A senior firefighter who had his heart set on the job from childhood has said he “never imagined” he would ever be recognised with a place on the Birthday Honours List.
David Rout receives the Queen’s Fire Service Medal for 33 years of dedication to the role, from which he retired in February.
Mr Rout first began his firefighting career in his hometown of Melrose and, after three years, moved to the north-east to join Grampian Fire Service in February 1988.
When the national service was rolled out in 2013, he was appointed to the role of local senior officer (LSO) for Aberdeenshire and Moray.
In that role, he continued to partner with councils and communities to find the best ways his teams could serve the population.
He also played an “instrumental” role in the trial of the fire service’s Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) system, which has the aim of increasing survival rates by 10%.
Mr Rout said: “As a young boy I used to visit the local fire station and enjoy a cup of tea with the firefighters and I never imagined I would be receiving such recognition for a vocation I have been absolutely committed to over the years.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed it and it has provided me with some fantastic opportunities in life.
“It goes without saying I couldn’t have achieved so much without the great support of family, friends and colleagues.”
He added: “The OHCA project allowed me to work with people from all over Scotland, contributing to saving lives and leave a legacy as part of service transformation and redesign, something I am extremely proud of.”
SFRS Chief Officer Alasdair Hay said: “The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service sits where it does today thanks to the unstinting professionalism and dedication of all of its people.
“Many of our staff regularly go above and beyond what is expected of them and awards of this calibre only go to show that this dedication is recognised by peers and, indeed, local communities.
“I would like to take this opportunity to extend my very sincere congratulations to David – and to thank him for the outstanding commitment he has displayed throughout his career.”
