SPRING 2022
FIRECALL OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF DUBLIN FIRE, AMBULANCE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES
HELP IN THE HOME RCSI’S SIM CENTRE RESEARCH
FAMILY LEGACIES RECRUITS WITH HISTORICAL DFB CONNECTIONS
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DUBLIN FIRE RESCUE EMERGENCY AMBULANCE SERVICE
PROTECTING THE CITY AND COUNTY SINCE 1862
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EDITOR’S LETTER Editor: Adam Hyland Consulting Editor: Dan Fynes Creative Director: Jane Matthews Designer: Neasa Daly Contributors: Dan Fynes, Las Fallon, Alfred Callahan, John McNally, Tom McLoughlin Cover Credit: DFB / Ray McMonagle Photography: Dublin Fire Brigade, Dublin City Council, Ray McMonagle, Trevor Hunt, John McNally, Las Fallon, Michelle O’Toole, RCSI, Iraldo Curbelo, Tom McLoughlin, Alfred Callahan, The Wilson Family, Robert Markey Fox, Paul Daffy, Ray Martin, Cathal McNally, Tommy Doyle, Glin Castle, Longueville House, Park Hotel Kenmare, Liss Ard Estate, Ballymaloe, Gregan’s Castle Hotel, Adare Manor, Conterra, Pegasus Avacion, Rosenbauer, NASA, Red Stripe Press, Harvill Secker, Profile Books, Sandycove 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 ©2022 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.
D
ear readers, Welcome to the latest issue of Firecall. Finally, after a long wait, Dublin Fire Brigade’s various sports and social clubs are now enjoying and planning events and activities for their members. With a level of caution still in place, I’d like to thank all of those people who agreed to take the time to talk to me virtually or over the phone when producing this issue. Without their flexibility none of this would have been possible. Thanks must also go to those who contributed articles for the magazine. Las Fallon has as always produced a very interesting piece of DFB history, while D/O John McNally continues to keep us updated on Pipe Band activities, and thanks must also go to S/O Tom McLoughlin for sending me a lovely article about the recent Car Wash fundraiser for the Ukraine Appeal held at Kilbarrack station. There’s a theme of family connections in this issue. Firstly, I take a look at the recent recruit class that included a high number of people with family legacies within DFB. It was great to hear from these new recruits as they told me about following in the footsteps of family members, sometimes alongside siblings or other relations. It was also great to hear from S/O Ray Martin, who got in touch to tell me about S/O Paul Daffy, who is following in his father’s footsteps as a Course Director at the Training Centre. On the subject of new recruits, it was great to talk to D/O EMS Paul Lambert about the recent virtual graduation ceremony for the paramedics who received their qualifications from the RCSI in January. It was very interesting to talk to former FF/AP Michelle O’Toole about her fascinating research project at RCSI’s SIM Centre, and I encourage everyone to read the feature and get involved. Elsewhere, I talk to Cathal McNally about taking part in the World’s Strongest Firefighter competition, to Vincent Donegan about his record-breaking North Sea swim, to B Watch in Swords to hear about life at the station, and retired firefighter and author Tom Geraghty. Thanks to them and to everybody who contributed to this issue. The main event for spring 2022 was St Patrick’s Day, so it was great to not only cover the activities of the day, but also to talk to Fire Chief Alfred Callahan of Southampton FD about his experience, and to learn about Plantation FD in Florida from Battalion Chief Iraldo Curbelo, another St Patrick’s Day visitor. 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. This is your magazine, and you are all welcome to contribute.
22 FAMILY LEGACIES New Recruits with Old Family Connections
31 MARCHING ON The Return of St Patrick’s Day Festivities
55 HELP IN THE HOME
Michelle O’Toole’s SAFER Families/Friends Research Project
I hope you enjoy the read, We are updating our mailing list. If your contact details are out of date, please email: adam.hyland@ ashvillemediagroup.com
FIRECALL SPRING
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UKRAINE FUNDRAISER
CONTENTS SPRING 2022
43 BACK IN ACTION
The DFB Rugby Club
50 PARAMEDIC GRADUATION
Celebrating the achievements of the RCSI graduates
55 HELP IN THE HOME
The RCSI SIM Centre Research Project
36
60 SHOW OF STRENGTH
Cathal McNally and the World’s Strongest Firefighter Competition
FEATURES 12 TAKING THE PLUNGE
Vincent Donegan’s record breaking North Sea Swim for Charity
18 50 YEARS AND COUNTING
18
28
A SDFB Sports and Social Club Marks a Half-Century
22 FAMILY LEGACIES
The Recruits of Class 1/2021 with Strong DFB Family Connections
28 FAMILY TIES
Recruit Course Director Paul Daffy Follows in His Father’s Footsteps
31 ST PATRICK’S DAY
Looking Back at a Welcome Return
36 A NOTE OF THANKS
Southampton FD’s Chief on Their Visit
38 CAR WASH FUNDRAISER
Kilbarrack Station’s Charity Event
38
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UKRAINE FUNDRAISER
Check out more features and news from past issues at FIRECALL.IE
31 REGULARS 01 02 05 06 08 14
EDITOR’S LETTER CONTENTS SECRETARY’S FOREWORD DFBSSC UPDATES DFB IN BRIEF FROM WITHIN THE CIRCLE DFB Pipe Band Update
40 LOOKING BACK
Las Fallon on DFB History
46 STATION PROFILE
43
46
B Watch Swords
62 INTERNATIONAL STATION PROFILE
73 TRAVEL
66 RETIRED MEMBER PROFILE
77 BOOKSHELF
Plantation, Florida
Tom Geraghty
71 BINGEWATCH TV
The Latest Recommendations
75 INTERNATIONAL NEWS 79 TECHNOLOGY
The Latest Innovations for the Emergency Services
73 FIRECALL SPRING
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29/04/2022 22/03/2022 15:58 25/05/2020 10:19 12:43
FOREWORD
Honorary Secretary’s
FOREWORD
W
elcome readers to our spring 2022 issue of Firecall. The new year has brought some light at the end of the tunnel as we start to emerge from the restrictions imposed due to COVID-19. Though we must remain vigilant, it is with both relief and excitement that we can look forward to resuming a full calendar of events for all DFB Sports and Social Club members. Thankfully, we were once again able to host a full celebration of St Patrick’s Day. It was an honour for DFBSSC to act as hosts alongside Dublin Fire Brigade and the DFB Pipe Band to our visitors from Southampton FD, Plantation and Tamarac, and everybody else who could join us to mark the occasion and enjoy our hospitality. We are already looking forward to returning the favour and visiting our friends from Southampton FD in Long Island this summer, for what will be a memorable trip. I must say thank you to everybody who helped make this possible and who went above and beyond to help organise every aspect of the planning and carry out of the many undertakings that go into such events. Thanks must also go out to all those involved in organising the 50th anniversary event for the Sports and Social club which was held at the Mansion House. At this special celebration, we acknowledged the contributions of everyone involved in the running of our club since its inception 50 years ago, and it is great to see so many members still willing to lend their support. To see the Club grow to have more than 800 members now is testament to the hard work of all involved in its running. Various clubs under the banner of DFB with support from DFBSSC also recently headed out to compete in the World Fire Games in Lisbon, and we wish them all the best of luck in their endeavours, as we wish all members of our various sports and social clubs an enjoyable year ahead. I particularly recommend reading about the members of Recruit Class 1/2021 with long family histories within the organisation going back generations, and also of major interest is the work being done by former FF/AP Michelle O’Toole at the RCSI’s SIM Centre, which is featured in this issue. Congratulations must go to all the paramedics who recently graduated from the RCSI too, and though their graduation was a virtual event this year due to COVID-19 restrictions, their achievement is well noted by all DFB members, as is detailed in this issue. Thanks to all who contributed to the spring 2022 issue and who took the time to be interviewed. This is 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.
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
SPRING 2022
FIRECALL OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF DUBLIN FIRE, AMBULANCE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES
HELP IN THE HOME RCSI’S SIM CENTRE RESEARCH
FAMILY LEGACIES RECRUITS WITH HISTORICAL DFB CONNECTIONS
Enjoy the read.
Dan Fynes
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SPORTS AND SOCIAL CLUB
SPORTS AND SOCIAL CLUB UPDATE
WE TAKE A LOOK AT RECENT EVENTS FOR MEMBERS OF THE DUBLIN FIRE BRIGADE SPORTS AND SOCIAL CLUB (DFBSSC).
I
t’s been all systems go since the lifting of restrictions, and our Committee have been working hard to ensure this for our members. Unlike the last few years, we have been flat out since things kicked off in March. St Patrick’s day saw us return to normal service with the parade and the hosting of visitors, and to date the feedback has been great, so thanks to all who helped make it a welcome return. We have been busy with our monthly draws and upped our game with our social media giveaways, and there is a lot more to come in 2022.
EVENTS
We have been busy coordinating the many members who travelled to the World F/F games in Lisbon, as well as planning for the upcoming trip to New York for the 4th of July. We have also been busy organising a retirement function for our members who have retired over the last few years. This takes place at the end of May and is sure to be a memorable event.
50TH ANNIVERSARY
In the first part of the year, we planned and organised our 50th Anniversary event, hosted by the Lord Mayor of Dublin at the Mansion House, and it was
great to see so many current and former members of our organisation attend. The fact that we have reached the 50-year mark is testament to all involved who have contributed their time and energy over the years to make the DFBSSC what it is today.
SUMMER
We are beginning to plan for the return of our Summer Watch nights, which will be a great opportunity to meet with members from all across the job that we wouldn’t usually get to socialise with. And, as it’s our 50th Anniversary, these will be a little different to our usual nights, and we encourage all members to register their interest. There are lots more projects running in the background for our members that will hopefully come to fruition over the coming months, and more details will be revealed about these shortly. None of this would be possible without the support of our membership and the hard work of our committee, and for this we are very thankful. If you aren’t on your Station Sports and Social Club WhatsApp group and would like to be, please contact your station rep, or if you aren’t following us on social media, please feel free to do so.
