Fire Authority
The Fire Authority provides a number of services ranging from the emergency response to incidents such as fires, road traffic accidents, air 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 over 738 incidents in the last year.
There were several large complex 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 car fires and 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 life threatening fires occur each year. The loss caused by these incidents is enormous, tragically three persons died as a result of such fires. One person also died as a result of a fire following a road traffic accident.
The fire authority attended numerous other special services incidents that resulted in six fatalities and emphasises the multi-functionary role of the service provided.
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 over 738 incidents in the last year.
There were several large complex 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 car fires and 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 life threatening fires occur each year. The loss caused by these incidents is enormous, tragically three persons died as a result of such fires. One person also died as a result of a fire following a road traffic accident.
The fire authority attended numerous other special services incidents that resulted in six fatalities and emphasises the multi-functionary role of the service provided.
Training
There is a very strict training regime in the Fire Brigade as is necessitated by the sometimes difficult and dangerous environment in which Fire Fighters work. Fire Fighters 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 learnt and practised.
Sligo is now a hot fire training centre and offers this facility nationally for the training of Fire Fighters throughout the country. This facility is used to demonstrate and train Fire Fighters in the latest techniques and equipment necessary for their protection and the saving of lives. The fire service now has nationally qualified medical first responders in all stations and in the Sligo office.
The Breathing Apparatus training centre has been used as a national training centre following modernisation and 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.
Sligo’s Fire Fighters are certified users of Automated External Defibrilators (AED) and do refresher training every 90 days.
The Fire Authority also took part in a major emergency exercise at Curry village as part of the regional training for the coordinated response to incidents and is now a regional decontamination response centre.
The Brigade now holds block R.T.A. training over a number of days, in which the necessary skills are learnt and practised.
Sligo is now a hot fire training centre and offers this facility nationally for the training of Fire Fighters throughout the country. This facility is used to demonstrate and train Fire Fighters in the latest techniques and equipment necessary for their protection and the saving of lives. The fire service now has nationally qualified medical first responders in all stations and in the Sligo office.
The Breathing Apparatus training centre has been used as a national training centre following modernisation and 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.
Sligo’s Fire Fighters are certified users of Automated External Defibrilators (AED) and do refresher training every 90 days.
The Fire Authority also took part in a major emergency exercise at Curry village as part of the regional training for the coordinated response to incidents and is now a regional decontamination response centre.
Community Fire Safety
Talks were given to the elderly and other groups on fire safety. Groups of primary school students visited the stations and watched fire safety videos and demonstrations. In all, approximately 400 students visited the station.
Groups from secondary schools, Sligo Institute of Technology and the local community 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 212 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, and 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 comment on all transfer of licences before the courts and carried out numerous ‘during performance’ inspections of dance halls, public houses and workplaces to ensure the Fire Safety Standards were being upheld. Generally the level of co-operation received when advice is given is very good.
Groups from secondary schools, Sligo Institute of Technology and the local community 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 212 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, and 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 comment on all transfer of licences before the courts and carried out numerous ‘during performance’ inspections of dance halls, public houses and workplaces to ensure the Fire Safety Standards were being upheld. Generally the level of co-operation received when advice is given is very good.
Fire Stations and Appliances
In the last number of years, the ageing Fire Engines in Enniscrone, Tubbercurry, Ballymote and Sligo have been replaced with new modern appliances. The Emergency Tender in Sligo is in its 14th year of operational use with some of the equipment thereon over 20 years old. An application for funding will be made to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government for the replacement of this appliance.
Plans were submitted to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government for the funding and upgrading of Sligo Fire Station in line with current requirements and this matter is being progressed, as is the provision of the new Fire Station in Ballymote.
Plans were submitted to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government for the funding and upgrading of Sligo Fire Station in line with current requirements and this matter is being progressed, as is the provision of the new Fire Station in Ballymote.
Communications
The 24-hour Watchroom at Headquarters dealt with all emergency calls for the Borough and County for over 25 years and has now been replaced with the Computer Aided Mobilisation Project (CAMP).
County Hall, Riverside,
Sligo,
Co. Sligo.
GPS : Irish Grid 169896, 335864
Tel:071 9111111
Fax:071 9141119 Email:info@sligococo.ie
