Firecall Winter 2021

WINTER 2021

FIRECALL OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF DUBLIN FIRE, AMBULANCE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES

CISM GOES VIRTUAL THE VIRTUAL RECRUIT FAMILY NIGHT

NOT JUST SMOKE TOXIN DANGERS FOR FIREFIGHTERS

HELP FROM ON HIGH ABSEIL CHALLENGE FOR CHARITY

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FIRECALL WINTER

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DUBLIN FIRE RESCUE EMERGENCY AMBULANCE SERVICE

PROTECTING THE CITY AND COUNTY SINCE 1862

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EDITOR’S LETTER

letter from the

Contributors:

EDITOR

Designer:

Welcome to the latest issue of Firecall.

Editor: Adam Hyland Consulting Editor:

Dan Fynes

Dan Fynes, Terry Dent, Tom Geraghty, Padraig Thompson, Las Fallon, David Kavanagh, John McNally Karolina McKittrick Cover Credit:

Ray McMonagle/DFB Photography:

Dublin Fire Brigade, Dublin City Council, Ray McMonagle, Trevor Hunt, Noel Hyland, John McNally, Terry Dent, Padraig Thompson, Vincent Conroy, Las Fallon, David Kavanagh, Geoff Tracey, Tom Geraghty, ECMWF, Ashford Castle, Ballynahinch Castle, Delphi Resort, Ice House Hotel, Belleek Castle, Coopershill House, Cashel House, Omnibus Press, Merrion Press, Jonathan Cape, Viking.

Sales Manager:

David Byrne

Production Executive:

Claire Kiernan Publisher:

Chesterfox Ltd, T/A Firecall Magazine, P.O. Box 6766, Dublin 2.

Tel: (01) 432 2200; Fax: (01) 6727100 Managing Director:

Gerry Tynan Chairman:

Diarmaid Lennon Distribution by:

Magazine Mailing Ashville Media Group Unit 55, Park West Road, Park West, Dublin 12 Tel: (01) 432 2200 Fax: (01) 676 6043 Publisher’s Statement:

The information in Firecall is carefully researched and believed to be accurate and authoritative, but neither the Dublin Fire Brigade Sports & Social Club nor the publisher can accept responsibility for any errors or omissions. Statements and opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Editor or of the publisher.

Copyright ©2021 Firecall Magazine No part of this may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the publisher.

The past few months have seen changes regarding the pandemic, andwe are currently facing into another challenging time. The creation of this magazine under these circumstances wouldn’t be possible without the valued contribution of DFB members past and present, so I thank everyone involved in this issue.

I must also start with an apology: In the last issue, a picture in our In Brief section about the retirement of D/O Mario Lodola was mistakenly captioned with the name Brendan Lodola. Mobilisation Officer and D/O Mario Lodola retires after 34 years across several Watches and stations, but his brother S/O Brendan Lodola is very much still a serving DFB member and we apologise for the confusion this may have caused, and any embarrassment to the Lodola family.

We look back to the past frequently in this issue, with a feature on the Cavan Orphanage Fire of 1943, while the Pearse Street tragedy and 9/11 commemorations are also detailed, and DFB historian Las Fallon looks at notable anniversaries, and those to come in the next year. My thanks to him and to former D/O and historian Tom Geraghty for their contributions. Thanks must also go to retired Sub-Officer Michael Hempenstall for getting in touch with me and pointing me towards retired member Noel Hyland (no relation).

The CISM team continue to do great work during these difficult times, and it was great to hear how they put together a virtual Recruit Family Night for the recruits from this year and last year’s classes to highlight the challenges of becoming a firefighter and the supports available to them.

It was also great to talk to S/O Dave Connolly about the charity abseil he and three other DFB members took part in at the end of October, and to hear how the Golf and Athletics Clubs and the Pipe Band have kept active. My thanks to them for sharing their news.

Geoff Tracey also spoke to me about his artworks and it was very interesting to hear about his creativity, while thanks must also go to S/O Vincent Conroy and the crew of B Watch Donnybrook for making our station profile possible.

It was also very interesting to speak to Dr Mark Perrington of the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service about how his organisation keeps an eye on Earth from satellite data to monitor wildfires and the emissions that affect our atmosphere.

Last but by no means least, huge thanks to Sub-Officer/ Paramedic Terry Dent for his invaluable piece on the carcinogens that endanger firefighters in the line of duty, which makes for sobering but very important reading.

As always, I would encourage anybody who wants to talk about any upcoming endeavours, or who has an idea for a story, to get in touch with me. This is your magazine, and you are all welcome to contribute.

I hope you enjoy the read,

EDITOR’S PICKS 20 CISM GOES VIRTUAL

The Virtual Recruit Family Night

26 NOT JUST SMOKE

Terry Dent’s Research on Carcinogens

52 NOTES ON A TRAGEDY

The Cavan Orphanage Fire and the Reserve Fire Brigade

Adam Hyland FIRECALL WINTER

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CONTENTS

WINTER 2021

13

24

FEATURES 13 HELP FROM ON HIGH

Charity Abseil for Ronald McDonald House

20 CISM GOES VIRTUAL The Recruit Family Evening Goes Online

24 9/11 REMEMBRANCE The 20th Year

26 NOT JUST SMOKE

44 KEEP ON RUNNING

The DFB Athletics Club

46 CLUBBING TOGETHER The Golf Society’s Year

49 HITTING THE CANVAS The Art of Geoff Tracey

52 NOTES ON A TRAGEDY

Firefighters and the Carcinogen Risk

The Cavan Orphanage Fire and the Reserve Fire Brigade

30 HALLOWEEN

57 RED AND READY

Recap of the Busiest Night of the Year

37 LOOKING TO 2022 A Year of Significant Anniversaries

40 THE PEARSE STREET MEMORIAL Honouring Fallen DFB Members

Fire Safety Week

60 CONTINUING TO SERVE

37 44

National Services Day

61 EYES ON EARTH

The Copernicus Satellite Monitoring Service

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Check out more features and news from past issues at FIRECALL.IE

17 REGULARS 01 02 05

06 08 17

EDITOR’S LETTER CONTENTS SECRETARY’S FOREWORD DFBSSC UPDATES DFB IN BRIEF FROM WITHIN THE CIRCLE

DFB Pipe Band Update

33 STATION PROFILE

B Watch Donnybrook

65 RETIRED MEMBER PROFILE Noel Hyland

71 LOCKDOWN TV

The Latest Binge-Watch Recommendations

73 TRAVEL

08

The Best in the West

75 INTERNATIONAL NEWS 77 BOOKSHELF 79 TECHNOLOGY The Latest Innovations for the Emergency Services

79 FIRECALL WINTER

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03 30/11/2021 14:23

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Required to get an Operators Licence, Qualify as a Transport Manager, Become a Driver CPC Trainer Venues: Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Athlone Tutor: Tony Hynes MBS, B.COMM, FCIPD, FCILT, FIITD All-Star Transport Industry Business Person Of The Year 2021

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Book Online 24/7 at www.cpc.ie Enquiries

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30/11/2021 13/10/2021 11:14 15:12

FOREWORD

Honorary Secretary’s

FOREWORD

W

elcome readers to our winter 2021 issue of Firecall.

As we come to the end of another year under the restrictions brought about by COVID-19, it is important that we continue to look forward to a return to better times. This applies not just to our roles as firefighters, but as members of the DFB Sports and Social Club. The determination and dedication to duty shown by all DFB members must be applauded, but so too must the efforts of our members in keeping sporting and social events and activities going where possible.

While many clubs and organisations within the DFBSSC have seen activities curtailed dramatically as the pandemic continues, it is great to see that some events have gone ahead, with the Athletics Club, Golf Society and Pipe Band continuing to show a strong presence and keep their members active, as can be seen in this issue. It’s also great to see that fundraising events for charity have continued, as with the Charity Abseil challenge taken on by four DFB members, and their exploits are also featured.

The CISM team continues to provide outstanding support services to all DFB members and their families, and it is great to see that they have overcome the challenges brought on by COVID-19 restrictions by producing a virtual Recruit Family Evening. The huge amount of work involved in producing this presentation is detailed in this issue, and thanks and congratulations must go to all involved for what was a very well-received event.

DAN FYNES If you haven’t already done so, please order your new ID card by emailing idcards@dfbssc.ie with an attached headshot (on a neutral background), your name, pay number, station, watch and location.

We are trying very hard to make sure that all DFBSSC members receive their copy of Firecall. Anybody who is not receiving theirs should email the editor Adam Hyland with their address: adam.hyland@ ashvillemediagroup.com

The risks we face as firefighters are well known, but it is both sobering and very interesting to read Terry Dent’s detailed examination of the dangers of carcinogens that can only help to raise awareness of what we must do to keep ourselves and our colleagues safe. I encourage all members to get involved in what will be an important piece of research, more of which you can learn about in his piece.

It has also been important to keep traditions going, with National Services Day and Fire Safety Week going ahead under very different circumstances to what we are used to, while our recognition of important past events that show our heritage and history are evident in the honouring of those who lost their lives in the Pearse Street Tragedy and in our commemorations of the 20th year since 9/11. Our thoughts are with the families of those affected.

WINTER 2021

FIRECALL

On the subject of past events, we owe a debt of gratitude to Las Fallon for yet another interesting piece – we look forward to his exhibition next year – but thanks must also go to retired Sub-Officer Michael Hempenstall and to retired D/O, historian and author Tom Geraghty for getting in touch to suggest features covering events that they felt deserved to be written about.

While regular contributors continue to provide interesting pieces, it was great to see that people, such as those mentioned above, are coming forward with suggestions for articles. I would encourage more people to do the same, because this is, after all, your magazine, so if you have an idea for a story, an event you want to highlight, or a subject of interest you feel should be explored, get in touch.

I hope you enjoy reading this issue.

Dan Fynes

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF DUBLIN FIRE, AMBULANCE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES

CISM GOES VIRTUAL THE VIRTUAL RECRUIT FAMILY NIGHT

NOT JUST SMOKE TOXIN DANGERS FOR FIREFIGHTERS

HELP FROM ON HIGH ABSEIL CHALLENGE FOR CHARITY

FIRECALL WINTER

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FIRECALL WINTER

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SPORTS AND SOCIAL CLUB

SPORTS AND SOCIAL CLUB UPDATE

WE TAKE A LOOK AT NEWS AND EVENTS FOR THE DUBLIN FIRE BRIGADE SPORTS AND SOCIAL CLUB (DFBSSC)

C

OVID-19 has brought many challenges for the DFBSSC, but we continue to plan for the next year, as it is a big year for the Sports and Social Club. We will be celebrating 50 years since our establishment, and this is something we are looking forward to celebrating with all our members. It will be the job of the new Committee (below) to ensure we do it appropriately. Thanks to all who have served us so well in past committees, and thanks to all who have now come on board as part of the team for the upcoming year. We look forward to working with you.

DFB SPORTS AND SOCIAL CLUB COMMITTEE 2021/2022 CHAIR

DECLAN RICE

SECRETARY

DAN FYNES

TREASURER

SIMON FINGLAS

#1

MARK RYAN

(1 REP REQUIRED)

#2

SEAN MC DOMHNAILL

JOHN CONNOLLY

#3

MICK RATCHFORD

(1 REP REQUIRED)

#4

DEE BERRY

JOE MORAN

#5

KEVIN CONLAN

#6

GER RYAN

#7

GARY MASON

#8

BRIAN TRACEY

DARREN DONNELLY

#9

NEIL QUINN

HQ A

BRIAN GILBERT

HQ B

LAR SWEETMAN

HQ C

PAUL MC CANN

HQ D

SIOBHAN TALBOT

ERCC

RAY CAMPION

STEPHEN KEOGH

#12

RAY KENNY

(1 REP REQUIRED)

#13

STEPHEN BREEN

RETAINED

GLENN FITZGERALD

OBI

(1 REP REQUIRED)

WORKSHOP

MARTIN COOKE

TRUSTEE

WILLIE O LEARY

TRUSTEE

DAVE SNEE

TRUSTEE

TONY DEVOY

RMA REP

TOMMY DOYLE

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SPORTS AND SOCIAL CLUB

TRIBUTE

I must pay tribute to the gentleman that was Frank Nugent, who sadly passed away earlier this year. Frank has been an integral part of the Club for many years, in addition to his roles with the FBSAI and the DFB Retired Members Association. His knowledge and advice will be sorely missed, as will his good nature and great stories. Rest in peace Frank.

CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS PARTY

Last year’s Christmas party took place in our Training Centre in an environment and manner that was new to us all. Our Drive Thru Santa experience was a great success that would not have happened without the hard work of the committee on the day. We decided to do something similar in the Training Centre this year.

We hope those who attended on 11 December enjoyed it.

grants to various clubs within DFB. I would like to thank and congratulate all members who have represented the DFB over the last two years, be it individually or as part of a team, and I hope we can continue to support you over the next year, especially with the upcoming World Firefighter Games and World Police & Fire Games due to be held in 2022. Preparations for this are already underway, so if you require further information, please contact a member of the committee.

All of the events above will be governed by whatever H&S guidelines are in place at the time, and what is in the best interest of the safety of our members.

RETIRED MEMBERS FUNCTION

The retirement function that was planned for April 2020 did not take place due to COVID-19 restrictions, but we have provisionally held dates in February and October of next year and hope to host two retirement functions then in the Castleknock Hotel. We look forward to seeing you all and giving you the send-off you deserve. Final plans will of course be based on health guidelines at the time.

SPORT

We have worked hard to support the many sports clubs in DFB, and are pleased to have been able to help the Rugby Club acquire new kit ahead of their return to the pitch. Best of luck to them in their upcoming matches.

I’d also like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Golf Club on the milestone that is their 50th anniversary, and am happy to see that they are still going strong. It takes a lot of good support and a dedicated team to reach this anniversary and continue to grow their membership, and I wish them continued success for many years to come.

SPORTING GRANTS

Grant applications overall have reduced throughout the last two years, but during this time the DFBSSC have approved

OTHER GRANTS

Throughout the last two years we have provided station improvement grants to a number of stations to help create a more homely environment in the workplace. We have also provided station social funds with loan interest grants; this ensures the members only pay the sum of money borrowed and the DFBSSC pay the interest on the loan for them.

DECEASED MEMBERS MASS

The annual deceased members mass took place on 21 November in St Saviour’s church on Dominic Street.

This is a tradition that we are very proud to be associated with and one we were honoured to participate in again. I would like to thank the Retired Members Association for

providing the ceremonial colour party on the day.

GOING FORWARD

Over the last two years, we have spent lots of time changing the dayto-day operations of the DFBSSC. Thankfully our membership continues to grow and our numbers are the highest they have ever been.

Planning for the DFBSSC’s 50th birthday events will commence at the first meeting of the new Committee, which will hopefully see a range of sporting and social events for our members to enjoy.

In March, we look forward to welcoming visitors from the USA to join us for St Patrick’s Day when hopefully we can take them through the streets of Dublin in our parade and follow it with some Irish hospitality. We also plan to hold our Summer Fun Day again in 2022 after an absence of two years.

We are constantly working to improve our methods to best serve our members but this can only be done with your co-operation. I would urge any members who have not yet joined their station WhatsApp group or followed any of our social media platforms to do so, because we don’t want you missing out. In addition to this, we have purchased new software and upgraded our computer system to enable us to produce DFBSSC ID cards. New cards are being issued to all members as requested by them via e-mail to idcards@dfbssc.ie.

FINALLY

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has provided their assistance to the DFBSSC during the last year, and for their continuing support and assistance in promoting and organising Club events, especially those who helped make our events so successful over the last year by turning up as volunteers and helping out. Last, but by no means least, I would like to sincerely thank the Chairman Declan Rice, the Treasurer Simon Finglas and all of the Committee who work tirelessly and in your interest all year.

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DFB IN BRIEF

DFB IN BRIEF A recap of Dublin Fire Brigade news and events over the past few weeks and months.

LEFT:: Firefighters from LEFT Dolphin’s Barn fire station gaining access to a portacabin alight in Bluebell before extinguishing it.

RIGHT:: Hosting the RIGHT launch of the RSA’s half-year report at HQ at the end of July.

RIGHT:: We said RIGHT goodbye to Assistant Chief Fire Officer John Moody after 38 years of service in August.

John was instrumental in the development of our current Eastern Regional Control Centre and is retiring as the head of that centre. We would like to wish John a healthy retirement.

LEFT:: After 33 years LEFT of service, we said goodbye to Firefighter/ Paramedic John Phelan, as he hangs up his boots and headset for the final time. John worked in Tallaght and HQ, with his final years in the Control Centre co-ordinating emergency resources.

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LEFT:: 8 units and 3 ambulances attended a multiLEFT unit residential fire at a high-rise building in Belgard in October, with 9 people rescued and no injuries.

ABOVE:: Firefighters from HQ extinguishing a car ABOVE alight in a lane way off Erne Street at the start of August.

ABOVE:: In October we said ABOVE farewell to FF/P Greg Mahon, who joined DFB as a retained firefighter at Swords in 2005 before going full time in 2007

ABOVE:: Shaking buckets at the ABOVE Pavilions SC in Swords in October to raise funds for Ronald McDonald House ahead of the charity abseil later in the month.

LEFT:: Taking advantage of the LEFT increased flow from heavy rain in August, student Swift Water Rescue Technicians undergo training at the Wren’s Nest part of the Liffey.

02/12/2021 13:14

DFB IN BRIEF LEFT:: Firefighters at a LEFT waste fire on Moyne Road, Portmarnock in August.

RIGHT:: Recruits being RIGHT given a familiarisation tour of the 23-floor Capital Dock building and its fire safety, firefighting and escape systems as part of the complex buildings training programme.

ABOVE:: An ABOVE Advanced Paramedic uses a golf buggy to get to a patient on Newlands Golf Club in August.

BELOW:: BELOW Extinguishing a vehicle fire on the M50 in November.

ABOVE:: Responding to a ABOVE water rescue incident on the East Wall Road in August.

ABOVE:: Refresher training for our rescue swimmers ABOVE using the HIAB crane on our emergency tender based at Phibsboro fire station.

BELOW:: FF/AP Geoff Tracey with his work, A Fresh BELOW Coat, as part of the Frontline Emergency Services Art and Photographic Exhibition at the Printworks in Dublin Castle in August.

ABOVE:: After 40 years of service, we say goodbye to D/O ABOVE Michael (Mick) Hayes as he retires. Mick was Mobilisation Officer on A Watch and a long-time member of the DFB Pipe Band. Thanks for everything Mick!

BELOW:: Getting ready to provide any assistance BELOW needed at the Liffey Swim in October with help from Civil Defence.

ABOVE:: Helicopter Underwater Escape Training and ABOVE Personal Survival Techniques training for our Marine Emergency Response Team in November.

