Father and daughter duo Anthony and Toni Dowling combine their careers as on-call firefighters and life on a livestock farm near Killin.
The Perthshire pair are both fully trained firefighters, with Anthony having served in the fire service for many years, while running a farm.
Toni joined the service two years ago, aged 25. She decided to sign up after a farmhouse kitchen table conversation with her dad about the need for more on-call firefighters.
Anthony and Toni now share their passion for very different but equally rewarding careers.
Dad’s an old hand at firefighting
They love the work they do for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, regularly attending fires and other incidents in their local area.
Anthony has been farming at Kinnell for more than 30 years.
It was when he first took on the farm and was looking for some extra 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.
Fire service role ‘incredibly rewarding’
Toni is equally enthusiastic and has found her fire service experience to date “incredibly rewarding”.
She added: “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.”
Killin Community Fire Station crew commander Dougie Morrison said farmers often make excellent firefighters.
He explained: “They can have excellent problem-solving ability. They bring common sense and practicality to the service, and an ability to work with machinery and equipment.”
The Dowlings’ approach to farming is to keep their system straightforward, which is beneficial on many fronts, including allowing them 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 Anthony.
The duo recently teamed up with agricultural charity RSABI for a video in which they talk about their love of farming and the fire service. They also feature in the latest episode of BBC’s Landward series.
RSABI chief executive Carol McLaren hailed the Dowlings as a “great example” of how farming families throughout Scotland often play a vital role in their local communities.
Ms McLaren added: “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.
“Their firefighting roles mean the pair have to think about good nutrition and keep fit and healthy. They can be quite competitive when it comes to fitness training on the farm.”
Anthony added: “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.”
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