Too Little of a Bad Thing

It's all a question of balance. Fire services for island communities are vital. Islanders, however, tend to be careful people and smoke alarms have reduced the number of serious incidents. Opportunities for 'live' practice are increasingly rare. Ageing populations mean fewer young people available for this type of demanding, albeit part-time, work. During the past week calls have gone out to raise the alarm about the need for more crew members on Foula, Shetland; Flotta, Orkney; Muck, the Small Isles. The near neighbour of Muck, Eigg, has recruited sufficient numbers recently. Here's the trend to follow.

Scottish Islands Explorer - aware of what matters on islands