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Sligo Fire Service

Sligo Fire Authority
The Fire Authority provides a number of services ranging from the emergency response to incidents such as fires, road traffic accidents, chemical incidents and more recently biological incidents, to ensuring the fire safety of the built environment through certification, inspection and enforcement. The Authority also provides information and training on fire safety management and fire fighting.

In order to provide this service in an efficient manner throughout the county there are Fire Brigade Stations in Sligo, Ballymote, Tubbercurry and Enniscrone. These Brigades attended almost 800 incidents over the last year, an increase over the previous year of nearly 50 incidents. This reflects the continued expansion of our commercial and residential building stock and the increase in traffic using our road network.

There were several large commercial fires this year, again emphasising the need for an efficient and effective fire service and the need for preventative measures. There has been an increase in fires caused by arsonists. These pose a serious threat to life and property and the cost can also result in the loss of jobs within the community.

People must remain vigilant in the home as this is where our most serious fires were this year. The loss caused by these incidents is enormous, tragically three people died as a result of fires in the home.

The carnage on our roads continued with five fatalities resulting from road traffic accidents making this one of the worst years in recent times, and adding to the workload of our firecrews.

Training
There is a very strict training regime in the Fire Brigade as is necessitated by the sometimes difficult and dangerous environment in which Firefighters work. Firefighters undergo over one hundred hours training every year, this includes the latest advances in techniques used to tackle the fires known as ”flashover“ and ”backdraft“ and the latest methods of extraction of casualties from vehicles involved in incidents. This is particularly important in view of the advances in active safety technology employed in the modern car, airbags and seatbelt tensioning do save lives the instant an accident occurs but can pose a serious threat to rescue personnel.

The Brigade now holds ”block“ R.T.A. training over a number of days, in which the necessary skills are learned and practised.

Sligo is now a ”hot fire” training centre and offers this facility nationally for the training of Firefighters throughout the country. This facility is used to demonstrate and train Firefighters in the latest techniques and equipment necessary for their protection and the saving of life.

The Breathing Apparatus training centre has been modernised with the installation of a ”gas fire system“. This is used to train staff in proper search and rescue techniques and in the use of Breathing Apparatus in fire situations.

Local industries have also facilitated the Brigade in carrying out Pre-Fire Training in which various types of incidents are staged and training undertaken so that should a similar incident occur the Brigade will have the necessary skills and resources needed to deal with it in an efficient and professional manner.

Community Fire Safety
One of the most successful and popular events every year is National Fire Safety Week. In Sligo, Ballymote, Tubbercurry and Enniscrone the Brigades erected our display and showed members of the public, by demonstration in a scale model house with fixtures and fittings, the dangers resulting from the lack of a modular Fire Alarm system. The model house was presented to Cregg House (in perfect condition) at the end of the fire safety week. Many other initiatives were undertaken throughout the year. Talks were given to the elderly and new home owners on fire safety. Groups of primary school students visited the stations and watched fire safety videos and demonstrations, in all approximately 650 students visited the station. Groups from secondary schools, Sligo Institute of Technology, the local community and Civil Defence also participated in courses held in the Fire Station.

These courses reinforce the need for vigilance when it comes to fire safety and brings this message back to their homes, schools and workplaces.

The Fire Authority processed over 130 Fire Safety Certificate applications as required under Building Control Legislation and dealt with in excess of 200 Planning Applications under the Planning Acts. These applications covered a wide range of premises from Apartment Blocks, Hotels, Shops to large commercial developments.

Inspections were carried out under the various Licensing legislation covering nearly every type of premises from petroleum stores to dance licences. The Fire Authority made comments on all transfer of licences before the courts and carried out numerous inspections of dance halls, public houses and workplaces. The Authority successfully prosecuted where satisfactory standards were not achieved. Generally the level of co-operation received when advice is given is very good.

Fire Stations and Appliances
The long awaited new Fire Station in Tubbercurry opened, supported by the Minister Noel Dempsey T.D., local County Councillors and the local community. The provision of a new Fire Engine was an added boost and the new facility provides the community with the best available emergency service. This facility will provide a valuable service to the rapidly expanding local community and the busy N17 national primary route.

Ballymote received its new Fire Engine, replacing the ageing appliance that had served the community well over the years. This new appliance has already attended and proved valuable at a large fire in the centre of Ballymote. Plans are being finalised for the provision of a new station to serve the community. It is hoped to proceed with this project later this year.

Plans are being prepared for the upgrading of Sligo Fire Station in line with current requirements and this matter is being progressed.

Communications
The 24 hour Watchroom at Headquarters deals with all emergency calls for the Borough and County. The proposed Computer Aided Mobilisation Project is expected to be available later this year. The professionalism of the watchroom personnel who deal with all emergency calls received and provide assistance through backup services and information to field operations ensures that incidents are dealt with in an efficient manner.