MEMORIES of saving lives and a strong sense of camaraderie have flooded back for one former firefighter from Hill of Beath after a visit to his old office. 

Jim Ross, who grew up in the village, marked his 85th birthday with a trip to what is now arts hub Fire Station Creative in Dunfermline, his base during his 30 years of service. 

Jim, who has lived in the same house since moving to Dunfermline in the 1960’s, has now spent longer away from work than he did in it, but still fondly speaks of his younger days in the then town.

He recently received a tour of the refurbished fire station from gallery curator Ian Moir - including a nosey around the space which had been his office during the 10 years he spent as a fire prevention officer.

The now-studio is currently used by photographer Rachel Kelly and the room, which had housed a single desk and archives of the city’s municipal buildings, has been filled with soft furnishings and shots of newborn babies.

Jim told the Times: “It brought back old memories over the 30 years, it was nice to see it all again.

“I think the feeling I got was ‘where did the time go?’ It just vanished in a past life.

“I was very, very fortunate to be a member of the fire service.

“Being a young fireman I thought it was a privilege just to be there, the whole place brought back wonderful memories, without a doubt.”

He used the opportunity to reminisce on some of his favourite stories from his time with the service, one of which still makes him laugh to this day.

He recalled one older lady who had been impressed at the amount of male firefighters in her Oakley flat after her chimney went up in flames.

Jim explained:”She looked around and said, ‘You know son, I can’t remember the last time I had so many fella’s in my flat.

“I said, ‘What if I left you one for the night?’ “She said, ‘Left me one for the night? Son, he’d be dead in the morning!”.

But his career also came with difficult moments, something Jim’s son, Scott, says his dad and his colleagues got through by speaking openly to each other.

Now, Jim enjoys telling the stories of his past, including those of his love of dancing at Cowdenbeath Palace and holidays to Blackpool where he danced in the Tower Ballroom.

Others, which he would have once shared with only the friends he made during his time in the fire service, he finds more difficult to tell.

Scott said: “Dad enjoys being a storyteller, his dad was a Burns man who always did the Burns suppers, there’s a showman in him.

“I am convinced when I think about it that it’s all about the release of the stress.

“When you compare it, in an age where there wasn’t someone who was head of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), squaddies coming home had stories which couldn’t be told.

“They are too vicious and horrible to actually tell anyone, where rescuing someone from a fire is something you can speak about any time.”

Jim went on to describe one of his worst memories at 2am one Christmas morning: “We were called down to a house fire in Adamson Crescent, by the time we got there the fire was going well, we managed to rescue two young children from the first floor by a ladder.

“One of the male members of the house had made a self-rescue, the lady of the house was still in the flat with the ex-husband and seven-year-old child.

“We managed to get the child, we tried to come around, we lost the father, the mother, and the seven-year-old.

“It really knocked me for two or three weeks, the stories I could tell of the fire service would give you nightmares.”

After joining the fire service in 1962, Jim spent 20 years on the ground and 10 in fire prevention before retiring in 1992.

In this time he raised his sons Scott, who now lives in Skye; and Stewart, who emigrated to Australia, alongside his late wife Jean.

During his visit to his old workplace, Jim was joined by Scott and some family friends, including former colleagues - though took the opportunity to remember some who had passed away - and neighbours who have looked out for him for several years.

One of his final jobs had been ensuring the safety of the second phase of Queen Margaret Hospital.

However, that career almost didn’t happen, with a young Jim having his sights set on becoming a professional footballer after deciding not to join his father has a miner.

He had trained at a junior level with Dunfermline Athletic, but says that when it came time for a decision to be made, he had no hesitations.

Jim explained: “A professional football player had 10 years, fire and rescue had 30 years, there was no question which career I was going to take.”