MONTHLY DRAW WINNERS November: D Dowling D12 C Humphries B HQ K O’Dwyer D1 M Dolan C ERCC M Crehan D HQ
February: S Burke Skerries M Fitzharris D2 B Carrick D2 T Bowe A4 F Tracey B9
December: D Fitzpatrick B3 A Collier B HQ B Leavy A HQ D Connolly B3 J Hendrick A4
March: L Ging B1 D Burns D6 J Ryan B3 F Cairns D5 P Elebert F/P
January: P Mulrennan A8 R Hunter D4 I Nugent C8 R Flattery B6 L Boylan C13
Contact Paul McCann C Watch ERCC for your prize and congratulations to all winners.
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. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DubFireBrigade Twitter: https://twitter.com/dubfirebrigade @DubFireBrigade Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dubfirebrigade @dubfirebrigade
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SPORTS AND SOCIALCLUB
DFB SPORTS AND SOCIAL CLUB COMMITTEE 2022 STATION REPRESENTATIVES:
CLUB COMMITTEE CHAIR
Declan Rice
TREASURER
Simon Finglas
HONORARY SECRETARY
Dan Fynes
TRUSTEES TRUSTEE
Dave Snee
TRUSTEE
Tony Devoy
TRUSTEE
Willie O’Leary
RMA REP
Tommy Doyle
Brian Gilbert
HQ
Brian Tracey
Rathfarnham
Deirdre Berry
North Strand
Darren Donnelly
Dolphin’s Barn
Gary Mason
Tallaght
Gemma Kiernan
Donnybrook
Ger Ryan
Kilbarrack
Glenn Fitzgerald
Retained
Joe Moran
North Strand
John Connolly
Dolphin’s Barn
Kevin Conlon
Finglas
Lar Sweetman
ERCC
Martin Cooke
Logistics
Mick Ratchford
Phibsboro
Neil Quinn
Blanchardstown
Paul Green
OBI
Paul McCann
HQ
Ray Campion
ERCC
Ray Kenny
Dun Laoghaire
Siobhan Talbot
HQ
Stephen Breen
Swords
Sean MacDomhnaill
HQ
Mark Ryan
Donnybrook
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DFB BRIEF
DFB IN BRIEF A recap of Dublin Fire Brigade news and events over the past few weeks and months.
ABOVE: A recent joint training exercise was held in February with Dublin Airport Fire and Rescue at the Exolum fuel farm at Dublin Airport. BELOW: B Watch Donnybrook start their Christmas Day shift.
LEFT: Congratulations to Philip Mooney on winning the Silver Axe award for best recruit in the Class 1/2021 group who passed out in January. BELOW: Firefighters from North Strand, Kilbarrack and Finglas stations undertaking a Port Tunnel exercise testing new procedures in January.
ABOVE: Firefighters from Tallaght Fire Station rescued this little guy when his home became smoke logged in February. LEFT: The new Recruit Class 1/2022 rolled up their sleeves at the start of March to donate blood and hear about the work of BUMBLEance.
ABOVE: B Watch North Strand start their Christmas Day shift. LEFT: Swords firefighters extinguishing a car fire close to a residence in January. RIGHT: Donnybrook FF/Ps provide a guard of honour for colleague Kevin Kehoe as he got married to his wife Kerrie in Westport in March
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DFB BRIEF
ABOVE: Kidding around with the latest additions to the goat herd that helps prevent gorse fires in Howth. BELOW: A firefighter from Tara Street fire station dealing with a basement fire in March. ABOVE: Phibsboro firefighters re -familiarising with the water -rescue SLED at the Wren’s Nest. LEFT: Phibsboro firefighters keep the boys in blue clean at the annual car wash in aid of Movember, which raised more than €2,500 in four hours at the end of November
ABOVE: Chief Fire Officer Dennis Keeley joins Dublin Civil Defence Officer James McConnell in a presentation to five Civil Defence volunteers to mark 60 years of service. BELOW: The Rathfarnham station ambulance on its way to a call in the Dublin Mountains in January.
RIGHT: Firefighters in Dolphins Barn fire station help District Officer John Rogers celebrate a big birthday between turnouts. BELOW: Units from Kilbarrack and North Strand fire stations attending a fire on site in Howth harbour in January.
ABOVE: Night training on one of our rescue boats moored on the Liffey.
ABOVE: Working with the Coast Guard as part of a multi-agency response to an incident in Howth in March, with an AP deployed with the Coast Guard rope rescue team. BELOW: District Officer Colm Egan was presented with his retirement plaque following 34 years of service to the City & County of Dublin in December, after deferring retirement to help in our COVID-19 response
ABOVE: Third Officer John Keogh surprises his brother Paul who retired after 21 years of service.
ABOVE: Phibsboro firefighters make a new feathered friend after handling an electrical fire.
ABOVE: We bid farewell to Firefighter/ Advanced Paramedic Karl Kendellen as he leaves us after 25 years of service, having educated and mentored hundreds of paramedics in his career. LEFT: District Officers and firefighters from North Strand fire station join the candlelight vigil on 13 February to remember those that passed away at the Stardust. BELOW: Firefighters from Kilbarrack extinguish a fire in a car set alight in December.
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DFB BRIEF
ABOVE: After 28 years of service we said goodbye to FF/P Brian Doyle in Dun Laoghaire fire station in April. Management team.
ABOVE: High line rescue training in Phibsboro fire station in February. BELOW: Turning the Training Centre purple in recognition of International Day for People with a Disability in December
ABOVE: We said farewell to FF/P Jim O’Toole after he retired in April, after 27 years with DFB and a total of 38 with DCC.
ABOVE: Welcoming the first of ten new recruits on their firstday of operational duties on CWatch following graduation in January.
ABOVE: Ten Officers went through media training as part of their DO development course BELOW: The DFB World Rescue Organisation WRC2021 team.
ABOVE: It was with great sadness that we learned of the death of retired District Officer John Power in March. BELOW: Eight DFB firefighters graduated from UCDcems as Advanced Paramedics in December.
ABOVE: Trialling a new piece of equipment similar to a slingshot during high-line rescue trainingin St Anne’s Park in April BELOW: A Dolphin’s Barn crew take on the traditional role of rescuing a kitten. LEFT: One of our newly graduated recruits gets a traditional welcome to his station on his first day. RIGHT: Santa came to one of our stations as Christmas approached to check on our equipment. BELOW: Recruit Class 1/2022 receive instruction on the HIAB crane on the Phibsboro fire station emergency tender.
ABOVE: BA training involving search and rescue exercises on board the Tug Shackleton in December. BELOW: The DFB members who completed a Tall & Complex Building Firefighting course in December.
ABOVE: Firefighters from North Strand at trees down on Collins Avenue near Donnycarney Church during Storm Barra late last year. RIGHT: Joined by his family and C Watch colleagues, we said farewell to Firefighter/Paramedic Chris Fitzgerald after 38 years of service in April.
ABOVE: Firefighters from HQ extinguishing a stall on fire on Moore Street
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DFB BRIEF
LEFT: Kilbarrack firefighters provid ing fire cover for the Irish Air Corps helicopter delivering a patient to Beaumont Hospital at the start of March. RIGHT: In January, the DFB Cycling Club presented a cheque for €6,774 to the Beaumont Hospital Foundation after a fundraising sportive last September.
rough their course team ation
LEFT: Saying farewell to D/O Stephen Dillon as he leaves after 34 years of service, initially joining Dun Laoghaire Fire Brigade and finishing as the District Officer in Finglas fire station.
ABOVE: Two people and a dog were rescued from this house fire in Ballyfermot at the end of April. Facebook “f ” Logo
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Facebook “f ” Logo
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@DubFireBrigade ABOVE: Officers on a training course in January take time out for a minute of reflection for Ashling murphy in a scene replicated across DFB. LEFT: DFB was represented by a senior officer at the funeral of the Very Reverend Patrick Canon Carrol in February. He provided spiritual guidance to DFB members over the years and blessed the opening of Kilbarrack Fire Station in 1972. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a an am.
REMEMBERING FRANK NUGENT
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On the First Anniversary of Frank’s death (March 27) his wife Sheelagh and sons Alan, Colin and Ian, and extended family, wish to acknowledge and offer sincere gratitude to Dublin Fire Brigade members for the many kind and supportive tributes posted on social media platforms and the R.I.P website. They were a joy to read. To all who sent mass cards, sympathy cards and other messages of support, we thank you. To those who provided a guard of honour both at the house and at the church, we appreciate the many tributes paid to Frank. He would have been very proud of Dublin Fire Brigade. To those who attended the funeral, who were excluded from the church due to COVID-19 restrictions, we offer them a heart felt thanks for standing alongside us at such a sad time. Special thanks to Piper Paul McNally for his uplifting musical tribute. Our thanks also to Cork and Limerick Fire Brigade for sending
floral wreaths and for remembering Frank. To all who contributed in any way in making the funeral a special, if more poignant occasion, the family want you to know how much we appreciate your contribution. We extend our gratitude to the retired members who stood in the church grounds and supported us.
Thanks also to those who watched the funeral online. Thank you so much to the editor of Firecall Magazine for providing us with the platform to offer our sincere and grateful appreciatio n to any member of DFB who paid tribute to Frank. May he rest in peace now that his watch is done.
FIRECALL SPRING
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SEA SWIM
TAKING THE
PLUNGE Sub-Officer Vincent Donegan braved the cold in a relay swim to Scotland to raise money for charity
Sub-Officer Vincent Donegan
W
hile most of us try to stay warm during the winter months, Sub-Officer Vincent Donegan of C Watch in Dun Laoghaire instead chose to swim from Northern Ireland to Scotland as part of a record-breaking relay team in January. As one of six members of Team Walrus, he and his sea-swimming friends – Declan Bradshaw, Dave Berry, Colm Morris, Niamh McCarthy and team leader Ger Kennedy – took on the challenge of swimming in water of 8°C without wetsuits to raise money for childhood cancer charity the Gavin Glynn Foundation, and broke the world record for the swim by a six-person
team in the process. The charity is particularly important to FF/P Donegan, as his own son Callan was diagnosed with cancer when he was four. Happily, he has since recovered, but FF/P Donegan continues to donate platelets regularly. He told a local newspaper that having received so much support from people while his son was ill, he is humbled to be able to help others going through a similar experience. Starting out from Donaghadee in Co Down, the team took turns to swim for an hour at a time, in between recuperating and trying to re-warm their bodies on the pilot boat, and reached the shores of Portpatrick
in Scotland in just 12 hours and 51 minutes, becoming the first team to achieve the feat in winter.
