In Your Shoes - Marc McCallum

Marc McCallum is the Director of JM Fire Protection, a fire safety consultancy providing comprehensive risk assessments and compliance support across Scotland. With a strong background in fire safety management and regulatory standards, Marc leads with a practical, detail-oriented approach tailored to a wide range of premises and industries. Alongside his professional role, he is also the goalkeeper for Forfar Athletic Football Club, maintaining a disciplined balance between his sporting and consultancy careers. His work reflects a commitment to integrity, reliability, and continuous improvement in fire safety practice.

Monday - A quiet start to a busy week

The week kicked off early with a 6:30am start. After the usual morning routine of getting the kids up and breakfast sorted, I hit the road for a visit to Invercauld Estate in Braemar. It’s a stunning part of the country, and always a pleasure to work in that environment. My role there was to consult on fire safety, which involved servicing their fire extinguishers and having an in-depth discussion about the growing risk of wildfires. With the changing climate and dry spells becoming more frequent, it’s a real concern for estates like Invercauld, and it’s rewarding to help them take proactive steps to protect their land. The day was spent entirely on site, which meant a fair bit of travel, but I managed to get back home in time to catch up with the family. Even during the school holidays, the evenings are busy, Reuben my oldest had his tennis lesson and Esme had her swimming lesson, so it was straight into dad mode once I got through the door. All in all, Monday’s actually one of the quieter days of the week, but it still packs plenty in. A good start, and a reminder that balance is everything.

Tuesday: From Fire Safety to Football Boots

Tuesday started with another early rise and a return to Invercauld Estate, this time to finish up work at the caravan park in Braemar. After wrapping things up there, it was straight across to Aberdeen to meet with the Skene Group. They’ve been going through major changes with their properties and needed advice on fire suppression systems and fire doors at one of their sites. It was a productive visit, and it’s always good to help clients navigate the safety side of big transitions. Once that was done, there was no time to head home. I had to be in Dunfermline for 6:45pm for training with Forfar Athletic. Being a part-time footballer means putting in serious hours and covering a lot of ground across the country. It’s a commitment, but one I love. Training wrapped up around 9:30pm, and by the time I got home it was close to 10. Just enough time to wind down with Jodie and squeeze in an episode of Mad Men, we’re nearly at the end of the series now. It’s a long day, but the mix of work, football, and family keeps things interesting.

Wednesday - Fire Safety with a Sweet Twist

Wednesday kicked off with a stock check at our main yard, where we received a delivery of fire safety equipment ready for next week’s client visits. It’s always good to stay ahead with kit and make sure everything’s accounted for before heading back out on the road. Mid-morning, I was off to Heavenly Desserts on Reform Street in Dundee City Centre to carry out a fire risk assessment. One of the perks of the job is getting looked after by clients while on site and this visit was no exception. Their selection of cakes/desserts and coffee is top-tier, and we were treated to a few while working through the assessment. Safe to say, there was no need for lunch today. Then again, most days don’t allow much time for lunch anyway. The afternoon was spent in Cupar, visiting one of Agricar’s sites to carry out their annual fire extinguisher servicing. Once everything was signed off, I headed home to write up the FRA report for Heavenly Desserts and spend some proper time with Jodie and the kids.

Thursday: Steel, Safety & Station Park Sessions!

Thursday began with a quick run up to Arbroath to deliver fire drawings to a client ahead of their audit with the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service. Always good to get these things in place early, it makes a big difference when the watch commander arrives! Next stop was West Pitkerro Industrial Estate to meet Dave Jamieson, Health & Safety Manager for Brown & Tawse Steelstock Group, who oversees their UK-wide operations. We spent the bulk of the day reviewing the fire risk assessment for their Dundee depot and checking over their firefighting equipment. It’s a busy site, so making sure everything’s up to spec is crucial. After wrapping up there, it was off to Forfar for Thursday night training at Station Park, home of Forfar Athletic. We’re lucky to train on the pitch every week, and while it’s a manageable drive for me, I’ve got huge respect for the lads coming from the West Coast especially after a full day’s graft. Training finishes around 9pm, and then it’s straight in for a bowl of soup from Linda, who keeps the squad fuelled and ready for the journey home. This Saturday marks the first league game of the new League 2 season - the buzz is building!

Friday: From Construction Sites to Cannonballs

Friday was a busy one, starting with a trip to the old BT Telephone House in central Dundee. The site is being transformed by BSN Construction Group into sleek new student accommodation, and it’s brilliant to see such a landmark building getting a fresh lease of life. Dundee’s skyline is changing fast, and being part of that progress even in a small way is something I really enjoy. Our job for the day was installing new detector poles throughout the site, a key part of the fire safety infrastructure. It’s a big project, and most of the day was spent on-site, working alongside the project manager to make sure everything was positioned and installed correctly. Managed to grab a quick lunch at La Baguette on South Tay Street (one of my all-time favourites). I’ve been going there for years and it’s still one of the best spots in town for a proper baguette. Finished up around 5pm (no early finishes when you run your own business!) and headed home to give Jodie a well-earned night off. I dropped her off in Broughty Ferry for dinner and drinks with the girls at Bruach. She does so much behind the scenes, juggling the kids, supporting the business, and helping me keep my football commitments on track. I honestly don’t know how she does it. With Jodie out, I had some rare one-on-one time with Reuben and Esme. We hit the swimming pool for some evening fun. Cannonballs, laughter, and a perfect end to a packed day.

Saturday: Clean Sheets & Strikes

Saturday was all about the season opener at Station Park, as Forfar Athletic took on Stranraer in our first League 2 fixture of the campaign. We got off to a brilliant start with a hard-fought 1-0 win, and as a goalkeeper, keeping a clean sheet is always a bonus. But ultimately, it’s all about the team performance and three points on the board is exactly what we wanted. The atmosphere was buzzing, with happy fans, a satisfied management team, and players feeling confident heading into the season. It rounded off an excellent week both on and off the pitch. To celebrate, I swapped gloves for bowling shoes and headed to Hollywood Bowl with Jodie, Reuben, Esme and my brother and his partner for some tenpin bowling and hot dogs. A great way to unwind, share some laughs, and spend quality time with the family after a big day.