BELOW:: Firefighters from Phibsboro fire station BELOW extinguishing a fire at the rear of a premises in Cabra in November.

ABOVE:: Dolphin’s Barn firefighters were ABOVE met with this sight when they were called out to an electricity pole on fire in Ballyfermot in November.

LEFT:: Five units and a District Officer were LEFT called to an underground car park fire in Baldoyle in November.

LEFT:: The DFB Social Media team were successful again LEFT at the 2021 Sockies awards, winning Best Social Media Strategy by a State Body and a joint recognition award for frontline emergency services with the Defence Forces and Coast Guard.

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DFB IN BRIEF LEFT:: Saying farewell to LEFT Tallaght-based FF/P Joe Mulligan after 36 years of service. A ceaseless fundraiser for charity, Joe was presented with a scroll by the Lord Mayor in recognition of his efforts. Slán Joe! RIGHT:: Earlier this year RIGHT FF/AP Joe Brady left our ranks to take up a new career challenge, but in August he returned for his ‘final parade’ with his A Watch crew in Donnybrook. Best of luck in your new management role Joe! LEFT:: Firefighters on Finglas LEFT D Watch doing their bit to keep their community looking clean and tidy for the Dublin Community Clean Up in September.

BELOW:: Limbering up for 29 October when BELOW four firefighters planned to abseil with 96 other people down the 60metre Smithfield Tower in aid of Ronald McDonald House.

ABOVE:: Saying farewell to Badge No.1 Vincent Savage in Dun ABOVE Laoghaire fire station after 36 years of service, mostly with C Watch in Kilbarrack, which included being an EMS instructor.

LEFT:: It is with great sadness that we learned of the death of LEFT retired FF/P Robert Doyle in August. ‘Bobby’ was stationed on B watch in HQ for most of his career and represented DFB in athletics and volleyball at inter-brigade and international level.

LEFT:: Launching the Fireworks Awareness Raising LEFT Campaign at the Training Centre in September with Minister Heather Humphreys, An Garda and the ISPCA. BELOW:: Conducting checks on the two DFB rescue boats BELOW moored on the Liffey during Irish Port Safety Week, which ran until 5 November.

ABOVE:: Performing miracles during Swift Water ABOVE Rescue training in September.

ABOVE:: A hay barn fire in Kinsealy in September ABOVE saw four units including a water tanker work through the evening to get it under control.

RIGHT: Congratulations to our brave team RIGHT: of Firefighter/Paramedics who climbed Carrauntoohil in full PPE wearing Breathing Apparatus sets in less than ideal conditions to raise funds for Sienna Steps.

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02/12/2021 13:15

DFB IN BRIEF

@DubFireBrigade

ABOVE:: We said farewell to Firefighter/ ABOVE Advanced Paramedic Terry Dore at the end of October as he leaves us to take up a position with the HSE. Terry joined DFB in 2001 and has made a huge contribution as a phenomenal educator with an academic profile to match. Thanks Terry!

LEFT:: After holding his last ladder drill in LEFT Swords Fire Station for his watch at the start of November, the crew presented Station Officer Pete Sherlock with his farewell cake before he takes up his new role in North Strand.

ABOVE:: In September we said farewell to Firefighter/ ABOVE Paramedic Shane McGill after 38 years of service. Shane spent all of his operational career on C Watch in Finglas and since 2000 in Phibsborough. In his final years he held the position of union convenor. Have a long and healthy retirement.

RIGHT:: A hi-line rescue crew teamed up with Walls RIGHT Construction to carry out a joint exercise demonstration of a patient experiencing suspension trauma as part of Construction Safety Week in October.

ABOVE:: Swords firefighters ABOVE extinguishing a car on fire in Portrane in October.

BELOW:: In October we said BELOW farewell to District Officer Dave Kavanagh following almost 40 years of service. Joining DFB in 1982 as a mechanic, he transitioned to a Firefighter in 1985 and retires as the ‘D’ watch mobilisation officer.

ABOVE:: CFO Keeley is handed the keys to the first of four new Class B ABOVE Appliances by Noel Howard of HPMP Fire, joined by the Lord Mayor and Mayors of the three other Dublin councils.

LEFT:: Six units including LEFT a turntable ladder were called to a second-floor apartment fire in the city centre in November.

No injuries were reported.

ABOVE:: Congratulations to District ABOVE Officer John McNally and Station Officer Martin McCabe on their graduation as Masters in Environmental Health and Safety from TU Dublin.

BELOW:: With great sadness we learned BELOW of the death of retired firefighter Mal Keenan in September. Mal started and finished his career on C Watch at Dolphin’s Barn, and imparted his knowledge and experience to many younger firefighters.

BELOW:: Our Marine BELOW Emergency Response Team worked with the Irish Air Corps in November as part of refresher training in helicopter operations.

RIGHT:: On station RIGHT training on an improved ladder design with updated manual handling characteristics.

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WWW.SAFETYONTHEWATER.GOV.IE

STAY AFLOAT STAY IN CONTACT Before you commence any coastal or open water activity check weather and tides and observe local conditions.

If conditions are unsuitable or if in any doubt cancel your trip and stay safe.

• Plan your activity carefully and never participate alone.

• Let someone ashore know where you are going and when to expect you back.

• Carry a means of communication for raising the alarm should you get into difficulty (e.g. VHF Radio, PLB, Flares, fully charged mobile phone in sealed bag) • Check the Safety on the Water website www.safetyonthewater.gov.ie for information and safety guidelines.

NEVER EVER SWIM ALONE In an emergency, call the Coast Guard on Marine VHF CH. 16 or call 112 / 999

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HELP

CHARITY ABSEIL

FROM ON HIGH

Adam Hyland talks to S/O Dave Connolly about the recent charity abseil to raise money for Ronald McDonald House

Batman joined the team just as S/O Connolly stepped out

F

our Dublin Fire Brigade members recently went to great heights to help raise funds for the Ronald McDonald House charity that provides support and free temporary accommodation for families with children undergoing stays in hospital.

The team of S/O Dave Connolly, FF/AP Mark Shaw and FF/P David O’Brien from D Watch in Kilbarrack, and FF/P Rachael Lee from D Watch Phibsboro, joined 96 others from various organisations and businesses in taking on the challenge of abseiling down the iconic 190-foot Smithfield Chimney Tower, or the Generator Skyview Tower as it is now known, at the end of October.

Their efforts helped raise €3,790 for the charity, with the overall funds raised to build a 53-bed facility at the new Children’s Hospital coming in at more than €100,000, but the highly-publicised event also helped raise awareness of the charity and the great work they do.

“Ronald McDonald House came up with the idea for the event and approached Dublin Fire Brigade asking us to take part,” S/O Dave Connolly says. “They wanted us to help raise the profile because DFB is a good brand to associate with and has good reach through our very good social media.

They contacted Assistant Chief Greg O’Dwyer, who called me and asked would I be interested, and I said ‘Absolutely!’”

FUNDRAISING

S/O Connolly asked the three other team members to take part, and together they helped with promoting the event by bringing representatives from the charity to Phibsboro where, along with the Ronald McDonald House mascot Barróg, they recorded a video of abseil practice that FF/Ps Ray McMonagle and Trevor Hunt captured to post on social media and share with Dublin City Council to post on theirs.

“We also set up a JustGiving fundraising page and

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CHARITY ABSEIL provided a link to go to it and donate, and that promo day really raised awareness that the event was happening and encouraged people to donate online,” S/O Connolly says.

The entry fee of €100 each was covered by the DFB Sports and Social club, with each team member also having to raise a minimum of €400 each, so before the abseil, the serious business of raising money had to be done.

“The online fundraising was going well,” S/O Connolly says, “but we needed other ideas, so we got permission to do a bucket collection. I absolutely leveraged my rank and went out to the Training Centre and talked to the recruits, and got ten of them to volunteer to give up their free time and give us a hand, and we did a bucket collection at the start of October at Swords Pavilions Shopping Centre.

“We had a fire engine parked outside that attracted children who wanted their photo taken, and we shook buckets inside the Centre, along with the mascot Barróg (fittingly the Irish for hug), just to give families something to smile about.”

The bucket collection was a success, raising more than €2,500 in a few hours.

“I was a little apprehensive because we are becoming a cashless society,” S/O Connolly admits, “but the Irish people are great givers, and I was very pleasantly surprised with the results.

It was also great to see the recruits get

The long way down

a look at some of the core values of Dublin Fire Brigade, to see what we are about in terms of giving our time to help out in the community, our willingness to take part and help make things better for those who need it. It’s a pity we couldn’t show them the social aspect by going out for a few pints afterwards, but they were in the middle of their paramedic course and we had taken enough of their spare time.”

THE EVENT

The day itself soon came, and on 29 October the team of four joined the other 96 volunteers to abseil down the Smithfield landmark, which S/O

Connolly says was “great craic”.

“We were very grateful to be involved as participants amongst the 100 taking part who all in some way probably have a link to the charity and wanted to give something back, because it was about raising money and awareness for a very good cause,” he says. “As with any organisation and society in general, there would be a few people in Dublin Fire Brigade who have been supported by the Ronald McDonald House charity, and were very grateful for it, so it is something close to peoples’ hearts.”

As for the abseil…

“We all got harnessed up on ground level and went up the 16 flights of

FF/P Rachael Lee starts her descent

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CHARITY ABSEIL Promoting the abseil charity event at Phibsboro station with organisers from Ronald McDonald House and mascot Barróg

The Smithfield Chimney Tower is 190-foot high

and they “could just go out there and enjoy it”, but FF/Ps Shaw and O’Brien also took to it with gusto and as S/O Connolly says, “put on a calm exterior”.

“It was the first time they had done an abseil from this height,” he says, “but they are in the DFB so they took it on the chin and threw themselves into it, so fair play to them.”

All four DFB members descended without incident, with FF/Ps Lee, Shaw and O’Brien wearing their PPE gear for the event, and the team were even joined by Batman himself, although S/O Connolly says he unfortunately missed him as he had stepped away for a few minutes when the Caped Crusader did his abseil.

THANKS

“IT WAS INTERESTING WATCHING PEOPLE WHO HAD NEVER ABSEILED BEFORE, BECAUSE YOU COULD SEE THE CONCENTRATION ON THEIR FACES, AND THE TERROR!” spiral staircases you have to go up before you get to the rotunda or observation deck where you can look out across Dublin city and see how far down it is to the ground, so you are standing there watching people outside walking straight down past you on the other side of the glass,” S/O Connolly tells me, “and it was interesting watching people who had never abseiled before, because you could see

the concentration on their faces, and the terror! That took a lot of courage for them to do.

“Then you get out on the scaffolding outside and the experts from the company looking after the safety give you your instructions and away over the edge you go.”

S/O Connolly and FF/P Lee are experienced hi-line personnel, so the heights were nothing new to them

The total raised on the JustGiving page has reached more than €3,400, and while that is now closed, you can still donate directly to Ronald McDonald House at the following address: https:// rmhc.ie/donate-make-a-payment/ “The overall total of more than €100,000 raised is great,” S/O Connolly says, and he is grateful to have had the chance to contribute.

“I must thank DFBSSC for paying the entry fees, and Swords Pavilions for letting us do the bucket collection,” he says, “but I also have to thank the recruits who gave their time to help us with the bucket collection, and of course the other DFB members who took part and let me strongarm them into joining me to do it. And of course, thanks to Batman for joining us, even though I never got to meet him to thank him personally.”

FIRECALL WINTER

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30/11/2021 02/11/2021 11:14 16:13

PIPE BAND Piper Mark Toner at the 9/11 Commemorations at the US Ambassador’s residence in Phoenix Park

From Within

THE CIRCLE DFB Pipe Band Secretary John McNally recounts recent events and looks forward to 2022

U

nfortunately, the Dublin Fire Brigade Pipe Band is still in a very quiet period due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Since our last article, we have, however, resumed practice indoors in line with public health guidelines. This has allowed the band to get back to normal regular practice in preparation for the next year, which we hope will see public events with larger attendances return.

In October, District Officer Mick Hayes retired in his 40th year of service. Having been a former member of the band, we were delighted to play at Mick’s last parade in HQ and to thank him for his service and his dedication to the band when he played as a tenor drummer. The band would like to wish Mick and family the very best with a long, happy, and healthy retirement.

On September 11, we were delighted and honoured to

Mick Hayes’ retirement

play at the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in New York that were being commemorated at the Donadea 9/11 Memorial in Donadea Forest Park, Co Kildare. This event remembered FDNY firefighter Sean Tallon, whose father emigrated from the town many years before and who lost his life in the World Trade Center. Sub-Officer Brian Hughes and FF/P Ger Bolger played a moving rendition of Nearer My God to Thee.

As always, our solo pipers have been busy over the past few months with engagements including funerals and many last parades of retiring DFB members. Another 9/11 event, held at the American Ambassador’s residence in Phoenix Park, saw Mark Toner represent the Pipe Band as a lone piper, while he also played at the unveiling of a memorial plaque for John Nichol, a 19-year-old firefighter from Northern Ireland who died in the line of duty at a fire in

FIRECALL WINTER

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PIPE BAND Armagh in 1976. Unfortunately, the band’s long overdue AGM has been further postponed due to COVID-19, however we look forward to the year ahead and hope for busier times with plenty of gigs in the future and a new committee when the situation allows.

As has been said many times in past articles, we are always here to welcome new members to the band. New blood is vital to ensure that the band survives into the future. Whether its piping or drumming you may be interested in (maybe you would like to try both) the door is always open to new members. So, if you think you have what it takes or would like to give it a try, why not come along to the Training Centre any Monday night from 8pm and learn a new instrument? Beginners are very welcome and musical ability is not necessary.

We would also like to welcome previous members back as well as people who may already have piping or drumming experience. You will be given top class instruction by our two world class instructors Dave Rickard (Bagpipes) and Ciaran Mordaunt (Drums).

As always, the band is forever grateful for the support of associate members, DFB management and DCC. Without that continued support the band could not exist.

The band can be reached at any time through any band member, social media or by emailing: dfbpbsec@gmail.com

Solo piper Mark Toner at the unveiling of the plaque for fallen firefighter John Nichol in Armagh

Donadea 911 Memorial

Leading tributes in Armagh

“OUR SOLO PIPERS HAVE BEEN BUSY OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS WITH ENGAGEMENTS INCLUDING FUNERALS AND MANY LAST PARADES OF RETIRING DFB MEMBERS”

John McNally, DFB Pipe Band Secretary

Retired FBD member & Pipe Band drummer Mick Hayes

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Do you have an interesting story or topic to share, or would you like to submit an article for consideration for our next issue?

We love to hear from Dublin Fire Brigade personnel both serving and retired – stories and memories from your career, interesting events, technology and training, questions, comments and much more besides.

For further information contact the editor on 01 432 2241 or email adam.hyland@ashvillemediagroup.com Untitled-10 1 1C_Call for submissions_JM_FC 23.01.indd 1

03/12/2021 13/04/2021 09:57 10:26

CISM

CISM GOES VIRTUAL

Clinical Lead Aidan Raynor and Third Officer Brendan McNicholas (2nd and 3rd from right), with CFO Keeley and the presenters of the Recruit Family Evening

The CISM team used innovation to reach out to the families of new recruits online this year

“I

understand now why TV shows have so many people on the credits,” Third Officer Brendan McNicholas tells me as we talk about organising the Recruit Family Evening that was held virtually by the CISM team in August. He says that though it took a lot of planning and hard work, he was delighted with the end product that saw an estimated 150 people watch an hour-long production to introduce the family members of recruits to the rigours of becoming a Dublin Fire Brigade member, and the support systems in place.

This is the main aim of Critical Incident Stress Management within Dublin Fire Brigade, and as the other main organiser of this year’s virtual evening, CISM Clinical Lead Aidan Raynor tells me reaching the families of recruits and firefighters in general is hugely important.

“From research and current thought within the psychological community, we see the family as central to the wellbeing of the firefighter, as well as having a good social network,” he says. “It is a great protective factor for your mental health, a good coping mechanism.

“By communicating the difficulties involved in becoming and being a firefighter to the families, it can help to mitigate some of the issues that may arise. We want to communicate

with family and friends as early as we can, so that they can understand the pressures involved, and know what to expect.”Third Officer McNicholas adds: “Our CISM team did academic research into coping strategies and found that a good deal of recruits with less than two years of service speak to their family or friends first. It takes about five years before they begin to talk to their colleagues about incidents relating to their work.

“Therefore, we needed to equip the families of firefighters with the supports they might need to support their loved ones, to talk about the supports we have in DFB and Dublin City Council, and to be able to recognise when that support might be needed.”

CISM Coordinator Aidan Raynor says: “We outline the things to watch out for, if a loved one was experiencing difficulties, that there is a link into the CISM team, assuring them that we care for and will look after the firefighter and direct them to the appropriate support services available.”

GOING ONLINE

Under normal circumstances, those concerns are addressed and reassured at the annual Recruit Family Evening that takes place at the Training Centre, but the last couple of years have been anything but normal, and despite the tremendous work done to ensure a class of recruits went through training safely in 2020 while another is in the process of passing out this year,

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CISM

the usual event just hasn’t been possible since the start of the pandemic. “We had to take our hats off to all involved in getting the 2020 class through to pass out, but we just couldn’t do the family evening,” Third Officer McNicholas tells me.

That meant two classes were unable to experience the evening, but the importance of getting the CISM message out hasn’t changed. “We knew we had to reach these people, there was a big gap there, but there was just so much going on in 2020 that we didn’t have the time to organise an alternative to the in-person event.”

As a result, new approaches had to be taken. Chief Fire Officer Dennis Keeley understood the need to reach Recruit Firefighters and their families with the important message of CISM, and was most supportive of using new technology to do this.

“COVID-19 is obviously still around this year, meaning we again couldn’t host the event,” Clinical Lead Raynor says, “so we started to look what we could do, and eventually we started thinking about an online event, a webinar, where we could have 100 people or so attending online.”

Third Officer McNicholas adds: “The first question was: How do we do this and what system do we use?”

Another DFB member involved in planning, FF/P Conor Wickham, had used his IT background and expertise as part of the e-communications team at the Training Centre to develop the online platforms used to deliver courses simultaneously to recruits across several classrooms to ensure social distancing, and he was able to lend this expertise to the production, while further IT expertise was called on in the shape of Smart Dublin, the digital hub at Dublin City Council, and one Mainard Gallagher in particular.

“Mainard came on board, but we also have a highly experienced and established communications team in DCC with FF/P Ray McMonagle, who we leaned on a lot and who was a great help,” Aidan Raynor says. “We also had great help and direction from FF/P Wickham, and between us, we set up a central group to look at putting the webinarbased event together.”

