Our origin story: It started here
Scotland is home to a Series of Firsts in firefighting history and many notable events. Take a scroll through our timeline to read about some of our highlights, and find out how the first Municipal Fire Service – in the world, started here- in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Our Journey Begins…

James Braidwood, Edinburgh’s first Fire Master
Did you know the world’s first public and local authority funded Fire Service was established in the city of Edinburgh in 1824?
James Braidwood was the City’s first Fire Master and he developed lots of new and innovative techniques to improve firefighting at the time. Braidwood was responsible for the first PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) given to firefighters in Edinburgh (a helmet with protection for the back of the neck) and ensured firefighters maintained a strict fitness regime to stay in tip top shape! Learn all about his life as Edinburgh’s first Fire Master and his lasting impact on firefighting procedures and culture.




216
age of our oldest fire appliance
25
years is the average lifespan of a fire hose
207
Home appliance fires in 2021
1567
vehicles in the SFRS Fleet
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Can You Smell That? The Hidden Hero of Gas Safety
Natural gas has fuelled homes and industry for over two centuries. From William Murdoch’s first coal-gas lamps in Cornwall in 1792 to today’s methane and hydrogen blends. The convenience and relative cleanliness have reshaped daily life.
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Wooden Water Pipes
Today, we take clean, pressurised water for granted. Turn on a tap and there it is, ready to drink, to fight fires, or to fill the kettle. But go back a few hundred years, and it’s quite different. Finding reliable water sources wasn’t so straightforward.