Fire officer takes over Falkirk and West Lothian as he marks 20-year career

Area Commander Ross Robison, 42 has been appointed as the Scottish Fire and Rescue’s Service’s Local Senior Officer for the Falkirk and West Lothian area.

In his new position, Area Commander Robison will oversee 11 community fire stations across the two local authority areas and work closely with other blue-light services and partners to enhance community safety.

He said: "I'm immensely proud to step into this role, an area I’ve come to know well through my various roles across Scotland.

“Throughout my career I have been motivated to help people and I take great pride in delivering a high standard of service in what we do.

“That is something I will carry with me into this role, to work closely with other agencies to build on the work already in place to improve outcomes for communities in Falkirk and West Lothian, and indeed across Scotland.”

Before joining the fire service in 2004, Area Commander Robison earned a master’s degree in mathematics from Glasgow University and was preparing for his probationary year in teaching when life took a different turn and he opted instead to join the ranks of Strathclyde Fire Brigade.

He celebrates 20 years of service this week, having begun his training to become a firefighter in August 2004 before taking up his first post at Glasgow’s Cowcaddens Community Fire Station three months later.

Photo credit Sophie MacGrain

His extensive career includes various positions across Scotland. He played a role in overseeing the transition of the foundation training for firefighters to the National Training Centre in Cambuslang following the creation of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

He advanced through the ranks to take up posts as Group Commander in Dumfries and Galloway and most recently led and co-ordinated change initiatives across the service as Area Commander in the Portfolio Office.

He said: "Looking back over my career, it's the times we've been there for people when they needed us most that really stick with me.”

Area Commander Robison was also involved in the recent response to a large-scale fire at a former care home building in in Larbert, where around 50 firefighters worked tirelessly through the night.

"This was a challenging incident of course but our crews did a fantastic and professional job to tackle this fire and bring the incident to a safe conclusion,” he said.

He will now visit all of community fire stations across the Falkirk and West Lothian area and has praised the continued efforts of crews to protect their local communities.

Outside of the uniform, Area Commander Robison has a passion for exploring the world with 66 countries ticked off his globetrotting list. He is also a talented musician, playing various instruments including the guitar, bass guitar, mandolin and tuba and performing across some of Scotland’s most iconic music venues.

“Music will always be my lifelong passion,” he said. “I started playing bass guitar for bands in my teens and my ambition was to perform at Glasgow’s iconic Barrowlands and at King Tut’s, which I was lucky enough to do.”

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