Local Fire Brigade Visit Barnton Bunker for Safety Familiarisation
Member of the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service at Barnton Bunker
Not all visits to Barnton Bunker are tours, events or training sessions. Some are about fire and safety planning. Running a historic underground site means safety is always part of the work happening behind the scenes. As restoration continues, improvements are constantly being made to ensure the bunker remains safe for volunteers and visitors.
Recently, we welcomed a local fire crew to the bunker for a familiarisation visit.
Understanding the Space
Barnton Bunker is a unique environment. Built during the Cold War as an underground command centre, it consists of a network of corridors and rooms spread across multiple levels beneath the ground.
Because the space is unlike a typical building, it is important that emergency services are familiar with the layout and access points.
During the visit, the crew explored different areas of the bunker, walked the corridors and stairways, and gained a better understanding of how the site is organised.
Working Together on Safety
Familiarisation visits like this are an important part of responsible site management.
They allow emergency services to understand the environment and ensure they are prepared should they ever need to attend the site.
The visit also connects with the wider safety improvements currently taking place at Barnton Bunker, including new emergency lighting systems and updated fire doors.
Restoration Continues
Barnton Bunker is a volunteer-led restoration project built on community, collaboration and care for the people who visit and help restore it.
We recently installed new emergency lighting and updated fire doors as part of ongoing safety improvements. You can read more about these upgrades here. (link to emergency lighting blog)
We’re grateful to the Watch Commander and crew from Toll White Watch for taking the time to visit and learn more about the space.
Every partnership and improvement helps move the project forward and ensures the bunker can continue to be safely explored and preserved for the future.