IDEA
The idea came about when FF/P Donegan decided to take up sea swimming because the pandemic meant swimming pools were closed. “I went to the 40foot for a swim with a few lads from the fire station and thought it was Baltic,” FF/P Donegan says, “but I got back in and then started to swim small distances, and over time gradually increased the distances as I acclimatised in the water. “It just spiralled and I kept going to the next level. There’s something about swimming in the sea that puts me in a good headspace. I just get in the zone when I swim and enjoy my surroundings. I enjoy the solitude.” Having formed a friendship with the other members of his team through regular sea swims together, FF/P Donegan started training last summer for what is considered the toughest of the seven ocean swims that also includes the English Channel between England and France and the Cook Strait between the North and South islands of New Zealand.
CHALLENGE
The team was supported by a pilot boat, as well as a doctor to assess their vital signs and a small support team who counted the swimmers’ strokes to make sure they didn’t drop significantly due to illness, and Vincent says the hardest part was not the cold, as the team had trained extensively in even colder water. “The toughest part was actually the time in between the swims, when you get out of the water after an hour and the adrenaline is still pumping, but then you spend a few hours on the boat waiting for your turn to get back into the water again,” he says. “You are trying to warm up and get some food into you, but when we were training for it, we were able to move around a lot more, and for this challenge we were confined to such a small space and were
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SEA SWIM
One of the team in full flight
“It was about proving to ourselves what the human body can do, what you can achieve when you train for it, that nothing is impossible” only able to do a few small exercises to move around and get warm. “The body starts to cramp up because it is reacting to what you are doing, and isn’t able to recover, so the second swim for me was definitely the harder one.”
ACHIEVEMENT
Despite the challenges involved, Team Walrus outdid themselves as they completed the 34.5km swim ahead of their expected 14-hour target, and Vincent says seeing land come into view was hugely rewarding, because the team knew they had completed something very special to them. They also exceeded their €30,000 fundraising target by raising a phenomenal €49,111. “A lot of people were saying ‘Why are you doing this?’ or ‘You’re mad’, but we weren’t trying to prove anything to anyone, it was more of a personal challenge for us. I know we set a record but it wasn’t about that, it was more about proving to ourselves what the human body can do, what you can achieve when you train for it, that nothing is impossible. “Most people would be able to swim for an hour in a swimming pool, but the sea is a different matter. The shock of the cold is something that is very difficult to get used to, but we did a
The route of the swim
Team Walrus and their support crew
lot of training in colder temperatures, even though they were in a more controlled environment. When you are in the North Channel it is completely different, and it is very hard to replicate. And then it gets dark!
“You don’t see anything other than the lights of the boat, and from the water you’re not seeing the land, but when I was in the water, I just switched off and enjoyed the swimming, enjoyed the team effort, and enjoyed the moment.”
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DFB PIPE BAND The band playing Amazing Grace for the crowds at the Harcourt Hotel
From within
THE CIRCLE DFB Pipe Band Secretary John McNally looks back on a great St Patrick’s Day and other Pipe Band events and activities
The DFB Pipe Band Patch
S
ince our last article, COVD19 restrictions were fully lifted, which meant that full band practice could take place normally. We recently visited Recruit Class 01/22, giving them a presentation on the band and informed them of what we do. Perhaps there may be some new pipers or drummers from that group in the future. Thankfully some new members joined the band in recent months in both the drum and pipe corps. As always, new members are very welcome. January saw an invitation from the St Patrick’s Festival Committee for the band, colour party and DFB personnel to partake in the 2022 Dublin St Patrick’s Day parade. This invite sparked
The band with Lord Mayor Alison Gilliland before the parade start
huge interest in the band, particularly due to the fact that the last parade was three years previous in 2019. So, plans were put in place for full band practice and thankfully our instructors were available to assist us in our preparation. A lot of hard work was carried out by committee members in preparation for the big day, including organising a venue, working with DFB management and the DFB Sports & Social Club, checking and organising band uniform and instruments, etc. Special thanks to F/F
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DFB PIPE BAND
Ger Corcoran for organising the colour party and flags. As the 17th of March got closer, the band stepped up practice sessions and put a full emphasis on full practice on instruments. St Patrick’s Day arrived and the band assembled in Phibsboro Fire Station from early morning for some warm-up sets after some breakfast kindly provided by the crews in No.3. A large marching body began to assemble and the atmosphere was building helped along with fine dry sunny weather. As is DFB Pipe Band tradition, the ceremonial part of the morning started with the reading of the names of deceased members from the previous year by the DFBPB Grand Marshall, retired F/F Shane McGill. Band drummer Paul Keyes played a drum roll for the lowering of the National flag, followed by a lament played by piper
Rory the Irish Wolfhound
“It was fantastic to see the large crowds out on the day who cheered us along the route with smiles and waves to create a fantastic atmosphere in great weather” Barney Mulhall. This was followed by the band playing the National Anthem “Amhrán na bhFiann”. A number of presentations were then exchanged between visiting firefighters and the Chief Fire Officer. Another tradition before the parade is to acknowledge and wish luck to new playing members. This year our two new pipers, Rory Previtt and Robbie The band on Dame Street
Woodhouse, stepped out with us for the first time. The band, colour party and marching body then set off for the short march to the parade starting point at the Black Church. At 12 noon, the parade started with the DFB directly behind the Lord Mayor. Right out in front was Student piper Aaron McCarthy with “Rory” the Irish Wolfhound. Next was our Grand Marshall, Shane McGill with the Band banner, followed by the band itself. The colour party followed with the Irish Tricolour, DFBPB flag, flags of all fire stations and the Ukrainian flag as a show of solidarity. Next, a large marching body of uniformed DFB firefighters along with visiting firefighters from the USA and UK, and retired members. It was also great to see the current recruit class who took up the rear of the group wearing their fire tunics. It was fantastic to see the large crowds out on the day who cheered us along the route with smiles and waves to create a
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DFB PIPE BAND HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL AT THE NEXT PARADE.
DFB Pipe Band Drum Major Damien Fynes salutes the Tricolour
fantastic atmosphere in great weather. Finally, the parade came to an end in Cuffe Street where the band assembled with the colour party to play the National Anthem. Then it was off to the Harcourt Hotel for the parade afterparty. This is a joint venture between the Pipe Band, DFB Sports & Social Club and the Chief Fire Officer. The large group gathered to enjoy food and refreshments during the day before the Band played for the crowds in the late afternoon followed by celebrations continuing late into the night. We would like to thank a number of people for a very enjoyable and successful day, including Chief Fire Officer Dennis Keely, the DFB Sports and Social club, The DFB Pipe band, colour party and committee, the large marching body of uniformed members, recruit class 01/22, retired members, the DFB social media team and visiting firefighters. A special mention must go to Kathleen Kelly of Nutstown, Co Dublin, who as always kindly allows us to borrow one of her beloved Irish Wolfhounds for every parade.
“It was fantastic to see the large crowds out on the day who cheered us along the route with smiles and waves to create a fantastic atmosphere in great weather”
We have continued to provide solo pipers for various events including funerals for retired members and relations of serving members. Also, we recently provided a solo piper for the COVID-19 memorial on March 20th with DCC. Lastly, 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 OBI 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
Drummer Paul Keyes who played the drum roll and Piper Barney Mulhall who played the lament
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my gift to the world Together, we can continue to create a future that is fair for everyone. And make a world without poverty our legacy. For more information contact OXFAM Ireland Tel: (01) 672 7662 Email: friends@oxfamireland.org Oxfam Ireland is a member of Oxfam International, a world-wide development organisation that mobilises the power of people against poverty. Charitable co. limited by guarantee. Reg. No. 284292, CHY5988
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DFBSSC
50 YEARS AND COUNTING DFB Sports and Social Club Marked a Half-Century with a Celebration at the Mansion House in April.
T
he Oak Room at the Mansion House was a suitably auspicious setting for the Dublin Fire Brigade Sports and Social Club’s 50th anniversary celebration at the end of April, with members of all the clubs and societies within the organisation gathering together to celebrate the occasion, to honour past and present members of the Committee, and to enjoy a long-awaited night out. The room was filled with members young and old, past and present, which underlines what the DFBSSC is all about: Firefighters of all ages getting together to enjoy each other’s company in a social (or sporting) setting. There was a tangible sense of positive energy and camaraderie in the air, mixed with a sense of excitement and pride in what DFBSSC and its members have achieved over the last 50 years, and will continue to achieve.
know that is something that doesn’t just happen – it comes from years and years of men and women coming together to serve in DFB, working shoulder to shoulder, day in, day out, 365 days and nights per year,” she told the crowd. “That is hugely appreciated by the citizens of Dublin, but I also know that can take a toll, and that is one of the reasons the Sports and Social Club is so important. It gives you an opportunity to let your hair down among colleagues. “I see quite a few former members here, and I hope you are all very proud that you have built this up to what it is, its longevity of 50 years is testament to that. I just want to wish you the very best for the next 50 years.”
PRAISE
Compere Declan Rice brought DFBSSC Treasurer Simon Finglas to the podium, who presented the Lord Mayor and her staff with a special presentation for her continued support of DFB and DFBSSC. Presentations were also made to DubCo, the DCC Sports and Wellness Partnership, and DFB Management
As the crowd built and groups mingled, host for the evening, Lord Mayor Alison Gilliland, opened the speeches, saying she was honoured to host the DFB as “one of the best examples of public service in our country”. “Your professionalism and commitment are extraordinary, and I
PRESENTATIONS
“When morale was low and members were facing difficult and unsure times, DFBSSC stepped in”
Lord Mayor Alison Gilliland praised the work of DFBSSC
for their continued support, which it was pointed out was integral to the continued success of DFBSSC, while a special commemorative coin was presented to all members present. With CFO Keeley out of the country, Assistant Chief Greg O’Dwyer took to the podium to thank the Lord Mayor, members of the DFBSSC Executive Committee, the Trustees and all sections of the Club for their excellent work.
