Wicklow has no full-time fire service.

by Wicklow man Fri Nov 17, 2006 20:22

The fact that North Wicklow has no full-time fire service is a scandal. When you think of all the money that our government has wasted with e-voting and the port tunnel fiascos, it makes you wonder what the hell is going in the Dail. Where does Dick Roche stand on this issue? I thought Bray and Wicklow are his neck of the woods. What is he going to do about this? Nothing I suspect. What a bunch of wasters we have running our affairs. Why should we vote for a man who seems not to give a damn about the safety of his constituents with regard to the possibilty of many preventable deaths due to inadeqaute fire regulations and the lack of a full-time fire service. I mean no offence to the brave men and women who work in a part-time capacity looking out for our safety and putting their lives at risk, they should be comended for their work. Once again our political masters show their true colours, their negilence and utter contempt for the people who put them in power. They should be ashamed of themselves.

Dick you will not get my vote, you can take that one to the bank with ya.

by John O Brien - Cork Co Fire & Rescue Sat Jul 21, 2007 13:02

I was very interested in reading the comments about this. I am a Sub Station Officer in the Retained Fire Service and I would just like to point out a few things.

1/ Most of Ireland is covererd by the Retained Fire Service not just Wicklow.

2/ The Retained Fire Service has the same training and qualifications as the whole time Fire Service so saying that the service is sub standard because of the training or skill of the firefighters is not only untrue but insulting to the firefighters who risk their lives daily.

3/ There are problems in the Retained Fire Service that does make the service sub standard. The main one being that in the event of an MVA (motor vehicle accident or car crash) that depending on what county you live in you may or may not get the service you need. Some counties ( my neighbouring county being one of the worst ) do not have in place an automatic turnout for all required emergency services to MVA calls. What this means that if you are involved in, or report an MVA to the Gardai or the Ambulance service what will happen is ( and I have seen this happen) the Gardai will arrive on scene ( generic time about 15 minutes) , then they will call an ambulance ( depending on where the MVA is and the distance from the Ambulance base, the time to on scene can be anything from 5 minutes to an hour) , when the ambulance arrives on scene then they call the fire service who may have beenthe closest emergency service to the incident. Most Irish Retained Fire Authorities have trained firefighters up to the medical grade of EMFR (emergengy medical first responders this is soon to be changed to EMT by the PHECC) and the firefighters can give primary medical assistance.

The Fire Service on the other hand, has the protocol in place that if Fire Control recieves a call for an MVA that all emergency services are automatically notified,

by Watcher Sun Jul 22, 2007 09:15

I would have thought that any community that elects Dick Roche doesn't deserve a fire service or much else. Roche is a cheerleader for the "everyman for himself" ideology. Can't you put your own fire out? Dick will be disappointed with you!

by Toni, Cork Thu Sep 27, 2007 08:18 ei9hk06 at eircom dot net Rochestown, Cork

I am shocked at the death of the two firemen in Bray yesterday and my prayers and sympathy go to the families. I am much more shocked that Bray has only a part time service. In saying this I do not disparage the part time services who serve us so well but surely a town the size of Bray (and surrounding area) should have a full time service - even a small one that would go out immediately to any fire with back up from a part time service.
I hope and pray that these deaths will achieve something worthwhile.

by priorities! Thu Sep 27, 2007 21:39

After all there are priorities and priorities. We don't have heart ambulances per 20,000 people. We haven't reached an average of one tribunal per year. We don't spend more than however much it was per kid despite it being scientifically proven giving them an advantage would put notions in their head & thus more dangerous criminals.
And now you want presidential live TV addresses? Now you want a radical new Labour?
Now you want tree hugging government junior coalition partner Greenies talking forest fires?
IF only you whingers had emigrated long ago we'd have lifeboats of our own.

All due respect & condolences to the families of the firemen who died yesterday

by mill e Thu Sep 27, 2007 23:46

Maybe the reason we have so many volunteer firefighters is because so many people volunteer to fight fires. If fewer people volunteered would our government be forced to employ full-time staff?
Chicken'n egg innit?

by Patrick o Brien Wed Jan 20, 2010 23:47

Retained fire fighters are NOT volunteer. We are paid to do the professional job that we do.

by iamsam Mon Jan 25, 2010 23:13

The point still stands though. If there were no retained wouldnt the government have no choice but to hire fulltime? (I have no problem with retained services personally)

by Sceptic - None whatsoever Fri Feb 26, 2010 20:06

Mightn't be a bad idea to canvass the one's in the know ( wink wink ) out in Bray in order to provide a valuable fire service
24/7 to the population of Bray & it's surrounding area's , surely the politicians ( out there ) can take a break from corruption
duties & start to build something of immediate value instead of their usual duties of breaking local values , to include local
pillars of society who smirk their way through life at the cost to many .

For an example of , please go to www.Rate-your-solicitor.com , click 'wicklow' and view local solicitors who have been ably
rated by genuine people , some of whom had a great experience and others who have had nightmare experience's .
The above mentioned should give local people a 'taste' of which way the wind is blowing .

by Larry - Parish committee Fri Feb 26, 2010 21:33

A sick county with sick people.Hail mary full of grace give me the power to tie my lace

by fireman - bray fire brigade Thu Mar 11, 2010 07:34

all you lot do is talk crap you drag a few guys who were in bray fire brigade 10 years ago or who have been in it a few months and you listen to them they know jack shit .abunch of part timers how dare you. that really went down well with the lads .