“We tried to keep it as streamlined as we could, but we realised we needed different people with different skills,” Third Officer McNicholas says. “We needed somebody to direct the show, people to produce it, cameras, sound, graphics, floor managers, as well as presenters.”

CONTENT

First up was planning the content that needed to keep whole families interested and entertained.

“FF/P McMonagle had produced promo videos and we decided we could have a video of the Chief welcoming people in at the start, followed by a video of the recruits in training for the middle of the presentation, and finally a video concentrating on the nice things about working for Dublin Fire Brigade such as the social aspect, family events, delivering babies and community work,” Aidan Raynor tells me. “We came up with the running order of the Chief’s introduction, then Brigade Training Officer Brendan Carroll talking about the OBI itself, next D/O Willie Maher talking about fire and rescue, D/O Paul Lambert talking about the EMS side, and finally senior CISM Team member FF/P Brian Doyle talking about CISM, and FF/P Rachael Lee acting as compere. It was very important that we didn’t just have an hour-long lecture, we wanted to keep it interesting and flowing nicely.

“We had to keep in mind the target audience, which is the families of the recruits. If it was just several speakers talking, you could get bored quickly, so the videos worked well. Producing an hour-long video takes a lot of days of planning. You look at producing scripts, looking at what FF/P Lee could say to keep things moving along, training and practising with the presenters, going over each segment a number of times. It’s not as easy as it looks,” he adds.

The videos didn’t just break up the presentation, they acted as a fall-back in case technical issues arose. “I’d recommend anyone doing something similar to have some pre-prepared material like these videos, just in case there is a delay or any tech issues, because you can play them while you work it out,” Aidan Raynor points out.

“FF/P Wickham was very good at overseeing the production, and we had a room set up with himself as director and Mainard acting as a co-controller, and two video platform stations with two cameras set up. FF/P Lee stood at one platform and introduced everybody, who each took their turn to give their talk at the other.”

“As it got closer, we needed to make sure we had the presentations as sharp as possible and to run this over with the presenters, rehearsing it, individually and as a dry run on the evening before we filmed,” Third Officer McNicholas adds.

DIRECTION

“From a tech point of view, a lot of effort has been put in over the COVID-19 period to upgrade the IT infrastructure at the Training Centre so we could do things like this, with a lot of investment put in to make it accessible for distance learning,” FF/P Wickham tells me.

As a result, “directing things on the night wasn’t a whole lot different” because of his experience with that technology. What was new to FF/P Wickham was directing

BY COMMUNICATING THE DIFFICULTIES INVOLVED IN BECOMING AND BEING A FIREFIGHTER TO THE FAMILIES, IT CAN HELP TO MITIGATE SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT MAY ARISE. FIRECALL WINTER

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CISM

Innovative technology, word-perfect scripts and two filming stages meant a lot of work in the background was needed to make the presentation to families seamless

his colleagues. “That was a bit different alright,” he admits. “I had never done anything like that before, so it was interesting to work with firefighters and officers, and the CISM team, and it did take a good bit of organising from the point of view of setting up the scenes, how to slip between presenter and speakers, how to get the slides up on screen alongside the presenter, because we thought it important that people could see the speaker as well as the information they were getting across.”

He adds: “The technology we used and how successfully we used it is really only a side part of the importance of getting that CISM message out there. That was the real purpose of the night.”

RECEPTION

“The reception was very good,” Aidan Raynor says. “We felt it was going to be a success and it turned out that way, and that is all down to the work that was put in, from the development to the production.

FF/Ps Wickham and McMonagle are very professional and very good at what they do, as is Mainard Gallagher at DCC, so I knew we were in very good hands.”

“I’m very happy with it,” Third Officer McNicholas agrees, “but I am biased. I knew the amount of work that went into it, both with the people in front of and behind the camera.”

The presentation has been shared across other departments, and Third Officer McNicholas tells me other organisations have also been in touch asking if it could be shared.

“It’s in the can, so if anything goes wrong in the future that means we can’t do an in-person event, we do have this, but I think it is also useful for people who may have an interest in a DFB career and it is available for them to look at,” he adds.

“It’s recorded now, so we have access to it and can put it up for people whenever we need to,” Aidan Raynor says. “It is good that you are not just putting a whole lot of effort into a one-off, it can be used again, or segments of it can be. You are getting your bang for your buck.”

For him, another bonus of this recording is that the Dublin Fire Brigade and CISM message is accessible to more people.

“The personal touch is nice but it is also important to have the ability to communicate to a larger audience,” he says.

“For example, we can lay text over a video for individuals with hearing difficulties, or you can change the text it to different languages, so we can reach out to other communities.”

The main purpose of the Family Evening, though, was to get the CISM message across to the recruit classes from this year and 2020, and their families, as Third Officer McNicholas concludes: “We are conscious that the people who work in Dublin Fire Brigade need to know there are supports available in DFB, through the CISM peer support team and in DCC through the Dublin City Council Staff Support Service and also our Dublin Fire Brigade

The presenters watch from their studio as CFO Keeley’s welcome address is shown

THE TECHNOLOGY WE USED AND HOW SUCCESSFULLY WE USED IT IS REALLY ONLY A SIDE PART OF THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING THAT CISM MESSAGE OUT THERE Occupational Health Provider, and that their families know that too. One of the things we hope comes out of the virtual event is that families can recognise when their loved ones are not doing well and when they might need help or support, and that they know where to go to get that.”

“We’d love for all DFB members to sit down and watch the video with their families, and be able to say ‘look, this is what I go through, this is what my job looks like and this is what the CISM team does’,” Aidan Raynor adds.

The 24/7 phone numbers offering confidential advice and support are: CISM 1: 086 815 0181 CISM 2: 087 210 5276 CISM 3: 086 815 0183 DCC Staff Support Service: 01 222 5140 Facebook: DFB Stress Matters Twitter: @Dfbstress For further information, see www.cismnetworkireland.ie

You can watch the video at https://youtu. be/iA4e1qhbEYs or by scanning the QR code here:

22 FIRECALL WINTER Firecall CISM-FINAL_JM.indd 22

30/11/2021 13:58

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03/12/2021 09:59

9/11

9/11 COMMEMORATION

REMEMBERED 20 YEARS ON

Dublin Fire Brigade members remember and show their support for those killed in the 9/11 attacks

CFO Keeley and US Charge d’Affaires Alexandra McKnight pay their respects

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9/11 COMMEMORATION A minute’s silence is held outside Donnybrook fire station to remember fallen colleagues from the 9/11 attacks 20 years ago

Swords firefighters pay tribute to fallen colleagues from 9/11 with the equipment at hand

F

irefighters and Officers from across Dublin Fire Brigade marked the 20th year since the attacks on the US on 11 September, 2001, with a number of events to pay their respects and show support for the victims and their fellow emergency responders who lost their lives as a result of this terrorist act.

Members were invited to the US Ambassador’s residence in Phoenix Park on 9 September for a solemn ceremony, which opened with renditions of the Irish and American national anthems by tenor Paul Byrom, before CFO Dennis Keeley was joined by US Charge d’Affaires Alexandra McKnight to lay a wreath at the 9/11 Memorial that includes a piece of steel from the World Trade Center.

The number who lost their lives in the attacks included at least 18 Irish citizens and countless Americans of Irish descent. Ms McKnight addressed those gathering to mark the occasion, thanking Dublin Fire Brigade for their support, and saying: “Our bond throughout history’s triumphs and tragedies has been unbroken, and our common roots grow deeper and deeper every year. When history visits America, as it did 20 years ago, the impact here in Ireland is immediate, and so is our solidarity.”

CFO Keeley also spoke, saying: “It’s 20 years since the terrible events of 9/11, and in that time, events may have faded in the memory of some. But for so, so many, the pain of those events is as raw and painful as it was 20 years ago.

“Today’s memorial is a fitting tribute to all the victims and

a reminder, if one is needed, of the lives lost and the sacrifices made by so many. We are here to honour and remember those almost 3,000 lives claimed by the attacks.

“As the Chief Fire Officer in Dublin Fire Brigade, I am acutely aware of the bond and friendships between our nation’s first responders, statutory and voluntary agencies. The bond seen so often and demonstrated through the wonderful exchange of comradery and friendships, of the fire, police service, paramedics and other responder agencies of our two nations. Friendships that have been built on over generations and with many of whom have Irish connections.

“Tragically, that bond further intertwined in the events of 9/11, with the estimated 1,000 people of Irish descent tragically lost in the violent events of the day.”

At various fire stations across the city and county, DFB members marked the 20th anniversary in their own individual ways, with a minute of silence and tributes made and shared on social media.

On 12 September, the DFB Pipe Band took part in a memorial service with the Kildare emergency services in Donadea Forest Park, honouring FDNY firefighter Sean Tallon, whose father emigrated from the town many years before and who lost his life in the World Trade Center.

Sub-Officer Brian Hughes and FF/P Ger Bolger played a moving rendition of Nearer My God to Thee as the crowd remembered all those who passed away that day, including the first responders of New York.

“TODAY’S MEMORIAL IS A FITTING TRIBUTE TO ALL THE VICTIMS AND A REMINDER, IF ONE IS NEEDED, OF THE LIVES LOST AND THE SACRIFICES MADE BY SO MANY” FIRECALL WINTER

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CARCINOGEN STUDY

NOT JUST SMOKE Sub-Officer/Paramedic Terry Dent outlines the toxins that put firefighters in danger, and how DFB can work together to reduce the risks

Firefighters in smoky fire conditions

I

n 2016, while researching topics for my dissertation, I came across a quotation from The World Health Organisation International Research on Cancer Working Group, who in 2007 classified firefighting as “possibly carcinogenic to humans”.

Being a firefighter for nearly 29 years at that time, this caught my attention. The article suggested that “further research should be carried out to increase comprehension of what risks are involved”.

I carried out a survey to ascertain the level of awareness Dublin firefighters had of how different toxins can enter their bodies. As you would expect, their understanding of the dangers of smoke inhalation was very high, but awareness of other ways toxins can enter their bodies was not as high, nor was the importance of personal

hygiene, cross contamination of fire contaminates and regular PPE laundry.

Most of the research data in this article comes from fire services around the world such as the USA, Canada, Australia and the Nordic countries, primarily Denmark, who for many years have been promoting education to make their firefighters more aware of the long-term health risks when exposed to the types of carcinogenic material produced during a fire.

LONG-TERM RISK

It’s this long-term health risk that can reduce peoples’ understanding of the dangers. The latency period may be many years after exposure, and this may be one of the reasons firefighters develop bad habits such as not keeping SCBA on “after the fire is out”, during the damping down phase, or not using high-quality face masks as much as they should. This lack of understanding can

also lead to a lack of awareness around the dangers of bringing highly toxic and carcinogenic material we work in back to where we “live”.

In November 2020, Professor Anna Stec from the University of Central Lancashire completed an in-depth research project commissioned by the UK Fire Brigade Union (FBU), involving 10,000 serving firefighters, and unfortunately it discovered 4.1% of respondents had previously been diagnosed with a cancer. This is compared with lower than 1% for the same amount of the general population.

Of these, three quarters have served for at least ten years before receiving their diagnosis. More than half are under the age of 50 and a fifth are under 40.

Professor Stec said: “In my opinion, there is a direct link between firefighters’ occupation and cancer.”

She added that her research showed that firefighters showed above average

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CARCINOGEN STUDY rates for several types of cancer.

Of those diagnosed, 26% have skin cancer, followed by testicular cancer (9%) and head and neck cancer (5%).

A copy of the report can be found at https://www.fbu.org.uk/publication/ minimising-firefighters-exposure-toxicfire-effluents.

In parts of Canada, the United States, and Australia, they have introduced Presumptive Legislation to recognise certain cancers as occupational diseases amongst firefighters. In the UK, it has so far been concluded that there is not enough evidence to link occupational exposure to carcinogenic fire effluents and the higher risk of cancers, which means that if a firefighter believes their illness is work-related, they are required to prove it in each case. This would also be the case in Ireland at the moment.

TOXINS The amount of man-made materials now being used in building construction has led to much higher levels of toxins and carcinogenic material being produced at fires. The chemical composition of the smoke generated at a standard house or vehicle fire includes numerous toxic compounds, including: • Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs); A group of more than 1,000 different chemicals released from burning coal, oil, petrol/diesel, rubbish, tobacco, wood, etc. Their soot particles land on our PPE, exposed areas of skin, or are inhaled. When they dissolve, PAH particles can be absorbed into

the body more easily through skin cells, and are stored in fatty tissues where they can cause mutations leading to tumours.

• Volatile Organic Compounds; organic chemicals with very low boiling points, resulting in evaporation even at room temperature. They are the smells we get from our PPE off-gassing. An example is formaldehyde, which has a boiling point of -19°C. National Cancer Institute researchers have concluded exposure to formaldehyde may cause leukaemia, particularly myeloid leukaemia.

(American Cancer Society; May 2014).

• PVC Plasticisers; Found in thousands of household items. Di(2ethylexyl) phthalate (DEHP) was found in much higher levels than any other plasticiser. It was found on every item of firefighters’ PPE tested, in the USA. It was added to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) list of “Substances of very high concern”.

Unfortunately for firefighters, skin’s permeability increases with temperature and for every 5 degree increase in skin temperature, absorption increases by 400%. It is worth reading this fact again.

So, it’s not “just Smoke” Along with these individual toxins/ compounds, there is also the risk from the synergetic affect which causes these compounds to break down as they are burning and joining with

Toxins and carcinogens commonly released by fires

others to form many more unknown toxic compounds.

There is more toxic material produced at the “smouldering” stage of the fire, when a lot of firefighters have removed their SCBA. These toxins can be absorbed into firefighter’s bodies in three main ways: • Inhalation; by the early removal of SCBA during the damping down phase.

• Ingestion; some of the airborne material can make it into the throat and stomach of firefighters where it is then absorbed into the blood stream through the digestive system.

• Absorption; Particles some small enough to penetrate the skin by diffusion. In the USA, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), together with the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), (2013) describe how toxins can be absorbed by dermal absorption.

The diffusion takes place by three methods. The first is Intercellular Lipid Pathway, when chemicals enter the body through the lipidfilled spaces between skin cells. The second is Transcellular Permeation when toxins permeate cell to cell, diffusing directly through the outer skin. The third is through hair follicles and glands, and although this pathway is usually insignificant because the surface area is small, slower permeating chemicals may employ this pathway during the initial stage of absorption.

FIRECALL WINTER

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CARCINOGEN STUDY

PARTICLE EXPOSURE AND PPE The International Association of Firefighters commissioned full particle exposure testing at the Research Triangle Institute in North Carolina. A volunteer was kitted out in full firefighting PPE with SCBA and placed inside a particle-laden chamber, then asked to perform movements similar to ones done while firefighting, such as raising arms, crouching down, bending and twisting.

Afterwards, his PPE was removed by volunteers who were careful not to cross-contaminate his body.

Around the neck area (through his flash-hood) had some of the highest skin absorption levels. The torso at the waist level where the jacket met the leggings, and his hands were also contaminated, but what surprised the researchers was that contamination was seen as high up as the groin area.

This was probably caused by the “bellows” effect: when the firefighter crouched down, he expelled the clean air that was inside his leggings, resulting in contaminated air being drawn inside the leggings when he stood up.

Firefighters must understand what their PPE was designed to protect them from. Thermal protection is its main function. It is not a gas-tight suit.. At this time, firefighter PPE can reduce but cannot stop these particles getting onto their skin.

Soot can penetrate PPE because of its small size, illustrated here by the red particles.

The table below was devised by Dr Stuart Baxter, a leading dermatologist in the USA. It shows the absorption rates for different parts of the body.

Firefighters should note the high rates of absorption for the groin area and the jaw, forehead and scalp. It shows the importance of using wet-wipes immediately after firefighting, along with taking a full body shower as soon as possible. The shower should be just warm, not hot water to avoid skin temperature rising again.

CANCER RATES The University of Cincinnati carried out a three-year study, “Cancer Risk among Firefighters: A Review and Meta-analysis of 32 Studies” which was completed in 2005, and the results of that study concluded that firefighters have a: • 102% greater chance of contracting testicular cancer than any other type of worker • 53% greater chance of multiple myeloma

• 51% greater chance of non-Hodgkin lymphoma • 39% greater chance of skin cancer • 32% greater chance of brain cancer • 28% greater chance of prostate cancer • 22% greater chance of stomach cancer • 21% greater chance of colon cancer Cincinnati University head researcher Grace LeMasters stated: “Firefighters are exposed to numerous cancer-causing substances. We feel that the protective gear

that protects them from acute exposures, such as heat and carbon monoxide, doesn’t protect them from the chemical residues that cause cancer.” (It must be noted that PPE has improved significantly since this study) In the USA, the accepted overall increased risk for a firefighter to develop a cancer is 9% (NIOSH) compared with the general public. (https:// firefightercancersupport.org). But this must be added to the Irish Cancer Association figure of one in every two people living in Ireland contracting cancer at some stage in their life. Unfortunately, the chances of a firefighter dying of a cancer is 14% above the general population once they are diagnosed.

In San Francisco (which has one of the highest ratios of female firefighters) the Women Firefighter Biomonitoring Collaborative Study (http:// womenfirefighyerstudy.com) in conjunction with Berkeley University carried out research in 2013 to determine why there is a 15% above average breast cancer rate for premenopausal female firefighters, six times higher than the national average.

Current studies are focused around

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CARCINOGEN STUDY exposure to three specific toxins: flame retardants found on most household furniture, prefluorinated chemicals (PFCs) which make fabrics resistant to water and staining, and Diesel Exhaust gases. Studies have found exposure to these chemicals contribute to the development of mammary gland tumours.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, (Australia) and NIOSH (USA), carried out independent studies in relation to off-gassing from firefighter PPE, and both found raised levels of VOCs off-gassing from the PPE. NIOSH concluded that there was a direct relationship between the concentrations of the off-gassing chemicals and the analysis of exhaled breath samples taken from firefighters for traces of Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Xylenes and Styrene, while “concentrations of Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN) were found to be ten times higher than any other compound present”.

QFES, however, discovered that the concentrations of chemicals off-gassing returned to normal levels after the PPE had been laundered.

•

• •

•

•

• •

•

WHAT CAN WE DO? While a lot of the information in this article seems very negative for firefighters, the aim is to raise awareness of the environment firefighters work in, and the types of toxins they are exposed to.

The Hazmat decontamination policies that exist in Dublin Fire Brigade are without question more than adequate for decontaminating firefighters if responding to that type of incident. But now we must understand that due to the amount of man-made materials involved in domestic, vehicle, skip/rubbish fires and long exposure during wild fires, we need to consider these exposures as just as harmful to our health.

