Father and daughter make great team as farmers and firefighters   

Father and daughter Anthony and Toni Dowling are both fully trained on-call firefighters who love the work they do for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, regularly attending fires and other incidents in their local area. 

Mr Dowling has been farming at Kinnell for over 30 years, and it was when he first took on the farm and was looking for some additional income that a friend suggested he consider being an on-call firefighter at Killin Community Fire Station. He decided to give it a go and, three decades later, he has no regrets. 

His daughter, Toni, is equally enthusiastic, having taken the plunge to start the rigorous training to become an on-call firefighter in 2022, aged 25, after a discussion at the farmhouse kitchen table, when her dad mentioned the need for additional resource in the crew. 

Farmers make good firefighters 

Mr Dowling said: “My experience so far has been incredibly rewarding. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the training and feel privileged to be part of the outstanding team at Killin. Their support has been instrumental in my development and growth, and I’m excited to see what the future holds for me in the Fire Service.” 

Dougie Morrison, crew commander at Killin Community Fire Station, said farmers often make very good firefighters. “They can have excellent problem-solving ability, and they bring common sense and practicality to the service and an ability to work with machinery and equipment.” 

The family’s approach to farming is to keep their system straightforward, which is beneficial on many fronts, including allowing them the scope to get off-farm when needed. 

“We try to keep it as simple as possible with around 200 ewes and a suckler herd of around 40 pure Welsh Blacks crossed with a Whitebred Shorthorn, for easy calving and nice breeding heifers,” said Mr Dowling. 

The father-and-daughter duo has made a video with RSABI talking about their shared love of farming and the fire service. Watch it here.

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Vital role in local communities 

As well as the physical benefits the role of on-call firefighter brings, it also generates a wealth of mental health benefits by helping to balance time away from the farm, developing teamwork, and a sense of pride in delivering a valuable service to the local community, said RSABI team. 

Carol McLaren, chief executive of RSABI, said the Dowling’s are a great example of the way farming families throughout Scotland very often play a vital role in their local communities. 

She added: “Scotland’s farming families quietly support rural communities throughout the year in a very wide range of ways, although very often there is little recognition of the many benefits this brings, including in some of the most remote parts of Scotland. 

“Anthony and Toni are also shining a light on the benefits of getting off the farm. Being part of a team doing something very different can bring lots of personal benefits in terms of both mental and physical wellbeing.” 

After three decades in the fire service, Mr Dowling has no hesitation in recommending the opportunity to other farmers. 

He said: “You are working with a great crew and, while at times it can be stressful, at times it can be really good fun. 

“It is a commitment. You need to have your family onboard unquestionably, and there is a lot of training, but if I was starting now, I would 100% do it all again.”   

RSABI offers free practical, financial, and emotional support, including counselling services, delivered quickly after receiving the initial enquiry. 

Its free confidential support service is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year, by calling 0808 1234 555 (calls won’t show up on phone bills) or through a confidential webchat service, available on RSABI’s website.

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