.
The family-friendly event at the Biggar and Upper Clydesdale Museum will see firefighters take the opportunity to help people make serious incidents, including road traffic collisions and fires, much less likely to happen.
It will also launch the museum’s latest exhibition, which celebrates 75 years of rural firefighting.
Visitors will be able to try on historic firefighters’ uniforms and climb aboard fire engines from the 1970s and 80s.
Station Manager Davie Murdoch, the SFRS commanding officer at Biggar, said: “This area has a strong firefighting history and the demonstration day will give people the chance to get an up-close look at how today’s crews work to protect our communities.
“It’ll be a fun day and everyone who turns out will have a great time, but it also gives us the chance to share potentially life-saving advice.”
Beginning at 2pm on Sunday 27 March, the parade of vintage fire engines supplied by the SFRS Heritage Trust will set off from Biggar Fire Station, driving up the town’s High Street to the Biggar and Upper Clydesdale Museum.
They will be accompanied on the short journey by a local pipe band, before serving firefighters demonstrate how modern appliances operate.
Visitors will be able to look around the SFRS Mobile Fire Museum but the most exciting part of the day for kids – and maybe even their parents – could be getting the chance to meet Fireman Sam and Blaze Bear.
Davie added: “Crew Manager John Bryan and the team here at Biggar have been instrumental in putting this event together and hopefully lots of people will turn out to enjoy it.
“Our crews will be raising awareness of common dangers to help people reduce the risk of being involved in a crash or experience a house fire.
“We will also be helping people to prevent wildfires from starting and encouraging farmers to sign-up for the pilot Rural Risk Project that’s ongoing both here in South Lanarkshire and down in Dumfries and Galloway.”
