New Year Honours

An advocate for inclusion and diversity within the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has been awarded a King’s Fire Service Medal in the New Year Honours.

A retired wildfire expert has also been recognised with a KFSM as well as a former Chief Officer who has been awarded a CBE, while a BEM was awarded to retired firefighter and fire service historian.

Group Commander Karla Stevenson

Karla Stevenson, who is based at Highland LSO HQ in Inverness, is responsible for service delivery in the Highland Central area.

During her career Karla has been instrumental in setting up initiatives and supporting others.

She is an advocate for inclusion and diversity and was responsible for setting up a network for the LGBT community within SFRS. She is also involved in creating cultural standards for firefighters across Scotland as the service has a zero-tolerance approach to behaviours such as bullying and harassment.

Karla is part of the National Executive Council for Women in the Fire Service, where she represents Scotland, and she was instrumental in organising Scotland’s first Women in the Fire Service event which was held at the SFRS National Headquarters in Cambuslang in 2024.

She recently took on the role of a family liaison officer to support a firefighter from Inverness who was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Karla supported him and his family, and she received a Chief Officer Commendation Award in 2024 for her compassionate support.

Six years ago, Karla also had her own personal experience with cancer when she was diagnosed with bladder cancer. She had an operation to remove her bladder and create a urostomy, and she returned to work six months later. At that time Karla was 38 and mum to two-year-old daughter, Brèagha.

Karla said: “I’m very overwhelmed to have been nominated for such a prestigious award and I’m extremely proud and humbled to accept this. To have my work recognised in this way is very much appreciated.

“There are so many individuals within the service that work tirelessly and have dedicated themselves to improve culture and inclusion for others, and each and every one deserves recognition.

“I have been inspired and supported by so many people in the fire and rescue service community and I’d like to thank them as well as my wife Michelle for all their support and encouragement.”

Karla’s career started when she joined the Highland and Islands Fire and Rescue Service in 2000 as an on call firefighter. She then became a full time firefighter based at Oban Fire Station before she transferred to Glasgow.

While in Glasgow, Karla was instrumental in developing a partnership with Scottish Ambulance Service and Glasgow Caledonian University which enabled trainee paramedics to perform placements in fire stations within Glasgow. This partnership continues to grow.

Karla has also held roles as a Station Commander in Glasgow and Isle of Skye District and has also been responsible for the training and development of staff based at 61 fire stations in the Highland area.

She is also a keen fundraiser and has completed 5ks, 10ks, half marathons and marathons to raise money for the Fire Fighters Charity.

Chief Officer Ross Haggart (Retired)

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service's former Chief Officer Ross Haggart has been awarded a CBE for services to fire and rescue and to charitable organisations.

Ross, who lives in Perth, retired from SFRS at the end of October, 2024. He became Chief Officer in March 2023 after holding the role on an interim basis for several months. He started his career as a firefighter in 1994, at the age of 20.

He continues to be a Trustee of Fire Fighters Charity, a role he's had since November 2021.

Commenting on the award, Ross said: "I am delighted and humbled to receive a Commander of the Order of the British Empire award. Firefighting has been a huge part of my life for so many years and it's been such a rewarding career that I can look back on with pride. It's been a privilege to serve the people of Scotland from my time as a firefighter in Tayside and Fife to serving in my role as Chief Officer."

Ross was previously recognised with a King's Fire Service Medal in June, 2024 as part of His Majesty’s Birthday Honours.

Deputy Assistant Chief Office Bruce Farquharson (Retired)

Retired Deputy Assistant Chief Officer Bruce Farquharson served 31 years and performed a variety of roles within the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service including developing a new wildfire strategy.

Before he retired in July 2024, he was Head of Training where he oversaw a new training strategy and the delivery of a national training restructure. Bruce, who lives in Dundee, also served communities as a Local Senior Officer for Aberdeen city for four years.

He was SFRS Wildfire Lead for seven years until he retired, responsible for developing a new wildfire strategy to consider the increased risk of wildfire and climate change in Scotland. This included wildfire management, training and operational procedures, prevention and advances in wildfire technologies to assist the SFRS response to wildfires.

As Chair of the Scottish Wildfire Forum, Bruce encouraged partnership working between SFRS, partner agencies and those with land management interests.

Bruce also led the SFRS UK International Search and Rescue team for 10 years until he retired.

Retired Firefighter, Station Officer and Curator Jim Smith

Jim Smith retired from operational duty with the service at the rank of Station Officer and has a wealth of knowledge of the history of firefighting. He is currently our curator at the library based in Cambuslang HQ, which contains original papers and documents as well as artwork and memorabilia to reflect some of the heritage of the fire service in Scotland.