FIRE CONTAMINATE GUIDELINES: • Wear your full PPE at all incidents, including wearing BA at vehicle fires, facemasks at wildfires (Min. FFP3), and during the damping down phase of the incident • Remove as much heavy contamination

from PPE before leaving the fire ground, and wash any equipment used at scene Heavily contaminated and/or soiled PPE should not be worn on the appliance returning to station, and the OIC should inform the ERCC that the crew require decontamination and PPE change Flash-hoods should be washed on a regular basis Correct transporting of PPE in private vehicles, using sealed or zipped bags, such as those issued

by DFB PPE should be checked for cleanliness as well as damage, and sent for laundry regularly Keep equipment and appliances free from contamination, and keep living and administration areas in your station free from cross contamination Shower using warm water, as soon as possible Do not leave motors running inside engine bays, as diesel exhaust gases are classified as a Group 1 carcinogen, the same group as Asbestos Try to maintain a healthy weight and be aware of alcohol intake and diet

EXPOSURE TRACKING The establishment of an exposure tracking system would be a way to help build a profile for each firefighter’s exposure to dangerous toxins which they may have during their careers. They have been developed in the USA, Canada and some countries in Europe.

The National Fire Operations Reporting System (NFORS) Exposure Tracker App, developed by the International Public Safety Data Institute (IPSDI) offers firefighters in the US a way to track incidents and maintain an up-todate data set of their exposure to harmful contaminants, the data from which will help researchers better understand how occupational cancers and other hazards are contracted.

It would be a great benefit in developing this programme if I could

gather information about firefighters who have contracted a cancer while still serving or in retirement to help build a profile of how this illness has affected any of them, past or present. Obviously, I am fully aware that this type of personal information is highly sensitive, but if you would be interested in taking part in an anonymous survey, please go to this link: https://consultation.dublincity.ie/ learning-and-development/ab3c9c7f or scan the QR code below. I would like to get as many retired members to take part as possible.

THE FUTURE Going forward, I’d like to recruit representatives in every station to help coordinate further awareness and education on this topic with a oncea-year cancer awareness program displaying posters and literature.

The Movember Movement run by firefighters is a great example of keeping this topic to the forefront of people’s minds on an annual basis.

Getting people to change the bad habits that have become the norm is not easy and will not change overnight. We need people to help roll out this programme, people who are genuinely interested in firefighter’s health. It will be a long-term investment, but if we can make small changes to the way we do things, we can not only enjoy a long and healthy career, but also a long and healthy retirement.

If you are interested in becoming involved, get in touch with myself and I will be happy to talk to you about where we are hoping to go in the future.

All information correct at time of research.

HEALTHY IN, HEALTHY OUT! FIRECALL WINTER

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29 06/12/2021 09:45

HALLOWEEN

SAFE AT

SAMHAIN Call outs were down but Halloween remained an extremely busy night Firefighters extinguish a fire in a car that had been driven into a bonfire in Liffey Valley

Station Officer Darren O’Connor was on Ireland AM to talk about having a safe and enjoyable Halloween on the morning before the festivities got going

There was also the usual number of RTCs and other incidents to respond to

H

The map of Halloween call outs

“

“

THERE WERE 133 HALLOWEEN-RELATED FIRES RECORDED ACROSS THE COUNTY

“

THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN GENERAL EMERGENCY MEDICAL CALLS, WITH 483 RECORDED

“

alloween Night was as always exceptionally busy, with crews from across the city and county responding to a very large number of festivityrelated incidents on top of the usual call outs, and huge thanks must go to all for the tireless work they performed on that and every other day and night.

There were 133 Halloween-related fires recorded across the county. This was down significantly on last year, when around 300 call outs were recorded, with the very inclement weather playing a part in cutting the festivities short and reducing the number of bonfires that threatened to get out of control. Assistant Chief Fire Officer Greg O’Dwyer told media the bad weather had played a part, but also pointed to the work of local authorities in seizing a large amount of bonfire material exceeding the 550 tonnes seized last year – as a factor.

Members of the public playing their part, family-friendly community events supported by the local authorities giving people the chance to enjoy the night safely, and the fact that Halloween fell on a Sunday night when children were in school the next day may also have been factors, but so too was the safety campaign run by Dublin Fire Brigade across media and social media in the days leading up to the festival.

Station officer Darren O’Connor appeared on Ireland AM on the morning of 31 October to discuss how to have a safe and enjoyable Halloween, while DFB’s social media platforms highlighted the importance of safety, and the Samuel Beckett Bridge lit up with the DFB “Safe at Samhain” message.

Significantly, there was only one fireworks-related injury recorded over the course of the whole night. However, there was an increase in general emergency medical calls, with 483 recorded, up from 312 last year, and there were several incidents of concern across the city, with DFB crews having to intervene at several dangerous fires.

A car was driven into a bonfire at Liffey Valley, gas cylinders were found on a bonfire in Clondalkin, petrol was being thrown on a fire in Killiney, while large bonfires in Crumlin and Rathfarnham had to be extinguished when they posed a threat, and one in Leopardstown affected visibility on the M50.

One fire appliance suffered damage to its windscreen in the south city, but none of the crew were injured, and thankfully, all DFB personnel were able to return home safely after a busy night.

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STATION PROFILE

STATION PROFILE B WATCH DONNYBROOK

FF/P Laurence Ging, on ambulance duty during our call

Some of the B Watch Donnybrook crew members who were on duty at the Training Centre during the station profile

THE CREW FROM B WATCH DONNYBROOK TALK TO ADAM HYLAND ABOUT LIFE AND WORK AT THE STATION

R

ising cases in COVID-19 meant a trip to Donnybrook fire station in person wasn’t possible, but in talking via Zoom, it’s clear there is a lively atmosphere amongst the crew of B Watch.

“Moving to Donnybrook was a bit of an eye opener for me,” S/O Vincent Conroy explains. The acting D/O and former Dublin GAA star joined Dublin Fire Brigade in 1986 and was in Tara Street, then North Strand for many years, becoming a Sub-Officer in 2001, then back in the ERCC as S/O,

before he made the decision to move to Donnybrook.

“Donnybrook is a very different type of area, with a good number of hospitals and large nursing homes,” he tells me. “You also have the embassies and consulates, the Aviva and the southside of the city centre, as well as the Grand Canal, the River Dodder and the sea from Sandymount out to Blackrock.

“Tall and complex buildings is another major challenge for us,” he adds. “I knew the landmarks of the Southside from playing matches against Kilmacud

FIRECALL WINTER

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STATION PROFILE

Demonstrating HazMat decontamination procedures at the Training Centre

“THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THE CAMARADERIE AND THE WELCOME GIVEN TO YOUNGER MEMBERS WHEN THEY ARRIVE” Crokes or Crumlin back in my day, but now backing up Rathfarnham or Dun Laoghaire, or as D/O going to the likes of Cherrywood, Stepaside, Kilternan, and Dundrum up towards the Dublin Mountains towards Enniskerry, it’s phenomenal how much development has taken place. Also, just as North Strand covers the docks from the northside, we cover the southside.”

This means B Watch Donnybrook, with its two water tenders, HazMat Unit, ambulance and D/O vehicle, is responsible for covering the National Oil Reserves Agency stores at the old ESB facility near Ringsend, which has a minimum of almost 1.5million tonnes of refined oil and 70,000 tonnes of crude oil at any one time, while they also have a dual responsibility with Tara Street to cover the Covanta incinerator plant at Poolbeg, which handles 700,000 tonnes of waste every year.

“That gives a flavour of what we have to cover,” S/O Conroy says as he lists off the above. “Covanta is a massive facility, and the contents of the plant is obviously a major hazard.”

HAZMAT

Donnybrook’s speciality is HazMat, and this means the crew of B Watch have to respond to calls from all over the city, and S/O Conroy explains it is the reason he moved to Donnybrook, having witnessed first-hand the procedures involved when as an acting D/O in HQ he had to attend a suspect envelope sent to the Department of Health at the start of the COVID-19 outbreak.

“I watched the set-up of the equipment and procedures for sending people in wearing protective suits,” he tells me, “and I was very impressed, so I wanted to get involved in the HazMat set-up at the station that specialised in it.”

With that, S/O Conroy hands me over to FF/P Henry Brownrigg, who along with senior man Ben Wedick, is one of the most knowledgeable crew members when it comes to HazMat. Having joined DFB in 2009 in Donnybrook, he transferred to Dolphin’s Barn before undergoing a specialist HazMat course and then passing on his knowledge to recruits this year, before recently returning to Donnybrook.

HazMat response is B Watch Donnybrook’s special

“Dolphin’s Barn was a great experience for me, and that is why I went there - I wanted the experience because if you are ever going for promotion, you have to look to gain that experience, get yourself out there to learn new skills,” he says.

“In the last few years, HazMat training has improved a lot,” he adds, “and we now have a new vehicle to respond to these incidents as well as a new storage facility here, so there is definitely a push towards improving knowledge of it, and definitely in our station because it is our special. I was involved in HazMat training for recruits at the Training Centre, but there is also a lot of ongoing training that can be done at the station to improve your knowledge and skills.”

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STATION PROFILE

“IF YOU ASK ANYTHING OF ANYONE, THEY WILL HAPPILY DO IT FOR YOU” Covering the entire city and county means B Watch’s HazMat response can bring them as far away as Swords or Slane, he tells me. “It’s a timeconsuming procedure to turn out to these incidents,” he says, “but while every DFB truck is equipped to deal with a HazMat incident, we are always the second arrival on scene, and the number of calls we are getting is going up – more than 50 calls per year.

“We can deal with spills, and everyone is trained to properly wear the protective gear, so we can go in with specialist equipment when required, but our main job is to decontaminate those who may have arrived before us without the required skills or protective gear,” he says.

In covering the entire city with HazMat, B Watch gets to come into contact with all of the other crews, which FF/P Brownrigg says is one of the best things about working here.

SPORT

He also mentions the very large sporting element to the Watch, pointing out that as well as a former Dublin GAA player as S/O, among the crew is Joe Brennan, former Ireland hockey player and coach to the women’s hockey team, several fitness coaches including FF/Ps Sean Hayden and Laurence Ging, athletes, a mountaineer, sea swimmers, and their own football team, making them, as he says, “a very active Watch”.

“We do a lot of sporting activities

together,” he says, “both to stay active and to socialise, and this helps to strengthen the bond we have. We have a gym in the station, and FF/P Sean Hayden is a strength and conditioning coach, so if anyone wants any help, he is there to help, and that is a common thing in this station – if you ask anything of anyone, they will happily do it for you. Then we have FF/P Neil Kennedy bringing us on hikes into the mountains, for example, and it’s a good way of winding down.”

FF/P Marc McCann, who moved from Dun Laoghaire station to B Watch Donnybrook four years ago agrees. “Most of us are travelling in to get here, but we tend to come in early to go to the gym and talk, and the atmosphere is great, with everyone getting on really well,” he says.

FF/P Hayden adds: “A lot of us are the same age and we bounce off each other really well. Exercising together really helps you in the job because you are working with your mates rather than just work colleagues – literally in my case because one of the crew is a very close friend of mine!”

“It’s a very good way for the lads to get stuff off their chest, as well as to keep fit,” FF/P Neil Kennedy also says. “It’s a good bonding exercise. There’s also been an injection of young blood in recent years, and these crew members are up for a lot of the activities we are doing. We also had members training for the New York Marathon, with FF/P Brennan joining one of the younger members to take part, and that shows there is a good social interaction across our age group.”

“Talking of younger members, there’s a few of them out of your eyeline acting the b******s right now,” he tells me laughing, before he gets back to work.

KNOWLEDGE

The youthful energy on show combined with the knowledge of more senior crew members makes for a very efficient mix when it comes to the job, and gaining expertise.

“That knowledge of the senior men is very well passed on to the younger crew members, especially in the ambulance

and the reading of a situation,” FF/P McCann says. “I’ve picked up some of this, but I don’t know it all, and it is great to be able to learn more from the more experienced crew.

“Also, we are all there for each other.

If someone has personal issues, we try to look out for them, and we are all able to talk to each other about what is going on in the job and in our lives.”

S/O John McCormack, who joined B Watch Donnybrook after 25 years at Dolphin’s Barn, agrees. As a floating S/O, he gets to experience B Watch across three stations, and one thing stands out for him.

“These people are extremely hard working and very diligent, as well as great guys to work with and spend time with. That’s my experience across all three stations and it definitely applies here. The atmosphere is excellent, and we have a good age profile from quite young, compared to me, up to senior people who would have quite a lot of service and then some people with 15 to 20 years of service, so that adds spice to the mix. People feed off each other and the senior men are very good at mentoring the younger crew members, which is a huge benefit to officers running the station.

“In the three stations we have excellent senior men who set the tone by their example to all the other crew members. It is very important in any station to have a good senior man.

“Donnybrook holds a special place in my heart,” he adds, “because I spent two years here as a young firefighter. It’s also a nice area to work in: A bit awkward to get to, but nice once you arrive.

“It’s a very easy place to work in that respect. The sporting aspect and having a very fitness-conscious group also rubs off on us older members and encourages us to go that bit longer. You don’t want to let the side down!

“But for me, the most important thing is the camaraderie and the welcome given to younger members when they arrive. They very quickly become assimilated into a very positive culture, and that is driven by the senior men and the officers right down the line.”

FIRECALL WINTER

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STATION PROFILE

The crew of B Watch Donnybrook with S/O Conroy (back, centre) and former D/O Bisset (far right)

CAMARADERIE

As the newest crew member, or “the old, new lad” as he puts it, FF/P Ciaran Dunne agrees with this. Having served with the Air Corps 20 years ago, he eventually joined DFB last year after the embargo on recruitment put his successful application in 2009 on hold, and it was worth the wait.

“With recruit training they can only make it so realistic, so that first day is a bit daunting, but I remember walking across the car park and one of the crew came over and welcomed me,” he tells me. “There’s always someone there to answer questions and help you along the way, not just the older lads but the younger ones too. You don’t have to look around too much for someone to give you a hand, and you never have to do something on your own, and that is from the top down. It’s not just an officer telling you what to do, they are

hands-on and leading by example.”

SOLID

S/O Conroy points out that unfortunately, due to call outs and training at the Training Centre, several very important crew members are not present for our call, chief among these FF/P Brennan, senior man Ben Wedick, second senior man Glenn McNevin, Laurence Ging, Keith Gibson, and Sub-Officer Keith Dore, although the first two did at least feature the last time Firecall paid a visit to B Watch Donnybrook a few years ago.

“FF/P Wedick has spent most of his career in Donnybrook and is a seriously good senior man,” he tells me. “A great link man, very tuned in to the crew, which is great. Any problems don’t even need to come to me, it is sorted amongst the lads and with the senior man and Sub-Officer.”

With new D/O Noel Jackson’s imminent arrival at the station, I ask S/O Conroy what he will experience upon arrival.

“When it was put to me if I wanted to come out to Donnybrook as S/O, I talked to Jim Bisset who was here before me,” he tells me, “and I asked what I was walking into. He said there would be absolutely no problem. I moved over here and that’s what it was like. When the new D/O comes in, he will ask me the same question, and I will be telling him that we are rock solid here. The senior men, the Sub-Officer, the crew, are all willing to do the job, and they all get on very well.

“They can handle all issues they face, nobody has lost sight of the idea of helping people here, it is all about enthusiasm to do their bit for the public and it is a very enthusiastic station and Watch.”

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HISTORY

LOOKING TO

2022 A

DFB Historian Las Fallon highlights important anniversaries in Dublin firefighting history taking place next year

s I write this in November 2021, the country is still in the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a time that has brought such sadness to so many doors, it may seem insignificant that we have lost two years of very important anniversaries for this country.

Hopefully we can begin to plan for next year and the final emergence from this cloud, and it is to that end that I am looking ahead to some possible events and anniversaries which have significance for the DFB in the year ahead.

INSURANCE COMPANIES A block of buildings including The Gresham Hotel burning during the Civil War. ©National Library of Ireland

A motor and augmented crew on Gardiner Street waiting for the ceasefire in order to fight the fires in O`Connell Street at the start of the Civil War. ©Las Fallon Collection

While we are all aware of the significance of 1922 and the start of our Civil War, there is actually another anniversary which is worth remembering. In 1722, the first insurance company fire service was set up in Dublin when the Royal Exchange Assurance (REA) established an agency here to sell fire insurance and to provide a fire service for its customers.

“THE COMING OF THE INSURANCE BRIGADES WITH THEIR TRAINED ‘FIRE ENGINE ESTABLISHMENTS’ CONTRIBUTED MUCH TO THE SAFETY OF THE CITY” FIRECALL WINTER

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37 30/11/2021 12:31

HISTORY Three firemen ‘effecting an entry’ at Fowler Hall, the Orange Order headquarters in Dublin that had been occupied and burned by Republican troops. ©National Library of Ireland

Prior to that, the citizens of Dublin relied on a mixture of the original city fire service set up in 1711 (and whose 300th anniversary inexplicably went unmarked in 2011) and the parish pumps of each of the Church of Ireland parishes in the city. Neither service used trained firefighters and their contribution to the safety of the city was patchy to say the least.

The coming of the insurance brigades with their trained ‘fire engine establishments’ contributed much to the safety of the city. Initially reserved for the sole use of the companies’ customers, over time they began to fight any fire they were called to. On the establishment of the Dublin Fire Brigade in 1862, some of the insurance company brigades remained in service, working beside the city crews for a number of years.

A Royal Exchange fireman’s jacket and equipment. ©Las Fallon Collection

EXHIBITION

I hope to mount an exhibition on the role of the insurance company fire brigades in Dublin in the 18th and 19th centuries during 2022. As those who know me will know, I have been a collector of early fire service material for many years and have a particular interest in the insurance fire brigades. As things stand, I hope to mount this exhibition working from my own material, showing items such as firemarks, uniforms, helmets and equipment of the various insurance fire brigades, along with information panels and illustrations showing their work and influence on the development of the fire service in Dublin.

Three 18th Century leather fire buckets including a Royal Exchange one dated 1720. ©Las Fallon Collection

AS THOSE WHO KNOW ME WILL KNOW, I HAVE BEEN A COLLECTOR OF EARLY FIRE SERVICE MATERIAL FOR MANY YEARS AND HAVE A PARTICULAR INTEREST IN THE INSURANCE FIRE BRIGADES. A helmet thought to be from the Sun insurance company’s Dublin office. ©Las Fallon Collection

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30/11/2021 12:31

HISTORY A poster of a Sun Assurance fireman with an insurance fire engine in the background. ©Las Fallon Collection

the heaviest fighting there and whose family have very kindly made a wealth of material available to me.

The Brigade also took part in many of the public events of the day, including Michael Collins’ funeral, and I have unearthed some previously unseen photos of them at that event.