RELATIONSHIP
“I want to thank the current DFBSSC committee for organising this great event celebrating its 50-year history,” he added. “DFBSSC’s 50-year tradition is not just a relationship with DFB or DCC, but also the people of Dublin. The number of activities and fundraising events, and the interaction with the community that DFBSSC have done
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DFBSSC
“As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, I am delighted to say that our club membership and Committee representation has never been so big”
Retired members and former Committee members
professional and personal development to DFBSSC, and I hope it has done the same for those who came after me. It is nice to say that the future of the Club is in safe hands.” Assistant Chief O’Dwyer also praised the work of past Committee members for “their foresight and dedication to start the Club 50 years ago and for making what we have today” and raised a toast for all past members no longer with us, before highlighting the positive impact the DFBSSC had during the challenging days of the pandemic. “When morale was low and members were facing difficult and unsure times,” he noted, “DFBSSC stepped in and worked very extensively with our own Health and Safety Unit and CISM, and came up with great initiatives to raise morale. It is palpable, you can see the impact they have had.” He also praised the work of DFBSSC in inducting new recruits into the organisation and creating a familyoriented community spirit from the very start, mentioning the success of the Christmas Parties, Summer Fun Days and nights out, before noting the important role played by all departments within DFB in supporting DFBSSC’s work.
TRADITION
The current DFBSSC Committee
over the years can’t be measured. DFB and DCC have a huge debt of honour to DFBSSC for this. “It is an honour for me to represent the CFO, but also to be here as a past
secretary of DFBSSC for 21 years. I had great times, great trips, and a great education. I’d encourage anyone to get involved, because it develops you as a person. I certainly credit my
Founding member Tom Geraghty also said a few words detailing how the DFBSSC came into existence, before saying: “I’d like to take this opportunity to applaud the tremendous work by DFBSSC in growing it within our organisation, and both nationally and internationally. It’s a brilliant organisation and long may it last!” Trustee Willie O’Leary also took to the podium and before being presented with a special token of appreciation for his work by longestserving Committee member Siobhán Talbot, said: “It has been my privilege to be a member and now a Trustee, and I am also a member of the Retired
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DFBSSC
The special awards and commemorative coin presented on the night in thanks for support of DFBSSC.
ABOVE: Assistant Chief Greg O’Dwyer checks his speech is not running over. BELOW: The Mansion House Oak Room was a great venue for the celebration.
“DFBSSC’s 50-year tradition is not just a relationship with DFB or DCC, but also the people of Dublin.” Members Association, which was set up by the DBSSC. The founders helped the organisation grow, and it has now gone from strength to strength. I was a firefighter for 44 years and have been retired 15 years but I am still involved, and hope to go on being involved for another 20 years.”
DEVELOPMENT
Secretary Dan Fynes then took to the podium representing the current Committee. “DFBSSC is currently in a very good place, and this is something that has been built on by a lot of the people who are here tonight,” he told the crowd. “50 years is a long time and a lot has changed since it was first established. Like all organisations we have had to change with the times, but one thing that remains the same is our goal: To provide a network for our members, to allow them to interact with their colleagues, and for their families to interact in a sports and social setting. “DFB has changed in this time too. Gone are the days when we only had firefighters in DFBSSC. We now have
members in every section of DFB, from logistics to the Training Centre, and in more recent years the Control Centre. This diversity has also allowed us to diversify as a club. We have now reps from all departments, as well as from the retained stations, all of whom are represented on the Committee. “We have also changed how we communicate with our members and have embraced technology and social media to keep our members informed and up to date. This has enabled our members to take part in more and more events and activities.
SUCCESS
“Despite the challenges, we continue to have great participation from both new and more experienced members. We have our Watch nights out, our online competitions, trips away, and we have a great mix in all of this. I do hope this continues for many more years. Again, this is all based on the foundation built by all who came before us and I am very proud to represent the current Committee. “As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, I am delighted to say that our club
membership and Committee representation has never been so big. Our remit to ensure inclusivity for all has seen our membership grow to more than 800 members. That is something we should be very proud of. “It is hard work, particularly with such a large membership. The day to day running of the Club takes a dedicated team, and it wouldn’t be possible without the hard work of the Committee. All of the clubs, sporting and social represented here tonight, all show the same dedication in keeping the Club afloat. We have tried to support you in all that we do and we will continue to do that in whatever way we can.” With the speeches over, each sporting and social club within DFBSSC also took it in turns to don their respective shirts for a photo opportunity, with Ray McMonagle behind the camera doing sterling work that was at times similar to herding cats, but soon it was time once again to mingle, to meet up with old friends and share a laugh, to catch up about old memories and to make plans for new ones. 50 years in, the DFBSSC has been through a lot, but from the evidence of this night alone, it looks like it will continue to go from strength to strength.
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LEGACIES
Recruit Class 1/2021 had many strong family connections in Dublin Fire Brigade. Adam Hyland talks to some of them
FAMILY LEGACIES T here has always been a strong tradition of firefighting families within Dublin Fire Brigade, with recruits often following in the footsteps of their parents or other family members, leading to legacies that go back several generations. The recent Class 1/2021 followed this trend, but it was actually unusual for the high number of family connections it included. “We didn’t know at first that there were so many people with family connections,” Course Director Keith
Markey of B Watch Kilbarrack tells me. “Myself and Assistant Course Director S/O Cormac Cahill got the list of recruits in the class and the breakdown of four females and 32 males, but we weren’t informed specifically that anybody was related to anybody else. “We obviously noticed that there were a few identical and familiar names, but the fact that they were related really just filtered through naturally because obviously they have proud parents or other relations who would have mentioned them.” With COVID-19 meaning the class
had to train in syndicates of six, Course Director Markey says they were able to plan so that close relations were kept apart. “Once we realised we had people who were related to others in the class, we made the decision to separate them because it wouldn’t be fair on them or the rest of the class if they had a sibling or other relation in the same group,” he tells me, “so we made sure they were not just in separate syndicates but also separate training groups. “The course went very well, and though there were challenges to training during a pandemic, they all completed the training
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LEGACIES
their family member. We really wanted to show an appreciation to the families themselves.” Speaking of families…
THE WILSONS
ABOVE: Shauna and Karl Wilson Jr with their father Karl Snr at their passout BELOW: Shauna and Karl Jr with their uncle Keith
successfully and are now operational, and I’m very pleased to have played a small part in that process.” Even though the passout was limited to two guests for each recruit to maintain COVID-19-security, Course Director Markey says that it was still very important that the recruits got to celebrate their achievement with family members, and that the sense of pride on the day was tangible. “We put a plan forward to Brigade Training Officer Brendan Carroll and D/O Willie Maher, and without their approval we wouldn’t have been able to
have the passout, and I’d like to thank them and Assistant Director Cahill for all their support, as well as the syndicate officers, because I’m really grateful for their contribution. “We really pushed to have the passout for the sake not just of the recruits, but their families too, because we were very aware that the families went through this too. They had to support the recruits who were coming home tired every day and had to share their family member with Dublin Fire Brigade for 13 weeks. “It was great for them to be able to mark the occasion, to see the achievement of
Karl Wilson, now on C Watch at Dolphin’s Barn, and his sister Shauna, who is on C Watch Rathfarnham, made DFB history when they successfully came through training together and became fully-fledged FF/ Ps as the first brother and sister to do so. They join their father Karl Wilson Senior, who is on C Watch Donnybrook and is also the mace bearer for the Lord Mayor, and their uncle Keith Wilson, stationed on C Watch Phibsboro, to build on an interesting family tradition. It was Keith who first joined, and influenced by the stories he came home with, Karl Snr decided he would join too, and is now in his 17th year in the job. Karl Jr was similarly influenced. “I originally joined the Army and fell in love with the medical side of things,” he tells me, “and then obviously with my father and uncle already in DFB, I decided to go for it and happily got accepted.” Shauna, the elder of the two siblings, also made the decision and says she “wouldn’t change it for the world”. “To be honest, we rarely saw each other during training,” Shauna says, “and because we didn’t do any training together, we only saw each other in passing in the yard.” “In fairness though, as brother and sister we do get on very well,” Karl Jnr adds, “and there was a good, healthy competition between us, which helped spur us on.” “It was good to have Karl to lean on because he knew what I was going through in training, and vice versa,” Shauna adds. “A lot has changed since my father went through training, so as much as he could pass down his experience, it was good to have someone so close to know exactly what it was like now.” For Karl Snr, seeing his son and daughter come through training is a source of immense pride.
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LEGACIES Patrick’s Day, they couldn’t replicate it that day because Karl Snr was busy collecting the Lord Mayor’s mace, and so uncle Keith happily stepped in: one advantage of having so many family members in the job!
THE MC NALLYS
LEFT: John McNally with his father Paddy at his passout in 1995, and (RIGHT) with his son Adam at his this year
Adam McNally and Ethan Walsh with Adam’s father D/O John McNally
“Words can’t describe it,” he admits. “It is amazing for the two of them to go into the same class, and it meant a lot for me.” Karl Jnr is also very proud. “I am immensely proud of what I have achieved, but also what my sister has achieved, and my father and uncle,” he says. “I am proud to put the uniform on, proud to just be there. Every time the alarm bell goes, I still get that little bit of excitement in me, and I am proud of that as well.” Shauna is of a similar opinion. “I hope that feeling of butterflies when the bell goes never leaves me,” she agrees. “It’s funny because my father and uncle always call each other on the way to work, and myself and Karl find ourselves doing the same thing. My Officer always says to me that if we are turned out and we turn right when we come out of the station, I’m probably going to meet my Dad, and if we
turn left, I’m probably going to meet my brother,” she adds. Within their stations there is no getting away from talk of their family connections. “It comes with the territory,” Karl Snr says. “I get the younger lads coming up to me and saying they met Shauna recently, and is she still single?” “And yes, she is still single,” Shauna adds. “Any time anyone tells me they worked with my Dad, I always say ‘sorry about that’” Karl Jnr jokes, while Shauna points out that she usually has people tell her that her father fed them, given his role as cook within his station for so long. Karl Snr says getting a picture of all three of them at the passout was a very proud moment, but even though Shauna and Karl Jr were flag bearers on St
Joining the DFB was something Adam McNally had always wanted to do, and it’s not surprising given that his father is D/O John McNally, and that he is now the fourth generation of McNallys to join after his great-grandfather, grandfather and father. “I grew up very familiar with the fire stations,” Adam, who is on A Watch in Kilbarrack, tells me. “It was always something I wanted to do.” I ask if there was any mention of his father when Adam started training. “Not as much as I thought because they try to keep everyone on the same playing field, which is what I preferred,” he tells me, “but there would have been a little bit from the Instructors who would know my father, always just having a laugh, but my mentors also told me not to let anyone’s expectations of me make me feel pressured, to just be myself.” Adam’s cousin Ethan Walsh was also in the same class, and Adam jokes that his different surname meant he flew under the radar briefly when it came to the slagging. “Ethan is the same age as me and as cousins growing up together we were nearly best mates, so it was just great to have someone to bounce off,” he says. “When we went operational it was the same thing, because you can be anxious going to your first station, so it was really good to be able to call him and talk about how we were getting on.” Turning to the question of what it means to become the fourth generation of his family to join, Adam says he is very proud. “It’s unbelievable,” he tells me. “You don’t realise how special it is until you finish recruit training. “I think my father is very proud too. He gives me advice when I need it and he is always open to answering questions I have. Station life takes a while to get used to, so it is good to have someone to talk to about that side of things.” Ethan Walsh, meanwhile, says he also always wanted to join DFB.
