Members of the Airport Fire Service in the Highlands and Islands have come top of their class in the UK industry’s prestigious annual awards.

The performance of fire-fighters from Highlands and Islands Airports Limited at the Serco International Fire Training Centre at Teesside will be recognised at the college’s annual awards ceremony in early April.

Wick Airport in Caithness has landed the top aerodrome award for 2005 while Sub Officer Steve Fordyce from Sumburgh Airport has landed the title of top watch commander.

Airport fire-fighters from across the UK and over 70 countries internationally attend practical and classroom-based training and revalidation courses at IFTC.

Wick landed the award after members of the local AFS attending IFTC during the year achieved the highest average marks across all their exams. A minimum number of staff must attend the centre in the year for an airport to qualify and the last time Wick met the qualification criteria, in 2000, it also won the top aerodrome award.

Steve Fordyce received the highest marks of all UK fire-fighters on the watch commander course at IFTC during the year.

HIAL employs more than 150 members of staff in the AFS across its 10 airports in the region. Airport fire-fighters provide rescue and fire-fighting cover for aircraft at the airports as well as fulfilling a wide range of other duties, such as snow clearing during the winter months and attending callouts for air ambulance flights.

Inglis Lyon, HIAL’s managing director said: “The members of our Airport Fire Service are the backbone of the company without whom the airports could not operate. The professionalism and dedication they demonstrate is commendable and I am delighted that both Wick and Sumburgh airports will be recognised at the IFTC awards.

“We place great emphasis on professionalism and excellence within the AFS at HIAL and this is reflected in the performance of the fire-fighters across our 10 airports in the region where they play a vital role in enabling both scheduled and emergency air services to operate.”