POWER SHIFT

Following on from the Civil War, the new Government soon began to suspend local authorities in what historian Diarmuid Ferriter has called a show of ‘utter contempt’ at government level for local democracy in the new state. The local authorities had, by pledging their support to Dáil Eireann rather than the British authorities in the 1919-1921 period,

This will hopefully be set up in conjunction with Dublin City Council, in a suitable venue. I would hope to publish a guide to any exhibition with photos and background, and may be talking to the Sports and Social Club about that aspect of the anniversary.

CIVIL WAR

The other big anniversary next year is of course the start of the Civil War, and in DFB terms the events around the attack on the Four Courts that started the war and the fighting in the following days leading to the fall of Dublin to the pro-Treaty forces.

It is a subject I looked at in my first book, ‘Dublin Fire Brigade and the Irish Revolution’ in 2012, but so much new material has become available since then that it is a subject that would repay another look.

From the DFB perspective, it was the heaviest fighting and destruction in the city since the 1916 Rising. On another front, many DFB members played a part, from those who went absent from the Brigade in order to report back to their IRA and ICA units to fight for the Republic, to those who were heavily engaged in that fighting but would join the DFB in later years. I am aware of a number of stories which have so far been untold and of more information now available on others which I have looked at in the past.

There are other stories too from the Revolutionary period and ongoing research has highlighted some that I had not come across in the past. These include the story of the daughter of a fireman who hid guns for a local IRA unit in the hose stores of her father’s station, or the future wife of another fireman who smuggled guns and explosives around the city and later served as a first aider in the Block (the Republican stronghold) in O`Connell Street during

A Sun Assurance fireman’s arm badge identifying the fire insurance company. ©Las Fallon Collection

“THE REPERCUSSIONS OF THIS SHIFT IN POWER WERE FELT IN DUBLIN FIRE BRIGADE AS MUCH AS IN ANY OTHER PART OF THE CORPORATION”

helped both to undermine British authority in Ireland and to support the ‘shadow state’ being established under the Dáil.

Some see the actions towards local authorities in 1923 by the Civil War victors as ensuring that the local authorities could not challenge their supremacy in the same way. In Dublin’s case, the Corporation was suspended for seven years and the city run by a commissioner. When power was restored to elected representatives in 1930, it was clearly laid out that the real power lay with a new figure, the City Manager, rather than the Lord Mayor, as was previously the case.

Over those years in the 1920s and early 1930s, the repercussions of this shift in power were felt in Dublin Fire Brigade as much as in any other part of the Corporation.

I hope to tell these stories in a new book being written for Kilmainham Tales who have previously published two of my three solo books. With the kind permission of the DFB Sports and Social Club and the publishers of this magazine, I will also be revisiting past articles for Firecall and bringing them up to date for the new book.

I also hope to tell the story of items from my own collection built up over the years, both photographs and artefacts. The whole book is planned as an anthology and hopefully a resource for future historians of the DFB. In the meantime, I will also (if editors Adam Hyland and Dan Fynes will have me!) continue to contribute articles to this magazine. That’s the plan at least – now to make it happen!

FIRECALL WINTER

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39 02/12/2021 13:19

PEARSE STREET COMMEMORATION

ALWAYS REMEMBERED A

The 85th anniversary of the deaths of three firefighters in 1936 was marked in a moving ceremony in October

commemoration ceremony honouring the three Dublin Fire Brigade firefighters who lost their lives at a fire on Pearse Street in 1936 was held at Glasnevin Cemetery on 5 October, the 85th anniversary of the tragic event.

The families of the three firefighters were joined at the ceremony by retired and serving firefighters, with CFO Dennis Keeley paying tribute to Peter McArdle, Robert Malone and Thomas Nugent, whose deaths led to an inquiry that helped introduce steps to modernise the fire service in the city.

Speaking to those assembled, CFO Keeley said: “It is a great honour to welcome you today as we remember the 85th anniversary of the three Dublin Fire Brigade firefighters who lost their lives fighting a fire on Pearse Street in 1936.

“Organisations like ours look to the future and prepare for it but equally we are deeply aware of our heritage. We remember the legacy left to us from those who went before, those who built that tradition of excellence, of selfless service and devotion regardless of personal cost.

“Our roots run deep in the history of this city and nowhere do they run deeper than here at these three graves. The last resting places of Dublin firefighters who gave their lives together on that awful night on the 5th of October 1936.

On that night they responded to a fire at 134 Pearse Street, and while fighting that fire, were killed when the building collapsed after the fire caused an explosion of gas cylinders stored in the basement of that premises.

“In the aftermath of that disaster and their joint funerals, they were taken here to this historic place for burial, and here they lie. We come here today as we come here on other days, to remember them.”

CFO Keeley also paid tribute to the late Anthony Behan, nephew of Robert Malone, historian and public speaker who wrote and gave talks on the Pearse Street disaster, and to retired D/O, historian and author Tom Geraghty, who was a driving force behind placing a memorial plaque for the three men at the location of the building on Pearse Street. “His research and writing on the fire have preserved the history of that night,” he told the crowd.

“That history is our shared history, our heritage, part of our organisation’s culture, and this site of these men holds a special place in the story of Dublin Fire Brigade. We will remember them always.”

“OUR ROOTS RUN DEEP IN THE HISTORY OF THIS CITY AND NOWHERE DO THEY RUN DEEPER THAN HERE AT THESE THREE GRAVES”

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ATHLETICS

Some members took place in the recent Wheelworx FASTLANE Half Marathon

KEEPRunning ON

The DFB Athletics Club continues apace, despite some setbacks, and looks forward to next year, writes FF/P Padraig Thompson

T

he last few months have been difficult for the Athletics Club but despite the restrictions we have been able to organise a few very worthwhile events that I am pleased to say were a great success.

In May, we held our fundraising 5km run for little Sienna Clare, the daughter of FF/P Ciaran Clare of B Watch in No.9. Sienna needed to raise more than €120,000 to go for a life-altering surgery in St Louis in the US, with months of recovery ahead on her return to Ireland, and we were delighted to help out.

Everybody who signed up could do the run in their own time over the course of the weekend of 15 – 16 May and

send their results in to us, and this virtual event ensured that everybody remained safe and followed health and safety guidelines. Together, the club raised more than €5,500 to contribute towards the fund, and with many other DFB personnel getting involved in fundraising challenges, the target is going to be met.

COACHING

Over the last few months, some of the DFB Athletics coaches have been completing their Level 1 Coaching Badges with the Athletics Association of Ireland, with the plan being that they will then proceed to Level 2 Coaching, with more

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ATHLETICS new coaches beginning Level 1. The Athletics Club is paying for all of the coaching courses through its membership fees, which we are very grateful for.

MARATHON

The major event we were all looking forward to this year was the New York City Marathon 50th Anniversary Race, held on November 7, when we had planned to have 24 DFB members running through the Five Boroughs of NYC, and a support team of 15 non-runners joining us. As it coincided with the 20th anniversary of 9/11, we had hoped to meet up with our colleagues in the FDNY for some miles (they still use the imperial system!)

Unfortunately, we missed out by a single day, as the borders of the US remained closed until November 8, meaning we couldn’t fly over and take part, which was hugely disappointing, but unavoidable given the circumstances. The plan now is to attend next year, and we will be advertising for interested bodies soon, so keep an eye on the Athletics Club notifications.

EVENT

On 11 September itself, we did manage to have a great event to mark the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in the US. With all government guidelines adhered to and with social distancing in place, we had 48 participants take on three various distances (10km, 22km and 32km) around the beautiful town of Dun Laoghaire. It was amazing to witness, and more importantly, it was great to meet so many people I had only gotten to know by name during lockdown and our virtual events. All participants received our very popular 9/11 20th Anniversary Technical Tee. All our members will also be receiving their very own lightweight running vest, personalised with the DFB Athletics logo, and our environmentally friendly reusable 750ml DFB Athletics Water Bottles as a thank you for their support in setting up the club.

The DFB Athletics water bottles (and hot drink tumblers)

“IT WAS GREAT TO MEET SO MANY PEOPLE I HAD ONLY GOTTEN TO KNOW BY NAME DURING LOCKDOWN AND OUR VIRTUAL EVENTS” 2022

We have some plans that we will be finalising over the next few weeks, and already we are looking towards the Half Marathon in Paris on March 6, and are hoping to bring a good team to that. Of course, we have to be careful with the dates, as we don’t want to impede on plans for the World Fire Games in April. We also plan to have a team participating in the Manchester Marathon in April of next year, while before that we aim to have numbers attend the Inner-City Running Clubs Night Run on March 4, and are hoping to have a good show of members participate and show their support for the new running club in the city.

Meanwhile, we are also trying to find a new home for the club next year, so keep an ear out for news of a new clubhouse.

Finally, I have to say that the club has been very lucky and has had the continued support of the committee and members of the Dublin Fire Brigade Sports and Social Club.

We are very grateful for what they have done for our young club, and we are looking forward to working hand in hand with the DFBSSC as we prepare for the major events of next year, which will include the aforementioned World Fire Games in Lisbon at the end of April.

We have a limited supply of new training tops available

The 9/11 Challenge Tees

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GOLF

CLUBBING TOGETHER

The DFB Golf Society members made 2021 a good year despite the restrictions, and look forward to 2022, writes Dave Kavanagh

A

s the golf season comes to a close on a very strange year due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation, we look forward to a new golfing year in 2022.

Looking back over 2021, it was a successful year, despite the circumstances. We managed to fit in seven outings in total, with average attendance of 60 to 70 golfers at each outing.

We celebrated our 50th Anniversary in Beech Park golf club, with more than 90 golfers playing on the day. Each member of the golf society received a golf shirt, a sleeve of golf balls, a golf ball marker and a Challenge Coin Medal, all designed with the new emblem designed by FF/P Stephen O’ Reilly.

MAJORS

Our Captain Karl Byrne’s Day was held in Arklow Golf Club, with 76 golfers playing on a very challenging course. Neil Corcoran emerged as winner with 36 points. Our Past Captain’s prize was won by Martin Halstead, and the Retired Members Cup went to Maurice McCann.

The DFB golf committee would like to thank Karl for his term as captain in what was a very challenging time because of COVID-19.

Our President Martin Gallagher’s Day was held in his home club of Laytown this year.

Another great day’s golf was held, with 66 golfers playing for the top prize, which was won by Joe Kelly with 41 points.

DRAGER CUP

Club Captain Karl Byrne

Our last outing of the season was the highly-anticipated Drager Cup. This annual competition sponsored by our Sports and Social Club is played against Northern Ireland Fire Service.

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GOLF

“IT WAS A SUCCESSFUL YEAR, DESPITE THE CIRCUMSTANCES” This year the venue was Seapoint Golf Club, Co Louth. We had 84 players take on the challenge of this fantastic course.

The match was tight, with our top ten scores pitted against theirs. With a fantastic score of 48 points, Paddy Cahill helped seal the win for DFB to bring the cup back home, with a great combined score of 397 points. We look forward to travelling to Royal Belfast next year to try to retain the Cup. Our AGM was held on 6 December in Corrstown golf club, starting with a 9-hole shot gun start, followed by soup, sandwiches, and then the meeting.

NEXT YEAR

Looking forward to our 2022 season will see us start our first outing in Beaverstown on Friday, 22 April, and following on with outings in Woodbrook, Skerries, Rathfarnham, BlackBush, Greystones, Headford (Captain’s Day), Dun Laoire, Royal Belfast (Drager Cup), Balbriggan (President’s Day), Lisheen Springs and finishing in St Ann’s.

The committee would like to thank DFB Sports & Social Club, and DUBCO credit union for their continuing support, and want to wish all our members a very Happy Christmas and good golfing in the new year. And remember, anyone wishing to join the golf society can contact any member of the committee.

NIFRS member Kerry Mc Laughlin handing over The Drager Cup to Paddy Cahill of DFB

Neil Corcoran receiving the Captain’s Cup from Karl Byrne

The 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coin

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GEOFF TRACEY

HITTING the canvas FF/AP Geoff Tracey talks to Adam Hyland about creating works of art

P

FF/AP Tracey with his stencil work of Adrian O’Grady

Pablo Picasso once said that art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life. With this in mind, it was fitting to see the artworks of emergency services personnel go on display as a collective at the Frontline Emergency Services Art and Photographic Exhibition held at the Printworks in Dublin Castle in August.

Featuring paintings and photographs from members of the various services, depicting either their experiences or their impressions and inspirations over the last 18 months when all emergency services were stretched to the limit by the pandemic, it included a work

by Dublin Fire Brigade FF/AP Geoff Tracey.

His piece “A Fresh Coat” – a spray paint and acrylic on canvas – depicting a young girl painting a sun over an enlarged depiction of Coronavirus, took its place among works by other frontline workers, and is something he is very proud of.

“It is nice to have your art recognised and framed somewhere, to be able to bring my family in to have a look at it hanging, to be able to say I did that,” FF/AP Tracey, who works on A Watch in Tallaght, tells me. “I don’t care about it being sold, just having it hanging in a gallery was important to me, especially because of the subject matter and everything we have been through as emergency personnel in the last couple of years, and the message I tried to get across in it.”

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GEOFF TRACEY “A Fresh Coat” which featured in the recent Frontline Emergency Services Art and Photographic Exhibition

Howya Horse

CREATIVITY

This work is just the latest from FF/AP Tracey, who has been commissioned in the past by DFB colleagues, friends and local groups to bring his eye-catching imagery to life, especially in public settings. Some may recall his beautiful depiction of the much-missed Adrian O’Grady, which was completed last year, or seen his works around the county.

“I was always interested in art, always drawing as a child,” he says, “but I didn’t even do it for my Leaving Cert, but when I went to college I diversified and went into landscape design, which has creative elements to it. But when I joined Dublin Fire Brigade, I took it up in earnest, especially in the last ten years and particularly in the last two or three years, when I have been making a proper go of it.”

Self-taught, he started off painting images on bedroom walls, he tells me, and from there he went off and taught myself how to spray paint, watching artists online and learning how to do it. “It was always a hobby, but I wanted to learn how to do it properly,” he tells me.

“From there I branched out into doing stencil art, and I began hand-making all of my stencils. The Adrian O’Grady piece, for instance, was all hand-cut stencils, and the process I use to make these pictures is very time-consuming, there’s probably 20 hours of work involved in making it, but the result is good and it looks just like a stylised photo of him.”

That particular picture came about through a fellow DFB and Athletics Club member Podge Thompson. “We were doing the Big Jessie Challenge fundraising run in remembrance of Aido during lockdown, and we came up with the idea,” he says. “The Athletics Club sponsored it and paid for the materials, so I created it and we presented it to Aido’s wife Helen. That picture now sits proudly in her house, and means a lot to me.

“I was very fond of Aido,” he continues. “I worked with him in Dolphin’s Barn because although we were on different Watches our paths often crossed, and he was a Station Officer in Tallaght when he passed away so we would have chatted several times a week.”

“I TRY COME UP WITH MODERN IDEAS WITH A BIT OF A TWIST AND A MESSAGE”

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GEOFF TRACEY The process of stencil-based artworks itself is complicated, and takes time to master.

“I get a photograph – that one was taken of Aido at the top of a ladder years ago on O’Connell Street, before digital photography – and manipulate it in photoshop into however many colours I want to use,” he says. “In the case of Aido’s picture, it was 11 or 12 different colours, then I get 11 or 12 copies at full size and cut out each colour and spray and layer them up. It’s a complicated process to get your head around to do it properly, knowing the order to put them in. It just takes practice.”

WORKS

The piece from the recent exhibition also stands out.

“I had the idea of that image knocking around in my head for a while – a little girl painting the sun over COVID-19,” FF/AP Tracey tells me. “I had it drawn and went about stencilling it as a canvas, using the same process as I used with the Aido piece, and am very proud of the results.”

His works have also adorned otherwise unremarkable pieces of street features, such as electricity boxes and walls.

“I’m not just spraying walls,” he is quick to point out, “but I have covered a lot of walls in my local area for various projects, such as the artist collective Dublin Canvas.”

I ask if he has a favourite from these, and FF/AP Tracey says one of the beloved Dublin character Patrick Finlay, otherwise known as Paddy Drac, who donned a full Dracula costume every St Patrick’s Day and at local festivals and events, springs to mind.

“The feedback I got from that was great,” he says. “Paddy was a real character and everyone knew who he was. I grew up around the corner from him and asked his permission to paint the picture, but unfortunately he passed away before I could finish it.”

Another favourite of locals, “Howya Horse”, has recently been painted over due to Dublin Canvas’ approach of replacing artworks every three years in order to give other artists a chance at exposure.

“I’m sure Paddy Drac will be painted over in the coming years too, but that is just how the process works with street art, it’s transient temporary, an evolving art form,” he says.

“WHEN I AM AT VARIOUS STATIONS OR JUST MEETING OTHER DFB MEMBERS, THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE CREATIVE INTERESTS – WHETHER IT IS PAINTING, POETRY, WHATEVER – IS HUGE” are looking at and seeing the message within it.”

FF/AP Tracey is also full of encouragement for any other DFB member with creative talents, and urges them to be proud of what they do.

“When I am at various stations or just meeting other DFB members, the amount of people who have creative interests – whether it is painting, poetry, whatever – is huge, there are lots of people doing it. Maybe they are shy or embarrassed about it, because in our line of work there is a lot of mick-taking, but if people can get a bit of recognition, like I did with my gallery piece, maybe they can be encouraged or inspired to pursue their talents. Don’t mind what anyone says, let your talent come to the fore.”

Check out FF/AP Tracey’s Instagram account to see his works: @geoff.tracey81 A favourite of FF/AP Tracey’s – Paddy Drac

INFLUENCES & INSPIRATION

When it comes to influences, FF/AP Tracey mentions prominent Irish artists who he says he admires and aspires to be like, including activist and artists ADW, who he describes as “the best stencil artists in the country”, and Maser, who he sees as “a pioneer in that he has gone from street art to established artist”.

When it comes to inspiration, FF/AP Tracey says a lot of his work is “trial and error” and that while many of his works are commissioned requests, he likes to “try come up with modern ideas with a bit of a twist and a message”.

He returns to the exhibition piece as an example. “It’s a message disguised as a child painting the sky,” he says, “and you look at it and at first that’s all it is, but when you look closer you see what it is I am getting at. It’s those things I want to aspire to, things that make you think about what you

FF/AP Tracey has been commissioned for several private works

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CAVAN TRAGEDY

NOTES

Former D/O and historian Tom Geraghty’s rediscovering of an old document sheds light on a notorious incident and an insight into Fire Brigade history, writes Adam Hyland

ON A TRAGEDY R

etired D/O, Fórsa trade union leader, historian and author Tom Geraghty has over the course of his career established himself as an invaluable chronicler of Dublin Fire Brigade history. Perhaps best known for co-authoring the excellent and definitive The Dublin Fire Brigade: A History of the Brigade, The Fires and the Emergencies, with Trevor Whitehead, he remains a fountain of knowledge and preserver of many important and interesting documents from the annals of the organisation.