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LEGACIES “I did a PLC course straight after school in Pre-Paramedic Fire and Ambulance that started me on my journey, then did my EMT course,” he tells me. “Myself and Adam did a lot of courses together, and when the interviews were coming up, we helped each other out a lot. It must have showed in the results because we placed only two positions from each other on the panel, and now our badge numbers are only one away from each other as well.” The pass out itself was also a special moment for Ethan because despite the reduced numbers, his mother and grandmother could share in the moment. “It was unreal to see how proud everyone was,” he says. “There were definitely a few tears of joy and pride that day.” “It is a very proud thing for me and the family,” D/O John McNally says when I speak to him. “We have a long tradition in DFB going back to the 1940s. I’m sure my grandfather was very proud when my father joined, and I know my father was very proud when I joined, and both myself and the greater family are very proud of both Adam and Ethan.”
THE FALLONS
The Fallon brothers, Joe and Darragh, also went through training together in Class 1/2021, with elder sibling Joe now on D Watch in Dolphin’s Barn and Darragh on D Watch Rathfarnham. Their father Tadhg was a very well-liked S/O and remains a popular figure within the DFB and DFBSSC since his retirement following an accident in 2007, but they also have an uncle and cousin in the Brigade. Despite their father’s reputation, Joe says that they never felt pressure to join but that it was something they both wanted to do, even if it came after they had emigrated to Canada. They both applied and say that they have made their father “a very proud man”, and Joe also mentions that having a sibling going through training at the same time was very helpful. “It was good to have him there, even though we were in different pods,” he says, “because we could speak every night, and help each other out with study. I would say that the training also brought us a lot closer too, it’s something only a few people get to do, and it created a nice bit of positive rivalry.”
As with the McNallys, I ask if they ever have their father brought up during work. “We get it all the time, but it is always positive,” Joe says. “We get the usual banter, but it’s all in good taste. It’s an especially rewarding job given the good name my father has. I had heard he was known as a fair man, and I want to keep that reputation. We have both started on a good footing and will continue to keep the good name going! My father is a good judge of character and a good people person, and I’d like to think we got the same attributes from him.” When I mention the high number of family connections in the Class, Joe laughs. “It was funny that there were two Fallons being called out, and then two Wilsons, and in the first while we were trying to pretend we didn’t know each other, but that didn’t last long.” “It lasted until the first parade, maybe,” Darragh says. “Joe was standing right in front of me and everyone copped it pretty quickly. All the Instructors and anyone already in DFB knew by looking at us who we were straight away – the ears give it away!” He also says he is very proud to be part
The Fallon Brothers Joe and Darragh with their father Tadhg at passout
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LEGACIES LEFT: Sub-Officer Maria Markey RIGHT: Robert Markey Fox BELOW: The Markey legacy has been detailed in DFB history
of a family legacy with his brother. “I didn’t know until I joined how big a thing it was to be in DFB,” he says. “It’s only when you actually get in and see what firefighters have to do that I realised what my father did. “It was definitely the proudest thing I have ever done. It’s a great achievement and everyone in the family was delighted, and I’m especially proud for my father after all he went through. He is proud as punch. But they are big boots to fill, as they say. “I hear all the stories about my father from people who worked with him. They all slag me about him, but if you’re not being slagged in DFB there is something wrong. “There is great love for him in the Brigade, and I didn’t know just how much he was respected, but now I am in I am really getting a sense for that.” Talking to their father Tadhg, it is clear he is indeed very proud. Though he came from a family of gardaí, he opted for Dublin Fire Brigade and started a new career tradition. “It would have been awful if only one of my sons had got in,” he laughs. “The type of job this is, it’s a vocation, so I was
delighted when Joe and Darragh told me they had decided to apply together.” Tadhg says that rather than give them any advice from his many years of service, he wanted his two sons to learn for themselves. “I think you are better off finding things out for yourself,” he tells me. “Anyone I have met has said they are both good lads, so that is good enough for me. All I want is for them to be as happy as I was in the job. I worked across a lot of Watches and stations with different people and through the GAA club got to know many more, and it is like another family. Even to this day I’m not forgotten, so even when you’re gone from the job, you’re not really gone.” With both Joe and Darragh in the job now, that last point is assured.
THE MARKEYS
One member of Class 1/2021 continued on an impressive family tradition, when Robert Markey Fox of A Watch North Strand joined the long list of Markey family members to join DFB. “I’m fifth or sixth generation, I can’t figure it out,” he laughs. “I know the first member was John Markey in 1875, then
there was his son, also John Markey, and his son John too. After that there was Allan Markey, current member Maria Markey’s father, then Maria my cousin, who is married to another current S/O Dan Fynes, and now myself.” Robert says that although he didn’t know much of the history because it was on the Markey side of the family, he had always wanted to join, and that he has worked hard towards achieving his dream. He says he actually only met his cousin Maria when he was at the Training Centre, and that he managed to keep his head down and get through training without much mention of his family history. “S/O Dan Fynes was an Officer on the course, so he knew who I was, but other than that there wasn’t much slagging, or at least no more than the rest,” he says. “Of course, the first thing they ask you when you go to your station is who you know, so it happens quite a bit that people mention that they worked with John or Allan.” The significance of becoming a member of DFB is something he too is very aware of. “It is definitely something to be proud of, to know that your family have been there for so long,” he tells me. “People have to make their own decisions on what they want to do, but I’d definitely recommend it to the next generation. We’ll see how many more Markeys there are in the future!”
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FAMILY
FOLLOWING ON Course Director Paul Daffy is now in the role his father once held, and he and Assistant Course Director Ray Martin talk to Adam Hyland about a strong connection
Course Director Willie Daffy inspecting the troops, and 22 years later Course Director Paul Daffy does the same
R
ecruit Class 1/2022 is currently undergoing training with Course Director S/O Paul Daffy leading the team of Instructors and S/O Ray Martin as Assistant Course Director. Although the two S/Os (Paul at B Watch Phibsboro and Ray at C Watch Rathfarnham) haven’t been stationed together before, they have had similar career paths, having been promoted to Sub-Officer and then Station Officer at the same time, then since 2018 working together as Syndicate Officers at the Training Centre, but their connection goes further. When Ray started his recruit training back in 2000, his Course Director was none other than Paul Daffy’s father, Willie Daffy, and he got in touch to
highlight the connection and the fact that Paul is now, as Ray says, “filling the shoes of his father”. Unfortunately, Willie Daffy passed away after a short illness while that recruit class was still in training, but Ray remembers him and his dedication to the job well; something he says he also sees in the present Course Director Daffy. “As a new recruit, I didn’t see much of Course Director Willie Daffy because he was overseeing the full training course,” Ray tells me, “but, you could definitely see that his presence and influence were there in terms of the quality and professionalism
of the officers, the standards that were set, the facilities he made sure we had, and the way in which we were so well-prepared to go operational. “When you have good officers in charge of you, you tend to take things away, you kind of copy their approach to an extent, and to be honest in some of the training we are doing now with the recruits in the OBI, we are incorporating some of the traits that Willie Daffy would have had reflected in his instructors, because we have high standards to meet and we want to achieve the best. You do that by being taught by the best.”
“When you have good officers in charge of you, you tend to take things away, you kind of copy their approach to an extent.”
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FAMILY
“I didn’t feel any pressure to live up to my father’s name or anything, but there was definitely a sense that there were people in the job keeping an eye on me and seeing how I was progressing”
INSPIRATION
I ask Paul whether his father’s passing away motivated him to join Dublin Fire Brigade, seeing as he joined within a few years. “I was inspired by him and admired his career,” he tells me, “but I had already spoken to him before he passed away about wanting to join myself, and he had said it was definitely a great career to undertake, so I applied for the job. I actually had an interview for DFB about a month after he died, but I was unsuccessful. I was in college at the time doing a degree in Chemistry, but when I finished that in 2004, I reapplied and managed to get in.
“I always saw how happy my father was with his work, and he always said that while you will never be a millionaire in the fire brigade, it is the best job in the world. Then, when he passed away, I realised just how much we had a second family in our lives, which was Dublin Fire Brigade. The way everybody pulled together was incredible, and myself and my mother are still good friends with many of his colleagues, and that just shows how familyoriented the job is.” When he did join DFB, Paul says he didn’t so much feel the weight of expectation of carrying on the Daffy name in the job as he did the support that came with it. “I didn’t feel any pressure to live up to my father’s name or anything,” he says, “but there was definitely a sense that there were people in the job keeping an eye on me and seeing how I was progressing, because they had known my father, so I just kept my head down and made sure I did the job well. “It’s nice to be able to follow in my father’s footsteps in the job, and to hear from people who knew him how well respected he was, and being around the Training Centre, a few people have said they could see the similarities between me and my father, just in the way we move or say something.
PRIDE
Course Director S/O Paul Daffy and Assistant Course Director S/O Ray Martin Former Course Director and D/O Willie Daffy
“I am proud of my father and what he did in DFB. Most people I talk to only have good things to say about him. Where I am now, following in his footsteps as Course Director, it’s a proud moment for my family. But it’s just business as usual for me. It’s 22 years since my father passed away, and I think in a way it’s not a personal thing where I am following a path for my father or my family, it is just me following my own career path, and the way I come across throughout my career has led me to this position now, and I am very grateful to have it.” Having trained under Willie Daffy, I ask Ray what it’s like to now work alongside Course Director Paul Daffy. With both of them in the same room talking to me, this
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FAMILY
“It’s nice to be able to follow in my father’s footsteps in the job, and to hear from people who knew him how well respected he was”
Paul Daff y has followed in his father’s footsteps
is met with laughter before Ray described their working relationship.
WORKING RELATIONSHIP
“We have very similar personalities, and I think we are able to create a good working atmosphere with the eight instructors we have here and the other instructors who come out to do the specials, so we can add to the conversation with them and we have time for everybody, which is a good way to be. We have a good working relationship. We can bounce things off each other, which is important, and while he is not shy about putting you in your place, that is important because you have to be open and honest and be able to talk things through to provide the best course we can. “Paul’s personality means he won’t say much about himself, but as Course Director, he is very good at overseeing the running of this course and all that entails in terms of working with the Brigade Training Officer and Assistant Training officer, fire prevention, health and safety units, logistics, the new training coming in such as the 42m ladder, it all has to be developed to be given to the recruits. Within the first two days, we had 44 recruits in uniform on parade in the
yard in front of Paul. That was a proud moment for him, but his leadership qualities don’t happen by accident, none of this happens on its own.” Course Director Daffy is also quick to praise Assistant Course Director Martin. “Ray is very good at managing things,” he tells me, “and the two of us work together very well. I couldn’t do the job as well without him, and have no doubt he will be in the same position as I am now in the future, because we have come up together to get to this point.” He adds: “The Instructors are the ones out on the yard training the recruits, passing on their experience, so the work they put in to get the recruits ready must be acknowledged. It’s an accumulation of many instructors and everybody working together.”
RECRUITS
In terms of how the Recruit Class 1/2022 is going so far, both Course Director Daffy and Assistant Course Director Martin are very happy with the progress, and while recent training courses have been held under very strict social distancing rules, there is now the opportunity to have the whole class
“The Instructors are the ones out on the yard training the recruits, passing on their experience, so the work they put in to get the recruits ready must be acknowledged.”
together for certain parts of the training schedule. “Just when the recruits came in the restrictions were lifted so we are able to have them together for the classroom elements of the course,” Ray says. “We have them divided into two groups, 29 in one area and 15 in another. They can all mix, which is great, but we are still keeping some restrictions in place in terms of wearing masks, etc. We want everybody to pass out at the end so we are staying very careful in terms of health. “The class is going well. As we speak, they have just finished their basic training and are on to the second week of the specials. We have one group doing BA and one doing a practical week and about to go onto tall and complex building training. The likes of Grenfell highlighted the necessity to have exact procedures in place to deal with these fires, and we have a very good, detailed procedure in place which is being rolled out to the recruit classes and also to the operational firefighter population. “The Class is taking to it very well and getting to grips with it. When you do the course, it is evident that there are procedures to follow, and if you follow them, you will be able to manage any type of incident and evacuate these places as quickly as possible.” Speaking of following in family footsteps, Ray points out that the current class also has a number of recruits who have family members already in the job. “It’s a natural progression for a lot of people and families,” he tells me, and that’s personified by Paul Daffy as Course Director taking on the role his father held 22 years ago. On a final note, they both want to thank their wives and families who they say “are a massive support during the Course, and extremely understanding of the time commitment needed by us”.
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ST PATRICK’S DAY Showing solidarity for Ukraine by including their flag in the display
Honouring firefighters who have passed away
ST PATRICK’S DAY RETURNS
S/O Dan Fynes outlines this year’s St Patrick’s Day activities
DFB flag bearers stand to attention
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ST PATRICK’S DAY Meeting the crowds who came to cheer on DFB members
F
inally, after two years of cancellations and restrictions, Dublin Fire Brigade members were this year able to celebrate St Patrick’s Day. It was great to finally be able to welcome international guests back once more, to sample the hospitality on offer, and together with them take part in the much-anticipated parade and after-party, as well as a few other activities around the city. Our long-time friends from Southampton FD, Long Island, and friends from Tamarac Fire Rescue and Plantation FD in Florida, not only joined us for the parade, but also got to enjoy other highlights such as visiting our Training Centre and Museum, as well as HQ, calling in on the Lord Mayor, and sampling the history and produce at the Guinness Storehouse, and huge thanks must go to all who helped make this possible. I’d also like to express our thanks to our guests for making the trip when international travel is still far from easy or certain. We hope to invite them all back soon.
ABOVE: Meeting actor and Parade International Guest of Honour John C Reilly.
ABOVE: Crossing the city. BELOW: CFO Keeley presents the traditional gifts to visiting fire departments. LEFT: Meeting the crowds who came to cheer on DFB members
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ST PATRICK’S DAY
ABOVE: CFO Keeley and DFB members are joined by onlookers to begin the formalities at Phibsboro station. RIGHT: Meeting the man himself
As is traditional, the day kicked off with a 9am gathering at Phibsboro fire station, with all parade participants dressed in full uniform, where breakfast rolls and tea or coffee were available to all. At 9.45am, the Dublin Fire Brigade Sports and Social Club provided a welcome toast (courtesy of Dingle Distillery) for all guests and all taking part in the parade. They also helped us mark the DFBSSC’s 50th anniversary with a suitably laid out sample of their finest whiskey. This was followed by a formal ceremony to remember recently deceased members of DFB, and the presentation of gifts by CFO Dennis Keeley to visiting guests. At 10.30am, it was time to leave Phibsboro and march to the parade starting position in Parnell Square, where excitement continued to build until the parade officially started at noon.
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ST PATRICK’S DAY Enjoying the reception after the parade in D2
Calling in on the Lord Mayor
Having faced two very difficult years dealing with an unprecedented health crisis brought on by COVID-19, the reception from the crowds of onlookers from one end of the parade route to the other was a sight to behold, and was the perfect acknowledgement of all the hard work Dublin Fire Brigade has done in keeping the citizens of our city safe. With the business of the parade completed, it was straight on to D2 on Harcourt Street to celebrate, with food and refreshments for all taking part, and it goes without saying that a great time was had by all. An enormous amount of hard work goes into the organisation of all of these events, which wouldn’t have been half as successful without the dedication and generosity of all involved, so a huge amount of thanks must go to all who helped with the many activities that went into making this year’s festivities worth the wait. We are already looking forward to next year!
Crossing the city
Our friends from Southampton FD, Long Island, with Olympians and Parade Grand Marshalls Kellie Harrington and Ellen Keane
Marching in dress uniform
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SOUTHAMPTON FD FROM FAR LEFT: Meeting CFO Keeley; With Dan Fynes on O’Connell Street. BELOW: A great experience
A NOTE OF THANK YOU Southampton FD Fire Chief Alfred Callahan reflects on his St Patrick’s Day visit
W
hile I do not believe words will ever be able to express how I feel about our recent visit to Dublin for the St Patrick’s Day events, and the hospitality of Dublin Fire Brigade, I will certainly try. Although this was the third time members of Southampton FD had visited our colleagues in Dublin, this was my first trip to Dublin, and I know now that all the stories you are told, the photos you are shown, don’t do the trip justice because you just have to be there to understand how amazing this experience is. The hospitality of Dublin Fire Brigade is beyond words, and our week in Dublin was one of the most overwhelming experiences in my life. Myself, Lieutenant Michael Adamcyzk, firefighter Nick Maddock and Dublin’s own Graham Fynes were the four lucky people who made the six-day trip from 15 to 21 March, and while we were told to expect a really fun week and great hospitality, I was amazed at just how much hospitality we were shown. From the moment we landed, everything was about making sure we had a chance to see and do everything we wanted, and it was great to also see the firefighting side,
the training side, the museum – which was terrific – and we had a week with no limitations on what DFB members could do for us, always asking, and making it happen. I can’t believe we fitted so much into six days!
HIGHLIGHTS
The tour of the Training Centre was one of many highlights, but the obvious highlight was the St Patrick’s Day Parade. Even before it kicked off, when we all met up beforehand, it was amazing to see the camaraderie, where everybody just hit it off, regardless of rank or station. Even marching towards the Parade starting point, seeing the outpouring of welcome from the people lining the way was exciting, but once it kicked off properly, to turn that first corner and see the buildings of Dublin and the streets lined with thousands of people, the cheer that went up when we started marching, that was a moment for me that I had never experienced anything like before. Every time we stopped I had so much fun walking over and talking to the crowds, seeing them have fun. Back in Long Island, you don’t do that: when the parade stops, nobody wants to talk to you.
Another huge highlight for me was when the DFB Golf Society and Sports and Social Club managed to get myself and my colleague out for a round of golf on the Island Golf Club. As a huge golf fan, I had always wanted to play a real links-style course, and Dan Fynes had said a round of golf had been organised but wouldn’t say where. Then one morning Declan Rice and his wife picked us up and drove us out to this course overlooking Dublin Bay and it was absolutely amazing. I wish I’d brought more golf balls because I lost every one of them, but to be out there and experience real links golf in such a beautiful setting was incredible.