One such document that he unearthed in the course of his extensive research into his book, and which he has kept with a view towards donating to the DFB Museum, is a letter written by DFB Chief Officer Major James Comerford in 1943 to Brian O’Nolan, better known as the author Flann O’Brien, who also wrote under the name of Myles na gCopaleen. The letter is important for two reasons: it highlights the details of the foundation of the Reserve Fire Service established in Howth in 1942, but more importantly perhaps, it also sheds light on a very interesting aspect of one of Ireland’s most notorious tragedies – that of the deadly Cavan Orphanage Fire in 1943.

BACKGROUND

Mr Geraghty wrote to me in my role as editor of this magazine, outlining the importance of the document and enclosing a copy, and urged me to read up on the Cavan fire, its causes and aftermath, having rediscovered the letter while poring over large volumes of documents he has kept at his home for years.

“In the process of clearing out a lot of files and documents I have gathered over the years, I came across this letter in a bag among thousands of others from DFB meetings and correspondences, as well as Dublin City Council archives that were left in bags, awaiting destruction,” he tells me. “So many documents were just put aside and deemed irrelevant, not looked at or considered of any use, and were set to be gotten rid of, when I found them in store rooms and offices while doing research,” he tells me. “They were literally in bags, in piles, mixed together, and in keeping all of these memos and minutes of meetings, there were a few very interesting documents. I recently came across this again, and would like it to find an appropriate home.”

The letter from Major Comerford, who was part of the Tribunal of Inquiry into the fatal Cavan fire in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, along with Senior Counsel Mr Joseph McCarthy and a Mrs Mary Hackett, was written to Mr O’Nolan, an official of the Department of Local Government and Health who was acting as secretary of the inquiry, to describe how he had established the Howth Fire Reserve, outlining the necessary equipment, manpower, structure and financial resources, and how this could easily be replicated in Cavan to eliminate the chance of any such tragedy reoccurring.

TRAGEDY

Brian O’Nolan, aka Flann O’Brien

The tragedy itself took place at St Joseph’s Orphanage on Main Street, Cavan, on 23 February, 1943, when a fire broke out in the basement laundry. It was first noticed around 2am, with locals hurrying to the scene but unable to gain access. When one of the girls let them in, they were unable to locate the rest of the orphanage inhabitants

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CAVAN TRAGEDY

St Joseph’s Orphanage in Cavan was completely destroyed, with the lives of 35 children and an elderly woman lost

because they didn’t know the building’s layout, and the girls had by this time all been moved to one dormitory by a teacher who was sleeping in the same dorm as the girls, Miss O’Reilly, who had not been asked to take part in fire drills.

At this stage, a safe evacuation would have been possible, but it was widely claimed that the nuns refused this as they didn’t want the girls to be seen in public in their nightgowns, and they instead urged the locals to attempt to put the fire out.

They tried, but very quickly, the fire spread and was beyond control, making it impossible to escape through the main entrance or the fire escape.

A local firefighting team arrived, but their equipment, when they finally located it at several different sites, was

inadequate – wooden ladders too short to reach the windows and a hose too weak to damp the flames. With no other options, some girls tried to jump to safety, while several more were rescued when a longer ladder was brought. The remaining girls, 35 in total ranging in age from four to 18, and the elderly cook, a sister of the Mother Superior, died.

None of the sisters of the convent were killed.

INQUIRY

The public inquiry set up in its aftermath found that the tragedy occurred due to a number of factors – faulty directions being given, lack of firefighting training, an inadequate rescue and firefighting service in the area, and inadequate

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CAVAN TRAGEDY

“THE FUTURE OF THE FIRE SERVICE GENERALLY LIES BETWEEN A REGIONAL FIRE SERVICE, WITH A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CENTRALISED DIRECTION AND TECHNICAL ADVICE, AND A FULL NATIONAL FIRE SERVICE” MAJOR COMERFORD, 1943 training of staff in fire safety and evacuation. The local Urban Council’s failing, the report found, included not acquiring the proper equipment, not starting a training programme for local volunteers, and having no satisfactory arrangements for the quick turnout of equipment in case of fire.

The fire itself was blamed on faulty wiring, which was disputed by many, including Brian O’Nolan, who, writing as Flann O’Brien, penned a limerick:

In Cavan there was a great fire, Judge McCarthy was sent to inquire, It would be a shame, If the nuns were to blame, So it had to be caused by a wire.

Whatever the cause, the tragedy could have been averted had there been a properly trained reserve fire service in the area, rather than local volunteers without the necessary equipment or experience to make a difference.

Major Comerford noted that there was no local authority fire service in the area, despite the recent 1940 Fire Brigades Act allowing that: “Every sanitary authority shall make reasonable provision for the prompt and efficient extinguishing of fires occurring in buildings and other places of all kinds in their district.”

Major Comerford, in a memorandum to the Inquiry, suggested what he saw as

The opening to Major Comerford’s letter to Brian O’Nolan

the best way forward, as The History of the Dublin Fire Brigade outlines. “The future of the Fire Service generally lies between a Regional Fire Service, with a certain amount of centralised direction and technical advice, and a full National Fire Service.” In other words, Cavan should have had a reserve fire service in place.

As Mr Geraghty details, Comerford urged a regional system, saying “improvements need to be made generally in the fire fighting organisation throughout the country… such facilities cannot be satisfactorily provided by the numerous sanitary authorities as at present established.

Any such facilities must of necessity be built around the provision of cadres of wholetime permanent fire service personnel, organised throughout the country in the larger centres of population, while all other personnel could be part-time and paid small retaining fees on an annual basis.”

The Tribunal report mentions that Major Comerford had outlined the annual cost of establishing this.

HOWTH RESERVES

In the letter to O’Nolan, Major Comerford goes into further detail. He mentions that prior to the establishment of the Reserve Fire Service in Howth, there was a volunteer fire brigade in place with a small trailer pump and a lorry they intended to use for towing but which had fallen into disrepair. The pump and lorry were

Major Comerford’s DFB Service Badge

Dublin Fire Brigade Chief Officer Major James Comerford

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CAVAN TRAGEDY reconditioned and customised for purpose, but most importantly, the volunteers were properly trained, with 15 selected to become part of the Reserve Fire Service.

He also outlines how the structure of his new service works. “These 15 are divided up into two crews of five for the trailer pump with a Sub-Officer and Leading Fireman for each crew and a Station Officer in general charge,” he tells O’Nolan. “The crews do duty or Watch week about and sufficient of them must always be available in the vicinity of Howth to answer a call.”

The pay structure is also outlined, with firemen paid £6 per annum, Lead Firemen £9, Sub-Officers £12 per annum, and the Station Officer in general charge £18 per annum. “They get no other payments,” he points out, before mentioning that the fire station was reconditioned

Station. The Howth Section arrived at the scene of the alleged fire six minutes after the call was sent out and had ‘water on’ and a jet working in somewhat less than nine minutes. The Dublin Section arrived on the scene in 15 minutes.”

This was despite the fact that one retained firefighter was busy milking a cow at the time, while another was working as a gardener at Howth Castle.

“At night, a similar test was carried out,” Major Comerford continues, “but as it was assumed that the Howth people could mobilise more rapidly at night, Sutton Cross, two miles from Howth Fire Station, was chosen as the scene of the test call. The Howth ‘Retained’ Section arrived on the scene in eight minutes, the Dublin Section in 12 minutes.”

“THE MOST I HOPED FOR WAS THAT THE LOCAL CREW WOULD BE AT LEAST AS FAST AS THE CITY CREW” and provided with a telephone with extensions to the houses of the Station Officer and the senior Sub-Officer.

He outlines how this community-led set-up ensures rapid response to fires and other incidents. “Nearly all the personnel live in the one area in Howth and they have arranged a call-up system between themselves,” he says.

“In addition, we have erected a fire bell in the yard of the Station officer’s house, which can be heard even at night over practically the entire area.”

The overall cost, he outlines, was £250, but taking into account the fact that a pump and vehicle were already in place, though in disrepair, he estimates that, as he outlined in his report to the Tribunal of Inquiry into the Orphanage Fire, a similar service could be established in an area such as Cavan for a total of £350 per annum.

Regardless of the cost, having a reserve fire service in place was something he saw as highly advisable, especially given the early results he saw from tests carried out on the Howth Section.

He details as follows: “While I have not yet issued written regulations governing the procedure, the system has been in place for some time. I recently carried out day and night tests in the area for the purpose of determining how rapidly the Watch on duty could be mobilised and whether, allowing for the fact that the personnel were at their normal avocations particularly during the day time, they would be able to beat a full-time section from the City to a fire in the Howth area.

“For the day test we released a Regular Fire Service section from Buckingham Street Station and, at the same time, called up the Station Officer’s house in Howth, giving the location of the test fire call as Howth Railway

The outcome, Major Comerford admits, were surprisingly good. “These results have rather impressed me,” he says.

“The most I hoped for was that the local crew would be at least as fast as the City crew. The results indicate that a Retained Service, with a proper call-up system, trained to a reasonable standard of efficiency can be on the scene of a local fire with a reasonable amount of rapidity and can, under such conditions, do quite effective work.”

OUTCOME

Tragically, these findings and recommendations were not taken on board by the Cavan authorities, probably because what Major Comerford suggested would require Government to make significant changes to the 1940 Fire Brigades Act, with the Tribunal into the fire citing “considerable practical difficulties” and instead urging more specific standards be set up for dangerous buildings.

No amendments were made to the 1940 Act, and Major Comerford’s advice to establish a Reserve Fire Service in Cavan was ignored.

Whatever the outcome of the Tribunal of Inquiry’s report, it is at least satisfying to see that while others looked to identify who to blame, and dismissed the recommendations of Major Comerford on the grounds of “practical difficulties”, it was he as the only actual firefighter on the Tribunal board who looked to see how such events could be avoided in the future through the practical measures of establishing a trained and prepared regional reserve fire service. While he remains a controversial figure by many, seen as much as “a dictator” (as Mr Geraghty’s book points out) as he was an innovator, he did embody that instinct and devotion to saving lives that is central to the DFB.

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RED and READY

FIRE SAFETY WEEK

Fire Safety Week again saw buildings light up red to support the campaign’s message

One of the eye-catching Red4Ready billboard messages

Civic Offices

Trinity City Hotel

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his year’s annual Fire Safety Week ran from October 4 to 11 and saw organisations and businesses across the city and county embrace the message of fire safety awareness.

This year’s theme was “Working Smoke Alarms Save Lives – Test Yours Weekly” and as well as encouraging people to ensure their home has a working smoke alarm that is tested regularly, the campaign also asked the wider community to look out for each other, especially those most vulnerable and at risk.

DFB HQ

Heuston Station

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FIRE SAFETY WEEK Speaking ahead of the launch of the allisland campaign organised by the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency and the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, CFO Dennis Keeley said: “We urge people to keep themselves safe from fire, be aware of the hazards, have a working smoke alarm in your home, and a plan for your escape.”

The eye-catching awareness campaign was spread across digipanels, cinemas, billboards, bus shelters, in traditional media and on social media, with a #Red4Ready initiative posted on the Dublin City Council website with downloadable advice and tips on fire safety and the dangers of smoke.

It was also marked by more than 100 buildings joining fire stations across the county in lighting up in red for the duration of the week, with the Mansion House, Hugh Lane Gallery, Samuel Beckett Bridge, Olympia Theatre, the Royal College of Surgeons, Heuston Station, the Shelbourne Hotel, Busáras, Balbriggan courthouse, the Customs House, and the O’Connell Monument at Glasnevin Cemetery among the many who took part.

Dublin Fire Brigade would like to thank all those who helped get the message of fire safety out there.

Dublin Port Company HQ

National Gallery of Ireland

The Samuel Beckett Bridge George’s Plaza Quay

Fowlers Malahide

The O’Connell Monument in Glasnevin Cemetery

Swords Castle

The Mansion House

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NATIONAL SERVICES DAY

CONTINUING TO SERVE

Despite restrictions, DFB and other frontline services were able to mark the day thanking them for their protection

Frontline emergency services gather with Lord Mayor Alison Gilliland to praise their ongoing efforts to keep the city and country safe

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National Services Day was once again a muted affair this year, with the ongoing pandemic meaning frontline organisations, without the chance to parade in front of the public, sought different ways to display their resilience and unwavering service to the people of Dublin and Ireland.

Dublin Fire Brigade held a Parade of Light Dublin City Drive on Saturday, 4 September, starting at 5.15am and taking the procession from Cunningham Road through the city centre to Dublin Castle. Given the early hour, no sirens were used, with flashing lights and dipped headlights guiding the way.

A commemoration service was also held at Collins Barracks later that day, with CFO Dennis Keeley joining the heads of all frontline organisations, guest speakers, the Lord Mayor of Dublin Alison Gilliland, and members of the DFB Pipe Band to honour the work of the emergency services and lay a wreath in remembrance of all those who have passed away because of COVID-19.

Speaking ahead of the ceremony, he praised the work of DFB members and all other frontline organisations, and outlined the determination to put more people into service to help the public, saying: “We are extremely careful with our staff and taking all precautions to make sure they and the public are kept safe. With the advent of COVID-19, we felt it would be important to have a level of resilience and the numbers, so we brought forward the recruitment campaign that has of course brought its own challenges in terms of trying to deliver training with the level of health restrictions that would be required, but we had unprecedented use of space and pods, so a whole new training programme was adopted.

“Training staff and the recruits themselves have been very cooperative and understanding of the need for these restrictions and different methods of teaching, but training still takes place, albeit restricted, even multiagency, and cooperation and interaction between the agencies has never been so good.”

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COPERNICUS

Eyes on THE EARTH

The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service collects valuable data on wildfires and their pollutants, Dr Mark Parrington tells Adam Hyland

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s all firefighters will know, the danger from fires is not limited to what they burn, but also the emissions they cause and the effects they have on air quality, and as wildfires increase across the globe, this is a large-scale issue. This past summer saw extreme wildfires across the Northern Hemisphere, with intense hotspots around the Mediterranean basin and in North America and Siberia, with the months of July and August seeing their highest ever global carbon emissions.

Observing, monitoring and recording these events requires a bigger, global picture, and this is where the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) comes in, keeping scientific eyes on Earth from above.

CAMS

Implemented by the European Commission with funding from the EU, CAMS, which is a section of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), uses a combination of static and orbiting satellites, as well as strategically placed monitoring stations across the planet, to record and analyse wildfire activity in near-real-time. They measure the heat output or fire radiative power (FRP) of

Senior Scientist and wildfire expert at CAMS, Dr Mark Parrington

these wildfires, as well as their effect on air quality, and this year report that not only were large parts of the Northern Hemisphere affected during this year’s boreal fire season, but that the number of fires and their persistence and intensity were “remarkable”.

Senior Scientist and wildfire expert at CAMS, Dr Mark Parrington, leads the work on wildfire emissions and their influence on global atmospheric composition, and though his work also includes monitoring pollution events, “wildfires have a huge impact on the atmosphere worldwide, so that still takes up a lot of my time”.

Having completed a PhD on ozone in the stratosphere and a post-doctoral fellowship on air pollution as observed

by satellites, he has, in his own words, “come down from the stratosphere to the surface” following research in Canada and then Edinburgh that involved observing forest fires from a plane over the boreal forests of Ontario. “There were always fires in the summer in that area, and it was clear to me that fires were a big part of air pollution. That cemented my interest in fire, that field campaign looking at identifying where there were fires and where there may be more in the next few days, planning a flight path to intercept smoke plumes.

“At CAMS, I spend every day doing something similar, albeit from the ground, looking at the global picture to see where there are fires, what

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COPERNICUS

the smoke emitted looks like, and highlighting these fires that are taking place in various parts of the world to the global media to show the data and explain what it means.”

This is done by incorporating the near-real-time images of wildfires, the atmospheric chemistry, emissions, and source of a fire into the ECMWF weather forecast model to get a fuller picture and understanding of the composition of the atmosphere at any given time.

“We also take in all of the available satellite observations – temperature, winds, sea surface temperature – as well as data measuring different gases in the air, aerosol and particulate matter, the numbers that represent pollutants throughout the depth of the atmosphere as seen in our 3D model, so we know where it is and where it should be, whether pollutants are near the surface (and therefore a risk to populations) or higher up in the atmosphere.”

OBSERVATION

This data is validated and evaluated against information obtained from global and regional models that include surface measurements from a European Regional Air Quality team and the European Environment Agency, with full reports available to download from the ECMWF website “so that anyone can see how close to the truth we actually are in what we measure and forecast”, Dr Parrington explains.

The satellites that keep an eye on events below are instruments launched

by NASA more than 20 years ago, but Dr Parrington says there are contingencies in place so the feed of wildfire data goes uninterrupted. “It’s amazing it has gone so far beyond its expected mission time,” he tells me, “but there are other instruments picking up similar measurements that we are testing in our system with a view towards replacing those original ones when they do disappear.

“We are looking at how we use geostationary satellites in a fixed position that measure the same area throughout the day, rather than those

“IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT A FARMER’S FIELD BEING AFFECTED, IT CAN POTENTIALLY AFFECT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN TOWNS AND CITIES BECAUSE OF THE RESULTING POLLUTANTS” in polar orbit, so we can get hourly coverage and hopefully in the future we will have more timely information available that will have an application in wildfire management on the ground.”

That information doesn’t extend to live coverage, “but we can give the relevant scale, and because we have the relevant data over 20 years, we can also give some context as to how unusual that scale of emissions is for a particular country or region” he explains.

He continues: “You could look at a particular region such as Ireland and identify where any trends in fire locations are occurring, and that can help with better preparation longer term. Very much related to this is being able to show what happens to the smoke and atmospheric pollution, giving you a good illustration and justification for why wildfire fighting is important.

It’s not just about a farmer’s field being affected, it can potentially affect thousands of people in towns and cities because of the resulting pollutants.

Typically, when this affects population centres is when it hits the news, as we have seen in Canada or California or Australia, and in Europe recently.”

ANALYSIS

CAMS also uses a process called reanalysis that can run over many years and enables it to compare a particular year’s pollution with previous years.

“This is useful because it doesn’t just show where fires have occurred, but you can also look at patterns in different pollutants such as PM2.5 or nitrogen dioxide that give a sense of how different areas have been affected by fire pollutants over the course of two decades,” he says.

Dr Parrington adds that the information available and the means by

which it is recorded has seen a growth in interest from governments and national agencies interested not just in air pollution but how their services can fight wildfires tactically. In spring 2021, CAMS held a workshop on fire management and fighting applications based on observation data, and he says that those in attendance were a mix of academics and a growing number of people involved in practical wildfire management. “The point of that workshop,” he explains, “was to get the wildland firefighting community together with the Earth observation community and identify where the common ground is, what it is they need from earth observation to improve their operations.”

He also mentions an EU Horizon 2020 project researching how observational data can be translated into useful information for tactical firefighting, while another project in Ireland looked at observation in relation to fire management focusing on peatland fires “and the other types of fires you get in Ireland”.

WILDFIRE GROWTH

The role satellite data can provide is becoming an increasingly important one as large wildfire events continue to grow. Although, as Dr Parrington says, Ireland sees very few truly bad wildfires, this can’t be said of other regions, as recent CAMS reports show.

“The striking thing has been the fires in places that historically haven’t had them as bad before,” he tells me, “such as in Siberia. There have been really big fires within the Arctic Circle in the last couple of years, burning for several weeks at a time, and continuing all the way from June to August. North America saw a similar picture this year.”

The data is alarming. The eastern

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COPERNICUS

The Fire Year as observed by CAMS

The data is alarming. The eastern and central Mediterranean saw prolonged wildfire events this summer, with daily fire intensity reaching new records daily in Turkey, and other countries including Greece, Italy, Albania, North Macedonia, Algeria and Tunisia also suffering badly.

While the Sakha region of Siberia typically experiences wildfire activity every summer, 2021 has been described as “unusual, not just in size but also in the persistence of high-intensity blazes, with a new record for emissions set in August and overall emissions double that of the same period last year.”

July was a record month globally in terms of CO2 emissions, with 1258.8 megatonnes released as a result of wildfires. More than half of this carbon dioxide was attributed to fires in North America and Siberia. August saw another 1384.6 megatonnes of CO2 released globally, with Arctic wildfires releasing 66 megatonnes of CO2 between June and August. Estimated CO2 emissions from wildfires in Russia as a whole from June to August amounted to 970 megatonnes.

“It is concerning that drier and hotter regional conditions - brought about by global warming - increase the flammability and fire risk of vegetation,” Dr Parrington concludes. “This has led to very intense and fast-developing fires.

The Weather Room at the European Centre for MediumRange Weather Forecasts

“IT IS CONCERNING THAT DRIER AND HOTTER REGIONAL CONDITIONS BROUGHT ABOUT BY GLOBAL WARMING - INCREASE THE FLAMMABILITY AND FIRE RISK OF VEGETATION” While the local weather conditions play a role in the actual fire behaviour, climate change is helping provide the ideal environments for wildfires.”

With tactical planning to fight wildfire growth becoming increasingly urgent, it is now necessary for

governments and national agencies to strategise in order to combat this growing threat, but thanks to CAMS, the vital data needed to observe this spreading danger is available, as their eyes in the air above us gather information that will help those on the ground.

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RETIRED MEMBERS

RETIRED MEMBER PROFILE Noel Hyland

Retired Sub-Officer Noel Hyland talks about his family’s DFB legacy, a daring rescue, and enjoying life

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here are many Hylands in Dublin Fire Brigade, and though it is a surname shared with Firecall’s editor, we are not related. Recently, as editor, I received a call from retired Sub-Officer Michael Hempenstall, who got in touch to tell me about a brave rescue from the Liffey back in 1985 involving one Noel Hyland. It was a great story Michael was eager to share, so it was with pleasure that Firecall contacted Noel to hear about this deed and his career in general.

Noel ‘in a different life’ as a DFB Sub-Officer

LEGACY

“We have a good-sized family in Dublin Fire Brigade,” he tells me. “I was the first to join, back in 1976, but in 1981 my two brothers Liam and Paul followed me in. Years later, my son Mark also joined Dun Laoghaire Fire Brigade and wasn’t there long before it amalgamated with Dublin Fire Brigade, then my nephew Cameron joined, and now my grandson Craig and granddaughter Amy have joined as well.”

It’s understandable why the rest of the family followed him into the Brigade, but I ask Noel what led him to join.

“I never wanted to do anything else,” he says. “I made five separate applications to join the Brigade, and I’d spent eight years with the Civil Defence Auxilaries, so I had the idea in my head for a long time.

“I got in just under the wire because at that time the cut-off age was 26, and I was accepted and put on the panel when I was 25, and actually began training just when I turned 26, so I just made it!”

Noel says his Civil Defence experience stood to him “because I was joining with 32 other people and

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RETIRED MEMBERS

Noel (front row, second from left) with his Dolphin’s Barn C Watch crew and D/O Paddy McMahon (front and centre)

was the only one who had seen a roll of hose in their lifetime” and the training and discipline required were something he was used to.

When training was completed, he was sent out to the newly-built North Strand station to provide manpower ahead of its official opening, before he was posted to Tara Street on C Watch, which he stayed on for his entire career.

He remembers seeing Dublin Fire Brigade transform during this time.

“I went through the beginning of the transition from the old pen-and-paper Control Room that at the time we shared with the Eastern Health Board to the newer, separate Control Room,” he tells me. “When I started, both Control Rooms could literally shout over to each other. Older firemen like myself will also remember the call recording in Tara Street, when we had an occurrence book that had to be filled in and updated almost minute by minute, and the three-way phonecalls you had to make to every station in the city, and looking back it was a crazy way of doing things, but it was what we had at the time.”

RESCUE

It was during his time in Tara Street that Noel was involved in the Liffey

rescue that Michael Hempenstall told me about, saying that as the officer in charge of the incident, he had composed a letter of praise to his seniors recommending Noel be officially recognised for his bravery. No official record of the incident remains, which is why Michael Hempenstall urged that the act “gets the recognition it deserves”.

Noel is full of praise for Sub-Officer Hempenstall too. “Mick Hempenstall would have been a doer,” he tells me.

“He wasn’t afraid of getting stuck in. I had great time for him, and he always knew who was on his engine and what crew he had working with him.”

Regarding the incident itself: Three men who had been sitting on the wall with their backs to the river near O’Connell Bridge had been pushed in by a group of other men, and none of them were able to swim to safety.

“It was a very busy night and I was put on the emergency tender to respond to this call,” Noel recalls. “It was high tide and the water was on its

way back out to sea, and when we saw the situation, I remember saying to Michael we were going to have to go in and get these men because they were moving quickly with the tide, and were flailing around.

“I went in and quickly got two of them over to the wall where the lads had dropped ropes down that they could hold on to, but the third man had gone with the tide. I was a strong swimmer back then, so I swam after him and got hold of him about 150 yards from where he had first gone in.

“Ladders were dropped down over the wall and the three men were brought up to a waiting ambulance, and before I even got out of the water myself, they had been taken away. I’d say that from the time we arrived to the time they were climbing up the ladder couldn’t have been more than five minutes,” he adds. “Back then in times like that you had to work on your own initiative, and thinking back, you’d hate to think how far down the river that man would have gone in that tide if

“I HAVE TO SAY, I ENJOYED EVERY MINUTE OF THE JOB, RIGHT UP TO THE DAY I LEFT”

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RETIRED MEMBERS I’d had to put on a flotation device and harness. We worked with what we had.”

With the three men rescued, SubOfficer Hempenstall wrote up his recommendation, but the first Noel heard about it was when he received a letter of commendation from Michael Walsh, the Assistant Chief Fire Officer at the time.

“It just said he had gotten the report of the incident and sent it to the City Manager, suggesting that I be given a President’s Award,” he tells me, “but then I got a call from the superintendent of Pearse Street saying he had gotten the letter back from City Hall, but that because there was no Garda presence at the scene, there was no written record, and so the recommendation couldn’t go any further.

“That was the end of the matter, as far as I was concerned,” he tells me. “I just got on with the job, but the funny thing is that I remember immediately after the incident, I went back to Tara Street and had a shower, but because in those days you had very little uniform, I had to get a loan of a shirt, trousers and a pair of socks, and ten minutes later I was back waiting for the next call. I didn’t even get a pair of jocks!”

“They were different times, and we did the best we could with what we had.

In fairness to the Corporation, they had what was available at the time to allow us to do the job and you couldn’t expect things that weren’t even thought of at the time, all the cutting equipment they have now, for example. We went to RTCs with two crowbars.”

DOLPHIN’S BARN

After ten years at Tara Street, Noel was posted on a permanent transfer to Dolphin’s Barn, which he says was very busy because with Tallaght fire station not yet built, the station covered a huge area, and there were many more memorable moments.

“Those moments I remember would have been done collectively, turning out on engines with hard-working crews,” he says. “But there was one incident about 25 years ago when myself and my colleague Frank Cullen got a call over to Fatima Mansions to a woman in the very late stages of labour. We knew we wouldn’t be able to get her down out of

The Hyland family (back row from left): Noel’s nephew Cameron, grandson Craig, son Mark with (front row from left) brother Liam, granddaughter Amy, Noel, and brother Paul outside the Training Centre

the flats and into an ambulance, so we helped deliver twin babies there and then. I thought no more about it, but a few years ago I was messing around on Facebook one night and a message came in from a woman who said she hoped I didn’t mind her asking, but was I ever in Dublin Fire Brigade, because she thought I might have delivered her and her twin in Fatima Mansions.

“She told me she had been looking to talk to me for 15 years and came across me on Facebook by accident, and that her mother always talked about two firefighters helping her to give birth in her bedroom in the flats, and I could see from what she was writing on Facebook that she was telling all her friends she had found me, and her friends were congratulating her and saying how she had been looking for so long, so it was clear she was delighted about it. That was a great feeling for me.”

After eight years, he was promoted to Sub-Officer and moved to Dun

Laoghaire station where he also occasionally filled in as acting S/O, and spent the rest of his career there until he retired in 2005.

RETIREMENT

“Retiring wasn’t something I had planned years in advance, but because I joined when I was 26, by the time I had my 30 years nearly done I was 55 and that was the magic number,” he tells me.

“Myself and my wife had been doing a lot of travelling and realised there were so many places to see and things to do outside of life in the Fire Brigade, so we never looked back after that.

“I have to say, I enjoyed every minute of the job, right up to the day I left,” he adds. “What I enjoyed most was that you literally didn’t know what you were going to be doing from minute to minute. The camaraderie within the station never leaves you either. We always had good times, even out at incidents.

“I have to say I worked under some

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RETIRED MEMBERS

“EVERY CREW IN EVERY STATION FEELS LIKE THEY ARE THE BEST CREW IN THE BRIGADE, AND TO BE HONEST, THEY ALL HOLD THAT ACCOLADE” fantastic officers too. There was a D/O in Dolphin’s Barn when I joined called Paddy McMahon, and I don’t think I could have had more respect for any man in my life as I did for him. The people I soldiered with in the Brigade, their dedication to the job was unbelievable, from the officers right down to the firefighters, they were a great bunch. I’m sure every crew in every station feels like they are the best crew in the Brigade, and to be honest, they all hold that accolade.”

Having said all that, Noel says he is happy to have been in Dublin Fire Brigade when he was, and that he was ‘of his time’. “I used to say that if I had to do it all again, I would, but I know it’s not the same job now that it was when I was working,” he tells me.

“You do miss the camaraderie, but you can also step outside of the DFB

and have friends from other activities. I became very involved in motorhoming towards the end of my career. My wife and I were always going away after I retired, we did a lot of continental travel and made a lot of friends that way, becoming involved with a club that I became chairman of for six years.

“Sometimes I feel like I’ve lived two lives, because the fire brigade was 15 years ago now, and I am still fit and healthy and I have to think back and go ‘did I ever work?’ trying to recall those days.”

Noel says he now spends his time with family and walking to keep fit, but while he is ‘between motorhomes’, he is on the lookout for a new one and aims to return to some of his favourite spots around Europe when the chance arises, and to just enjoy life.

“I have had a very happy life and I am happy with it the way it is now,” he says. “It gave me a good life, it raised my family comfortably, and I will be forever grateful for that. I steered my brothers in, my son, my nephew and my grandchildren, and Craig and Amy are having the time of their lives because I told them both that you will never look back when you go into this job.”

The family meets then-Lord Mayor of Dublin Nial Ring

Noel Hyland Noel’s letter of commendation from Assistant Chief Fire Officer Michael Walsh

“YOU WILL NEVER LOOK BACK WHEN YOU GO INTO THIS JOB”

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From horses to horticulture, experience that may be enjoyed as part of a guided tour or at your own leisure.

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Contact: John Barry / David Casey The Courtyard, Hill Street, Dublin 1 T: 01 8870690 F: 01 8870684 E: info@mssirl.ie W: www.mssirl.ie

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18/10/2021 16:14

Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy The Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy is a Catholic Religious Women’s Congregation.

Catherine McAuley founded the Sisters of Mercy in 1831 in Dublin, Ireland.

Her aim at the time was to care for those who are poor, sick and uneducated.

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Today, over 1,500 members follow in the footsteps of Catherine McAuley in 7 countries worldwide

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BINGE WATCHES More great series to catch before the emergence from lockdown means sitting at home watching TV all day is no longer an option

THE WHEEL OF TIME Amazon Prime, 1 Series

Amazon have taken note of Sky Atlantic’s hugely successful Game of Thrones and opted to produce a lavish sci-fantasy epic of their own, based on the series of novels by Robert Jordan. Many of the backdrops and surroundings will look familiar to fans of that series and indeed Lord of the Rings, with similar themes of an impending all-out war and long quests to beef out the minor characters. Rosamund Pike leads the cast as a member of an all-female coven who protect the world, guiding a band of young men and women across dangerous lands, and both Michael McElhatton and Maria Doyle Kennedy make up the obligatory Irish contingent of supporting actors. The novels span 14 books, so expect this to either run and run, or crash and burn, but either way it will be interesting to see how it takes over the swords and sorcery mantle from its George R.R. Martin-penned predecessor.

INVASION Amazon Prime, Apple TV, 1 Series Apple has really thrown a lot of money into appealing to sci-fi fans, with several big-name productions on the way. One of the first is this much-anticipated and big-budget ten-part series that weaves together the experiences of several people in different countries around the world as Earth is invaded by aliens.

Most notably, Sam Neill plays an American sheriff, while other characters include a Syrian family in New York, a US marine in Afghanistan, and mission control at a Japanese space program facility, all of whom witness a series of inexplicable and seemingly unrelated events that gradually reveal the bigger picture, and bigger questions about humanity. Previews have revealed very little, so be prepared for anything.

HUMANS All 4, Netflix, 3 Series

Hot on the heels of the superb Ex Machina film, in 2015 Channel 4 brought us this eerie drama about artificially intelligent robots called ‘synths’ that have become an everyday helpful feature of our modern world, and important members of our family makeup: until they no longer want to be. It deals intelligently with many major sci-fi themes such as human-robot interaction and the laws of robotics, but it also focuses on the social, cultural and psychological impact of a relationship with androids so like us that we struggle to understand what being human means, or who even is one. The story expands into socio-political areas in its last season, and though it was subsequently cancelled, it remains one of the most critically-acclaimed series ever on Channel 4.

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BINGE WATCHES

VIGIL

BBC iPlayer, 1 Series

PATHS TO FREEDOM RTE Player, 1 Series

The year 2000 saw RTÉ bring out one of the best pieces of comedy the broadcaster has ever produced, and now it’s available to enjoy on the Player. Michael McElhatton (again) excels as tracksuitwearing Rats, recently released from prison alongside his entitled cell-mate Jeremy (Brendan Coyle), with a fly-on-the-wall camera following them as they try to reintegrate into society. Playing on well-established Northside/Southside divides, it is a cleverly scripted and superbly acted mockumentary that RTE has never come close to replicating. If you were too young to see it first time around, or just missed it, catch up now. If you saw it on its original airing, go back and reminisce because it’s as good as you remember it.

Another prestige drama from BBC this year, Vigil was produced by the people who brought you Line of Duty and Bodyguard, and its quality shows in this thriller set on a nuclear submarine moving silently through Scottish waters until a murder takes place and a civilian detective is transported on board to solve the crime, to the annoyance and opposition of almost everyone. Dubbed ‘Line of Das Boot-y’ by some critics, it has familiar leading UK talent such as Suranne Jones, Martin Compston, Endeavour’s Shaun Evans and Game of Thrones’ Rose Leslie, and keeps us guessing for longer than it should, while ramping up the political tension with the threat of espionage and sabotage. Not for the claustrophobic, but definitely one for anybody who likes a good drama set underwater.

ENDEAVOUR ITV Player, 8 Series

It’s testament to the quality of its writing that the prequel spin-off to the outstanding Inspector Morse has run as long as its predecessor. Playing on the fact that Morse’s first name was never mentioned (a running trope throughout this series too), Endeavour looks at the early days of the illtempered crime-solver from his first cases through the gruelling crimes and casualties he sees along the way, giving a better understanding of the Inspector as we see him in later years. Shaun Evans excels as the young Morse, and though it’s now in series 8, it is definitely worth going back to the start to watch his transformation from grumpy but wide-eyed young detective to grumpier, world-weary alcoholic, who nevertheless always gets to the bottom of complex crimes.

FEVER PITCH: THE RISE OF THE PREMIER LEAGUE BBC iPlayer, 1 Series

THE NORTH WATER BBC iPlayer, 1 Series

BBC has this year pulled out all the stops in producing prestige drama to keep us entertained, and this five-parter about a doomed 1850s whaling expedition to the frozen waters of the Arctic is full of action and some breathtaking backdrops. Jack O’Connell plays a disgraced ex-army surgeon hoping to find inner peace at sea, Stephen Graham plays the scheming captain, Tom Courtenay the financier, but it is Colin Farrell who steals the show as a permanently grunting harpoonist who doesn’t limit his murderous tendencies to whales. Beautifully shot, it’s a gripping old-fashioned tale of wilderness survival and treachery.

Anybody who loved football in the 1990s will enjoy this documentary series looking at those years when the top tier of English football went from hooligantroubled matches to the start of the era when the money really started to roll in. It gives an enjoyably nostalgic look at key moments in the quest for silverware, but also looks at the critical decisions and actions taken to turn the game into a TV money-powered juggernaut, from the inception of the Premier League through the rise and fall of big clubs. Made by David Beckham’s Studio 99, it leans heavily towards Manchester United, and the talking heads segments could be more incisive, but it is still a very recommendable watch.