HOSPITALITY
The Dublin Fire Brigade officers, the DFB Social Club, DFB Golf Society, and the DFB 1875 Club made this week unforgettable. Some of the finest officers took the time out of their busy days to make sure we were well looked after every day and night. It was just great to spend time with them all. There was no rank, no agenda, just people coming down to spend time with us, and that carried through for the entire week. I hadn’t even realised that Greg O’Dwyer is Assistant
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SOUTHAMPTON FD
ABOVE: Taking part in the Parade was a unique experience for us RIGHT: Going for a real pint of Guinness at the Storehouse. FAR RIGHT: An amazing experience full of joy. BELOW RIGHT: Getting to see the Irish countryside
Chief, because he was just out with us having a good time like anybody else! We also really enjoyed the visit to the Guinness Storehouse, and I know now why everyone says a Guinness in the US is terrible. When I had a pint at the Storehouse, I realised they were right! It was also a really nice surprise for us to get a tour of the Mansion House on our last morning. Again, that’s not something that happens over here. The relationship DFB has with the City Council and Lord Mayor, that history and tradition, is incredible. What was truly memorable was the chance to meet not only our DFB colleagues but their families too. It was great for me to make those connections with DFB families, because they are a phenomenal group of people. Dan’s brother Graham who works with us has been an absolute treasure ever since he joined our department, and while DFB helped foster this friendship, it is really the Fynes brothers who formed the link, and I must thank them for that.
THANKS
I don’t know the words to thank Dublin Fire Brigade as a whole, and DFBSSC for arranging this, but I would like to say
thanks to the whole Brigade, the officers, the leaders, for developing this relationship between our departments. Thanks so much to Dan Fynes, Simon Finglas, and Deccy Rice for being the most amazing hosts, tour guides, and friends. John Keogh for his welcoming, enjoyable, and kind conversations. D/O Peter Sherlock for the early morning ride to get our tests allowing us to come home. Paul McCann who took the time to show me through the Control Centre, which was incredible. Thanks for showing me the time of my life, and I look forward to continuing the tradition and friendship. Of course, thanks to my wife, who let me run off to Dublin with three other guys, leaving her with four children (including a three-month-old). She has become
internationally known as the most amazing person. When I got home, I tried to explain what DFB members had done for us and how they went out of their way to make sure we had a great time. I will say to my colleagues here that the only way to truly understand what I am trying to describe is to go and experience it yourself, to see the crowds, see how these firefighters and their families treat you. I could talk about it forever, it was a very touching and humbling experience. To you all, and all the rest of the amazing friends we made and I did not mention here, an ocean is no match for good friends, amazing memories, and connections I hope will last a lifetime. Go raibh míle maith agaibh!
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UKRAINE FUNDRAISER
LEFT: Wet but enjoyable work RIGHT & BELOW: The fundraising volunteers washed cars on a gloriously sunny day
LEFT: Helpers of all ages donned their gear to lend a hand on the day
CAR WASH FUNDRAISER A Fundraiser was held at Kilbarrack Fire Station to raise money for the Ukraine Crisis Appeal, writes S/O Tom McLoughlin
Kilbarrack station became a car wash for the day
O
n Mother’s Day, Sunday 27 March, a ‘Car Wash & Coffee’ fundraiser took place at Kilbarrack Fire Station to help raise money for what has become a very important cause. Organised by the crew from A Watch Kilbarrack, the event in aid of the Ukraine Crisis Appeal ran from 11am to 4pm, and saw more than 250 cars, vans and motorbikes pass through the yard of No.6 to be washed by the crews from all four Watches in Kilbarrack, supported by the crew from A Watch No.4 and firefighters from C Watch
No.8 and No.3. In addition, 16 volunteers from recruit Class 01/2022 gave up their free time to support the event and join in the fun-filled atmosphere and craic.
DONATIONS
Blessed by a gloriously sunny day that helped draw the crowd in to have their vehicle washed, grab a coffee and snack served up by my wife Tina and daughters Claire and Kim, and listen to the music supplied by my son, DJ Tom, a lot of people made very generous donations before leaving. The good weather definitely helped, as many of those washing cars were
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UKRAINE FUNDRAISER
Lord Mayor Alison Gilliland gets stuck in
ABOVE: S/O McLoughlin with Lord Mayor Alison Gilliland and DFB Pipe Band drummer D/O John McNally BELOW: The DFB Pipe Band entertained the crowds
‘accidently’ soaked by eager colleagues. Adding to the feelgood atmosphere were the Dublin Fire Brigade Pipe Band, who played a few sets to entertain the public, and we are very grateful to them for the part they played in the day. We were delighted to be joined by Lord Mayor Alison Gilliland, who rode in on her bicycle, donned the chain of office, and began washing cars, much to the delight of one elderly lady driver.
FUNDS RAISED
The time to wrap things up came all too soon, and at 4pm we had to close the gates of the station, with many cars still
trying to get in for a spring car wash, but we raised a fantastic total of €7,116.20 for the Ukraine Crisis Appeal, which is a great amount for a single day’s work.
CONTRIBUTIONS
The day was a huge success, but it would not have been possible without the support of so many people, including our Chief Fire Officer Dennis Keeley, T/O John Keogh, D/O Paul Hendricken, Mobi D/O Derek Cheevers, S/O Paul Daffy, S/O Keith Markey, S/Off Caroline Byrne, the DFB Pipe Band, the DFB Sports & Social Club, and our DFB Social Media Team.
The family of S/O Tom McLoughlin with Lord Mayor Alison Gilliland
I’d also like to thank Bewleys Ireland, Cadburys, Dunnes Stores, Buzz Print & Signs, and Reflect Auto Care for their support. Of course, a special thanks to all who turned up on the day to wash cars, serve coffee, direct traffic and entertain the crowds. Thanks also to FF/P Aidan O’Sullivan, who made sure all were fed and fuelled up, to FF/P Ger Corcoran of C Watch No.3 for looking after the flags, and Noel Doyle from the DFB Stores.
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HISTORY
ABOVE: DFB uniform of the period (© Las Fallon collection) RIGHT: A sheet music piece dedicated to Captain Boyle
LOOKING BACK A DFB Historian Las Fallon investigates documents detailing firefighter conditions in 1891
good friend recently passed on to me some material which he had found while searching in the library of the United States House of Representatives. It had been submitted by the US Consul in Dublin in 1891 and contained general information on fire regulations in a number of cities, including Dublin. The report was sent to Dublin Corporation by the Chairman of the Waterworks Committee John O`Meara, and City Engineer Spencer Harty. O`Meara and Harty had visited and reported on the fire brigades of a number of cities in England and Scotland, comparing
equipment, stations, pay and conditions with those in Dublin. It is quoted in Tom Geraghty’s excellent and seminal work ‘The Dublin Fire Brigade’ (Dublin 2004) and I always advise anyone interested in DFB history to get a copy of that book. While I knew of the report from Tom’s work, I had also looked at it as my own first book on the Brigades history, ‘Dublin Fire Brigade and the Irish Revolution’ (Dublin 2012) had chosen the arrival of Chief Officer Purcell in 1892 as its starting point.
It is worth looking again at just how poor conditions were in the DFB of the early 1890s to appreciate the huge changes that Purcell would bring to the organisation. Personally, I regard Purcell as the ‘father’ not just of the DFB but also of the Irish fire service itself. I have written about his life story in these pages in the past, and will no doubt return to him again, but for now let’s look at the Brigade he inherited in 1892. Captain John Boyle (CFO 1882-1892) was the Chief Officer at the time of the report. He had been appointed chief after the death of James Ingram in 1882. Boyle`s time in command was an unlucky one,
“Living conditions were appalling, with married men allocated just one room, regardless of family size”
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HISTORY with three firefighters losing their lives: Fireman John Kite in 1881 and Inspector Christopher Doherty and Fireman Peter Burke in 1891.
REPORT
The report starts with fire statistics for the year 1890. It tells us that the city had a population of 279,896 (this was the Dublin Corporation area – basically the city within the canals). In 1890 the Brigade responded to 346 fires. Of those fires, 344 were confined to the building of origin and 337 confined to the floor of origin. These are impressive figures: only two fires that year extended beyond the building of origin. The Dublin Fire Brigade consisted of 47 members: one chief, three officers (one Lieutenant, one Inspector and one Inspector of Escapes), two Engineers (in charge of the Brigade’s steam fire engines), three Drivers, and 38 firefighters. Firefighters (Firemen in the terminology of the day) were paid a weekly wage of: • 4th Class Firemen (1st year): 21 Shillings • 3rd Class Firemen (2nd year): 23 Shillings • 2nd Class Firemen: 24 Shillings • 1st Class Firemen: 25 Shillings Each fireman could also earn extra (up to a maximum of three shillings) if he had been awarded a chevron for saving a life. Each chevron earned carried a bonus of one shilling per week. Engineers in charge of the steam engines were classed as tradesmen and had a weekly wage of 32 shillings. The Brigade owned eight horses, with five in Brigade HQ in Clarendon Row and three attached to No.2 Station in Winetavern Street (Whitehorse Yard). On appointment to the Brigade, each fireman was issued with two uniforms, a helmet, two pairs of boots, a hand axe and an axe pouch, belt and hose key (used to open and close the round thread hose couplings of the day). He was entitled to one additional uniform per year.
original HQ at Coppinger Row. Clarendon Row had a number of issues around its suitability as a fire station. It was situated in a narrow street with bad access. It contained no recreation room for the men stationed there, but had provision for up to 23 unmarried members of the Brigade. The report noted that the bedrooms were too small and the HQ station also had no workroom. It included the Chief Officer’s quarters next door, as well as accommodation for one of the Inspectors in a house at the rear. The station had one steam fire engine and four other horse drawn vehicles.