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TRAVEL

BEST IN THE WEST Having looked at stays in Leinster and Ulster in previous issues, it’s time to turn to Connacht

Ashford Castle, Cong, Co Mayo Previously owned by the Guinness family, this 800-year-old castle on 350 acres of woodland and landscaped gardens with its own lake is Ireland’s first and only Forbes Five-Star Hotel, so for most people, staying here is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but the luxury and attention to detail and your every comfort is incredible. The stunning setting and exquisite décor will make you feel like royalty, as will the outdoor pursuits on hand, such as falconry, clay shooting and archery, and the award-winning spa, six restaurants and three bars are fantastic, but what Ashford prides itself on is the attention to detail they afford every single guest, ensuring that your stay will be second to none. It’s not cheap, but a stay here is a priceless memory.

www.ashfordcastle.com

The Ice House Hotel, Ballina, Co Mayo

It’s easy to drive by this hotel that represents a fusion of old and new, such is its angular shape by The Quay in Ballina, but it’s well worth keeping an eye out for. The rooms offer a panoramic view of the River Moy that flows peacefully by outside the full-length windows, as well as a lot of luxury, while the building itself has some very quirky features.

The outdoor thermal garden where you can sit in a hot whirlpool and watch river life is a big plus, as is the accessibility to nearby golf links, hill treks and the Wild Atlantic Way in general. It gets its name from the fact it was originally a building used to store fish caught on the river under tonnes of ice, but with a modern, relaxing vibe, a plaice (sorry) to refresh your sole (sorry again).

www.theicehouse.ie

Coopershill House, Riverstown, Co Sligo

This extremely comfortable grand old Irish Georgian country house is full of character, and great for exploring both the 500acre grounds and the wider Yeats County with its lakes, mountains, beaches and places of historical and literary interest. A mile-long avenue winds through ancient woodlands and deer pastures, across the River Unshin, to bring you to the door, where you can find great homesourced food and views from every bedroom. A unique selling point is the fact that this estate sells its own venison, supplied by its herd of fallow deer, so you can leave with delicious and healthy food to cook at home. It’s undergoing renovations to be completed early next year, but trust me, it’s worth the wait.

www.coopershill.com

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TRAVEL

Delphi Resort, Leenane, Co Galway

If you want an active getaway in the midst of stunning scenery, with maybe a bit of pampering at the end of the day thrown in for good measure, this is the place for you. Just down the road from Leenane, the home of The Quiet Man, this hideaway tucked into the Delphi Valley beside the Killary fjord, offers both four-star hotel and hostel accommodation, and a range of outdoor pursuits to meet almost every need, from outstanding hiking and mountain bike routes to abseiling, archery and zip line, to kayaking, canoeing and even raft building. The on-site spa offers stunning views of the surrounding hills and waterfalls, while the restaurant and bar serve up great food and a warm and friendly atmosphere. A stay here makes you feel a world away from the rat race, and is a great tonic for both body and soul.

Belleek Castle, Ballina, Co Mayo

This iconic neo-Gothic building dates back to 1820 but was saved from dereliction and converted into a hotel in 1970 by Marshall Doran, a merchant navy sailor and smuggler. It’s cosy and luxurious, but also a lot of fun with a great choice of dining options, whether you want fine dining at the gourmet restaurant or bar food in the Spanish Armada pub. The location also makes it great for exploring all the area has to offer – which is plenty – but the main draw is that this is everything you would want from a castle, complete with open log fires and historical tours that highlight Doran’s collection of fossils, medieval weapons and armour, as well as many curios including pirate queen Grace O’Malley’s bed, and the last wolf shot in Ireland.

www.belleekcastle.com

www.delphiadventureresort.com

Ballynahinch Castle, Recess, Co Galway

Fishing fans and angling aficionados make their way here from all over the world to stay in this grand, luxury castle hotel under the 12 Bens mountain range and to try their hand at the salmon fishery. The beauty of the location is that the privately-owned land (and water) is essentially the main thoroughfare for salmon in the region, while the beauty of the accommodation lies in the old-fashioned but luxurious country estate style and elegance of the bedrooms and lounge areas. You can book angling slots and tuition, but if fishing isn’t for you, there’s also falconry, archery, mountain trekking and horse riding, with the open fires and comfy chairs waiting for you on your return from the great outdoors.

www.ballynahinch-castle.com

Cashel House Hotel, Connemara, Co Galway

Peace, quiet and relaxation are the order of the day at this 18th century historic house set on 50 acres of private gardens and woodlands nestled under Cashel Hill on the coastline of Cashel Bay in Connemara. Drawing rooms with open fires and antiques, spacious bedrooms and a cosy on-site restaurant serving fresh local produce mean you can really unwind, but you can also find tranquility outdoors with the many nearby beaches, lakes and mountain trails, while the fishing village of Roundstone is just eight miles away, and nearby Kylemore Abbey, Killary Fjord and Aran and Inish Boffin islands make for a great day trip.

www.cashelhouse.ie

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS

INTERNATIONAL NEWS Emergency Services News from Around the Globe

ISRAEL LACK OF FIRE PREDICTION SYSTEM REVEALED AFTER DESTRUCTIVE BLAZE The Israeli government faced criticism in August following a wildfire that burned for three days, causing unprecedented destruction, after it was revealed that the country had closed its forest fire prediction system in 2019. New and improved technology was set to be introduced that same year, but the lack of a functioning government and funds meant it was never implemented. The wildfires destroyed almost 5,000 acres of land west of Jerusalem in one of the country’s worst blazes. Weather scientist Barry Lynn, whose company Enviromanager won the tender for the new system, said: “We were informed that the money was allocated, but they never released it. There is so much new wildfire technology that could be implemented to the benefit of our country, if not for the lack of budget.

The small financial cost of setting up this system doesn’t compare to the damage done to the area now.”

USA MAJOR WILDFIRE CAUSED BY WOMAN BOILING BEAR URINE TO DRINK A woman accused of starting a forest fire in Shasta County, California at the end of September that destroyed 9,000 acres of forest and 144 homes and other structures, was attempting to boil bear urine so she could drink it when she allegedly set off the destructive blaze. According to court documents, 30-year-old Alexandra Souverneva, who was hiking from California to Canada, grew thirsty and accidentally started the fire as she tried to boil water from a puddle to drink, after discovering it was contaminated. Ms Souverneva called the fire department after she got lost, and admitted that she had tried to light a fire. She was found with CO2 cartridges, a cigarette lighter, and a “white item containing a green leafy substance”. She has pleaded not guilty to the charge of arson.

TAIWAN DEADLY TOWER BLOCK FIRE REVEALS LACK OF SAFETY REGULATIONS Taiwan’s deadliest fire in a quarter of a century has brought to light the island’s lack of laws regulating safety inspections and the dangers faced by impoverished renters.

The fire at a dilapidated 13-storey tower block in Kaohsiung city on 14 October claimed the lives of 46 people and left 41 more injured. It is believed to have been caused by incense that had been lit and left unattended, but firefighters also said piles of rubbish left in doorways and staircases hindered their rescue efforts. Following a visit to the site, president Tsai Ing-wen called for his administration to take inventory of similar old residential and commercial buildings and to update urban renewal plans and safety regulations. A task force has also been established to look into potential government negligence.

Buildings constructed before 1995, when emergency fire laws were introduced, did not have to adhere to many safety regulations.

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS

TURKEY

ROMANIA

8 DEAD IN FOREST FIRE AIRCRAFT CRASH

HOSPITAL OXYGEN FIRES CLAIM MORE LIVES

All eight people on board an aircraft involved in fighting extensive forest fires in southern Turkey in August died after the plane crashed in a steep mountainous area near the city of Adana. The Russian Beriev-200 aircraft rented by the Turkish government was sent on its fateful mission on 16 August when rising smoke was reported to the authorities by locals in the Onikisubat district of Kahramanmaras. The aircraft was assisting 100 ground firefighters, ten water tankers, another plane and two helicopters, when it crashed, with five Russian military personnel and three Turkish nationals on board. Neither the Russian nor Turkish governments have yet revealed what might have caused the crash.

INDIA INVESTMENT IN NEW TECHNOLOGY IN INDUSTRIAL CITY The city of Ludhiana in the northern Indian Punjab state has finally received new fire tenders and other technology after years waiting for upgrades. New mini fire tenders with high-tech pumping systems used to fight fires in the industrial city’s narrow streets, three life detectors and ten battery-operated combi tools for use in rescue operations, five thermal imaging cameras and five aluminium firefighting suits have been provided as part of a much-needed modernisation process. Though firefighters expressed happiness at the investment, they claim staff shortages will mean there are not enough crew members to use the new equipment, and also called for more fire stations to add to the five currently in use in the city of almost 2million people.

UK GRATITUDE GAMES TO BEGIN NEXT YEAR

A hospital fire in the city of Constanta on 1 October claimed the lives of seven patients being treated for COVID-19, making this the third such fire related to accidents with oxygen in the country in the last year. According to authorities, there were 113 patients in the hospital at the time, with all seven fatalities occurring in an intensive care unit dedicated to patients with severe COVID-19.

A similar incident in the city of Piatra Neamt in November 2020 saw 15 patients die. The EU’s Joint Research Centre raised concerns last January about the increased risk hospitals are facing when unusually large amounts of oxygen are being handled and used. They found that almost 50 oxygen fires have occurred at hospitals worldwide during the pandemic, causing the deaths of nearly 350 people and injuring many more.

A new Olympics-style multi-sport annual event for emergency service workers will begin in 2022, helping to raise money to tackle stress and trauma experienced at work. The inaugural Gratitude Games will be open to personnel from 17 emergency services across the UK, including the NHS, police, fire service, RNLI, blood bikes, mountain rescue and coast guard. Family members are also invited to take part, while members of the public can take part in the 5km and 10km runs, as well as the triathlon. The first event will be hosted in Manchester and Salford, and organisers hope to raise at least £10million over the next five years to expand the mental healthcare given to frontline staff. The man behind the competition, Buckinghamshire firefighter Mike Downard, said the name was chosen “to reflect public sentiment towards our NHS and emergency services, that would become a rallying point for people to show their support”.

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BOOKSHELF

BOOK REVIEW

THIS SEASON’S BEST READS

A FURIOUS DEVOTION: THE LIFE OF SHANE MCGOWAN

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uch has been written, filmed and debated about Irish musical icon Shane McGowan over the years, including an autobiographical work by the man himself with his wife Victoria Mary Clarke, but music writer Richard Balls here gives us an in-depth and definitive life story of the notorious hellraiser and incredibly talented songwriter. Piecing together hours of exclusive interviews with McGowan, his wife, family, friends, collaborators, band members, former girlfriends and teachers, some of whom have never spoken publicly about the Pogues frontman before, A Furious Devotion vividly recounts the experiences that shaped his hedonistic life and music.

Born to Irish parents in Kent, McGowan and family briefly moved to his mother’s home county of Tipperary before returning to London when he was six years old, and you sense early on that the child given Guinness to help him sleep was destined to have a colourful life. This is proven as he takes us through his teenage years, then the rise of punk and his emergence as one of that musical movement’s more extreme characters, then his time as frontman with most notably The Popes and The Pogues, but McGowan doesn’t spare us any of the gory details, and this continues as we are brought through the many career ups and downs that saw him fall from grace to become an outcast almost disowned by his own people before emerging to become the national treasure we now see him as.

It’s a frank and incredibly honest telling of a life story that threatened on many occasions to be over prematurely, and McGowan revels in the tales of his unruly, drink and drug-fuelled behaviour over the years, as well as his eventual success at kicking the several damaging habits that nevertheless took their toll on his health.

More than 60 people contributed to the telling of this story, sharing their memories and reflections on McGowan, and the roll call of people such as Nick Cave, Christy Moore and

Sinead O’Connor show how well-respected he is as a musician and songwriter, while many previously unseen photographs capture him in candid fashion. The involvement of other names such as Cillian Murphy, Aidan Gillen and Dermot O’Leary don’t add much to the story of the songwriter, but they do highlight the fact that this is a man others want to be around, and their stories show why.

Troubled though it may be, the life of Shane McGown could never be described as boring, and this biography certainly highlights that fact.

Author: RICHARD BALLS Publisher: OMNIBUS Available: EASONS, HODGES & FIGGIS, DUBRAY Price: €28

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BOOK REVIEW

THE NATION HOLDS ITS BREATH Author: GEROGE HAMILTON Publisher: MERRION PRESS Available: EASONS, HODGES & FIGGIS, DUBRAY Price: €22.95

LIFE WITHOUT CHILDREN Author: RODDY DOYLE Publisher: JONATHAN CAPE Available: EASONS, HODGES & FIGGIS, DUBRAY Price: €12.99 As a master of the everyday and the richness that underpins the quiet of our lives, it is fitting that Roddy Doyle has come up with this moving collection of short stories about people going about their business during the pandemic.

Sometimes very sad and sometimes very funny, his characters here each grapple with the challenges they face, from a man stranded abroad as lockdown hits, to a nurse grieving the loss of a patient, to a son unable to attend his mother’s funeral, while an overarching sense of a seismic shift in how we live once the dust settles hangs above proceedings. More complex and extensive works will be written about the pandemic, but Doyle deals best in snapshots of life, and these stories capture his signature warmth to make for an enjoyable read.

Many of us have grown up listening to George Hamilton’s effortless commentary on great Irish sporting events, most notably Ireland football internationals, World Cups and the Olympics, and can punctuate our memories with some of his phrases. ‘The Nation Holds Its Breath’ was certainly one, as was ‘Danger here’, but there were so many more, and here Hamilton recalls the highs and lows of covering Irish sport since the 1970s. Not to be confused with the 2006 book on Irish football by Eoghan Corry, this details the key moments in Hamilton’s life, where he waxes lyrical about the joy and despair he shared with a nation, and retraces his career from his formative years in Belfast to establishing himself at RTÉ. He also touches on his later work with Lyric FM, which continues to attract a wide audience.

This is one for sport fans, and anybody who enjoys a trip down memory lane.

SILVERVIEW Author: JOHN LE CARRÉ Publisher: VIKING Available: EASONS, HODGES & FIGGIS, DUBRAY Price: €14.99 Having worked for both MI5 and MI6 before turning full-time author, John Le Carré had a unique insight into espionage, and what shone through in his works was the way he portrayed the almost mundane approach of agents to life in the field, while still providing the excitement needed for a gripping spy novel. Having passed away last year, this is the final novel from the author of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, The Constant Gardener, The Night Manager and The Tailor of Panama, and it doesn’t disappoint. It’s a mesmerising story of the struggle between public duty and private morals, asking what a man owes his country when he no longer recognises it: a poignant subject given the quintessentially British author took Irish citizenship four years before his death in the wake of Brexit.

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TECHNOLOGY

TECHNOLOGICAL TOOLS THE LATEST INNOVATIONS FOR THE WORLD’S EMERGENCY SERVICES

AMPHIBIOUS SEARCH AND RESCUE

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A new amphibious search and rescue vehicle has been designed by Canadian highperformance vehicle company Interconn Development. The ATASD (Amphibious Transformer with the Air Static Discharge) has been built to provide a cost-effective, multi-purpose vehicle for first responders and military applications in areas where conventional watercraft operate poorly. It differs from other amphibious vehicles because of its elastic tube-bridge chassis made from round aluminium tubes that lean on flexible inflatable urethane skegs. The three inflatable skegs provide shock absorption to make for a smoother ride, keeping pressure underneath and efficiently replacing the hovercraft skirt. They also minimise the risk of injuring people in water compared to the aluminium hull of a rigid inflatable or the hull of a boat, while the low freeboard makes pulling people out of the water easier. It is designed as a set of three base independent blocks fastened to each other – lower frame, power-train and cabin – each of which can be modified and customised. The vehicle can carry up to eight people and 850kg of essential equipment, has a range of 240km and has a maximum speed of 100kph over water and 140kph over ice and snow. It can also operate in waves up to 2metres and winds up to 90kph. A variable pitch thrust air propellor provides braking/reversing and a perfect distribution of power between the thrust and lifting system, depending on operating conditions. Using a Ford engine similar to that used in a Ford Focus ST or Mustang, it is also fuel-efficient and generates a very low noise level.

Fire departments in north Denver, USA, have received grant funding to purchase and install emergency access technology at commercial buildings within their districts. The new electronic rapid access system, called the Knox Box, enables firefighters to remotely access them and enter the building in the case of an emergency, eliminating the need for forced entry that can cause damage and delay rescue operations. The fire departments began retrofitting a total of 6,400 businesses in the district during the summer, with a North Area Fire Marshalls spokesperson saying: “We are excited to be the largest regional effort to implement an Electronic Rapid Access System that reinforces our commitment to our community in providing professional and exceptional services for life and fire safety.”

EMERGENCY ACCESS

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TECHNOLOGY

FORD’S BLUEPRINT FOR NEW AMBULANCES Ford has made moves to re-establish itself in the UK ambulance market with the design of an innovative new Transit ambulance developed in conjunction with industry experts and frontline medical teams. Created under the code name Project Siren, the vehicle entered production during the summer, with the vehicle’s lightweight design fully compliant with national specifications and offering all the equipment and capability of a frontline ambulance within a 3.5tonne gross vehicle weight. It is based on the Ford Transit chassis cab, with the body and conversion built by Venari Group, who specialise in ambulance manufacturing and vehicle technology.

Project Siren used a collaborative process and direct customer input from NHS Ambulance Trusts to create the vehicle, designed to improve patient treatment and enhance the safety and ease of use for paramedics. Digital connectivity supports efficient restocking and vehicle maintenance, while the lightweight design helps reduce emissions and operating costs and is fully compatible with all electric powertrains. The vehicle is currently undergoing detailed testing at Ford’s advanced proving facility. Chairman of Ford of BRITAIN, Dr Graham Hoare, said: “Our exciting new lightweight ambulance is the result of listening to our customers, understanding their needs and finding innovative solutions to meet them. By collaborating with blue-light experts Venari Group for Project Siren, I’m confident that this new vehicle will redefine the blueprint for ambulances and help transform the productivity of frontline ambulance services in the UK.”

RENAULT FIRST RESPONDER AIDS The IAA Munich Motor Show in September saw Renault unveil its new Megane E-Tech Electric, which boasts innovative safety features that will help emergency responders access the battery more easily in emergencies, and extinguish a battery fire in less than five minutes. A switch under the rear bench also enables rescue teams to easily disconnect the battery. The Fireman Access feature stems from a long-standing partnership between the car manufacturer and French firefighters. The new model also features a QR code on the windscreen that can be scanned to provide details of the car’s structure, location of battery and airbags, as well as information about the safest places to cut into the vehicle, again saving time and potentially lives in the event of a serious collision.

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If you smell gas at home or on the street...

Open windows and doors Don’t smoke, vape or use a naked flame Don’t unplug or switch anything electrical on or off Turn off the gas at the meter Then, no matter who your gas supplier is, call our 24 hour emergency service.

Don’t use a phone in the immediate area of the leak, use a neighbour’s or call from outside.

If you can’t get through, call 999 or 112. In the interests of public safety all emergency calls are recorded.

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