WINETAVERN STREET
This station contained one steam fire engine, two manual engines, one hose carriage, one hose jumper, a mobile hose reel with provision for a driver), a hose reel and a toolcart. The station was manned by 23 married men, but had no quarters on site. The men lived with their families in tenements at 5 and 6 Cook Street and 11, 32 and 33 Winetavern Street. Living conditions were appalling, with married men allocated just one room, regardless of family size. One family living in one of these rooms had eight members and another had six. There were no facilities for drying wet clothing. (The report noted that by contrast a married fireman in Birmingham had a pantry, kitchen and three bedrooms,
with a wash house located on the roof of the station. This was provided free of charge by their employer. In Manchester Fire Brigade, a married man had similar accommodation but was stopped a deduction of two shilling and sixpence from their wages for it.) The Brigade had a number of wheeled fire escape ladders stationed around the city. These were at St Paul’s Church, St Catherine’s Church, The Bank of Ireland, Bolton Street, Georges Church, Kevin Street, Kildare Street, Nelson’s Pillar, and Wood Quay, with two augmented stations at New Wapping Street and Cardiff Lane. Each of the first nine stations had a fireman attached to them for duty from 8pm to 6 am from May to August, and from 8pm to 7am in the other months. There were no stoves or means of heating the sentry boxes used by the firemen when on this duty, regardless of weather. Both New Wapping Street and Cardiff Lane had two men attached to them for the same hours, with one man on day duty. Those two stations had larger huts with stoves. All the escape ladders used by the DFB were Dublin-made to the Clayton patent. The O`Meara/Harty report also noted that London, Glasgow and Liverpool had Salvage Corps employed by the insurance companies to assist with salvage at fires in those cities and, in some brigades like Liverpool, the police were also available for firefighting. In Dublin, the role of the
DFB helmets (© Las Fallon collection)
STATIONS
Brigade headquarters was at Clarendon Row. The building had been the first purpose-built fire station for the DFB and the one to which it moved from the
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HISTORY
“The men were treated ‘like machines’ with little or no training”
Captain Boyle and the crew at WhitehorseYard, Winetavern street
Dublin Metropolitan Police (which at one time had a fire engine attached to its Kevin Street depot) was confined to crowd control at larger fires. CRITICISM The report by O`Meara and Harty was scathing on the state of Dublin Fire Brigade. They found that the men were treated ‘like machines’ with little or no training, no provision for technical education or reading, and were confined to their station at all times except for very infrequent and limited hours of leave. They recommended that a library, billiard room and a gym be provided. Interestingly, they also noted the total lack of first aid training and recommended that such training be provided if only to allow the men to deal with burns and bruises among themselves at fires. They noted that in the past preference in recruiting members in Dublin was given to ex-seamen, but that other brigades also recruited tradesmen who could practise their trade in the upkeep of stations and equipment, and recommended this. They noted that there was no formal disciplinary code in the Brigade, and more ominously, that no drill had been carried out for some time due to the age and infirmity of the officer whose job it was to supervise it, with the men having only the most basic of training. At this point both the Chief, Captain Boyle, and Lieutenant Byrne (one of the original members from 1862) were both over 70 and desired to retire.
The report also recommended that a full return of the entire force, listing each man’s name, date of joining, age, position, etc, should be drawn up (this would be a godsend to those who research DFB history, but if it was done, it was lost in the cull of old documents during Major Comerford’s period in office as Chief). RECOMMENDATIONS There were positives in the report too. They recommended that two men per station be allowed on leave from 5pm to 10 pm each day (if possible). They had found that in Manchester men had one day’s leave in 13, and one full week off per year, while Edinburgh firemen had one day in 14 off and again a full week each year. Birmingham firemen had 45 hours leave per month and six days per year annual leave, and Glasgow had nine to ten days per year annual leave. Dublin was very far behind these figures. They also noted differences in pay, with Dublin as the lowest paid of the five other brigades inspected. The report issued 14 recommendations in all: 1. The superannuation of the Chief Officer and Lieutenant Byrne. 2. Construct a new central fire station. 3. Extend Winetavern Street. 4. A call out system for married men living off station in tenements. 5. New rules and regulations to be introduced.
6. A library with technical books and recreation facilities to be provided for firemen. 7. Larger shelters and stoves to be provided for men on night fire escape duty. 8. Hydrants to be identified and marked. 9. Inspection of all new building plans by the Chief Officer. 10. Street fire alarms to be installed. 11. A Dispensary to be established to deal with cuts, bruises and burns and training in first aid to start. 12. Small technical alterations to existing escape ladders. 13. More leave in line with UK brigades. 14. Life insurance to be set up for firemen (to be paid for by a deduction in wages). IMPROVEMENTS Some of these recommendations would come to pass under the new Chief, Captain Thomas Purcell, while others would be exceeded by Purcell’s own plans. In response to the report, the firemen banded together and formed the DFBU, the Dublin Fire Brigademen’s Union: the world’s first firefighters’ trade union - to push for better pay and conditions. A long battle was starting to improve the Dublin Fire brigade and make it a world class service, but also to improve the lot of those who worked, and continue to work, within that service.
A fireman moving a street fire escape ladder
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RUGBY
The combined DFB and NIFRS team with the Welsh side
A
t the start of February, the Dublin Fire Brigade Rugby Club were finally able to get back out on to the pitch once more as COVID-19 restrictions were lifted and play finally resumed. Several members of the side joined forces with Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue’s team to take on Wales in an international friendly in Northern Ireland, with Keith Mason, Alaric Collier, Brian Twomey, Kevin Conroy and Tom O’Reilly helping to make up an all-island 15 for the match in what is the first step towards an exciting new venture. “Over the last few years, the relationship between DFB Rugby and the NIFRS rugby team has developed very well, and we have good communication with them,” Sub-Officer Keith Mason tells me. “Working with Peter Bradley, the NIFRS club chairman, the long-term goal is to create a combined all-island
BACK IN ACTION
Keith Mason talks to Adam Hyland about restarting the rugby calendar and exciting times ahead rugby team that can compete against other national representative teams. We will still have the DFB rugby team, but this will be the way forward for us, that we will have international fixtures with a combined group of players from all around the country.” The pandemic meant many sporting activities ground to a halt, and it was fitting that the Irish team took on Wales when they resumed, having played them in 2020 in their last major match before COVID-19 caused major disruption. They will be familiar rivals over the coming years, Keith says. “We are going to look at playing Wales in Cardiff around the time of the Six Nations next year, and the one after that we plan to have the return leg in Dublin, then two years after that we will play them in Northern Ireland, and so on,” he tells me.
EXPANSION
“In terms of expanding the team to an all-island side, I have reached out to most of the fire brigades around Ireland and asked them to spread the word, and there has been a lot of interest, so we will eventually look for sponsorship, and there is also a cross-border initiative that can give financial support to help get things up and running.” Joining forces with NIFRS and other brigades around the country makes a lot of sense because it means there is a bigger pool of players to choose from, whereas previously fulfilling fixtures due to a lack of numbers has proved difficult. “When we combine with the NIFRS side there are always enough people to field a decent team, and it certainly helps overcome the major issue we have had in not knowing whether we can get enough
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RUGBY
Joining forces with the NIFRS
people together to field a full team,” Keith says. “It can be difficult because people are working their shifts, or have family things on, or have commitments with their own rugby club, so you just don’t know if you will have a full team, but with NIFRS we know we will be able to field a full 15 with plenty of subs available too.”
RELATIONSHIP
The relationship with NIFRS’s rugby team has been beneficial in more than sporting ways, Keith tells me. “Peter Bradley put me in touch with one of the NIFRS retained firefighters, David Vaugh, and sent him down to me when I was based at Tallaght fire station to have a chat in the run up to the last recruitment competition, and he ended up being successful and is now a firefighter with A Watch in Tara Street. That all came about because of our relationship that we have built. David didn’t have any other contacts in Dublin Fire Brigade to reach out to for advice, so I gave him a tour of the station and some information, and he is now amongst our ranks as a firefighter. That’s just an example of how beneficial the cross-border relationship can be, and also how being a member of a sporting or social club within the job can be a good way to connect.”
As for the match against Wales. Keith says it was just great to get back out on the pitch to play after so long. “We lost on the day to a very strong side,” he says, “but it was still a good fixture and we all enjoyed meeting up with the lads from the North again. It was brilliant to get that bit of interest going again amongst the players. A few of us were feeling it a bit more after such a long absence, because it has been 18 months since some of us put on our boots, but it was great to get out there, blow a few cobwebs off, get a bit mucky and have a bit of craic. It can be competitive, but the emphasis is on having fun and enjoying it.”
COMING UP
The year ahead looks promising now that the first fixture is out of the way, starting off with the World Fire Games in Lisbon at the end of April, with the DFB team set to compete n the Rugby 7s tournament that kicks off on 1 May, but Keith says there are also “other fixtures in the pipeline”. “It will hopefully be easier to organise a few games now restrictions have been lifted, and people won’t have commitments to their own club for a while,” he says. “Again, probably teaming
up with NIFRS, we will most likely have a match against a combined Garda-PSNI team in the coming months, with more games after that.” Keith is quick to give thanks to the DFBSSC for their continued support, as well as DubCo and their sponsor Flashpoint Medical, but he also expresses gratitude to others. “We are grateful to CFO Keeley, who has been very accommodating in allowing us to represent the job in the sport and using DFB vehicles to travel to and from games,” he tells me. “Without that support it would be difficult to organise fixtures. But we are also thankful to anyone who supports the club, and most of all, thankful to the members of the club who have shown they are committed and are showing up and taking part, and sometimes dragging other people along, because we are constantly looking to increase our numbers. The bigger the numbers, the better the club will be. “Anybody who wants to join should reach out to us. It is a mixed ability team and there is a spot for everybody, no matter what level of playing experience you have. We have people who played very junior rugby and others who play at a high level, but the way we play is to suit all abilities, so if you want to join, contact me by phone or email, or come find me on D Watch at HQ.”
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STATION PROFILE
STATION PROFILE B WATCH SWORDS
MEMBERS OF THE CREW OF B WATCH SWORDS TALK TO ADAM HYLAND ABOUT LIFE AND WORK AT THE STATION
U
nconventional times call for unconventional approaches, so it was great that members of the crew of B Watch in Swords were open to having a chat about life and work at their station via WhatsApp video. With S/O Conor Keegan on duty as an Instructor at the Training Centre, S/Off Peter Hendrick, who usually works with A Watch in Tara Street, was taking the reins when I called, and was happy to give an overview of the station’s scope and remit. Having spent his 20 years with DFB in several stations on both sides of the Liffey, he has an interesting outsider’s view of the crew and area.
ABOVE: The crew of B Watch Swords. LEFT: Senior Man Greg Frazer, who has been at Swords station since it opened
“Swords is great,” he tells me. “It’s a busy, dynamic station, and it is unique in some respects because the workload here is down to it being a geographically very large area. Under our district we have Balbriggan, Swords, in towards Dublin Airport, and we back up Finglas and Kilbarrack, depending on the circumstances. “Primarily we deal with a lot of highspeed motorway collisions with the M1
and M50 nearby, and the crew here are well trained in RTC management to handle that, as well as the bread and butter of fire-based EMS.”
TRAFFIC
The location of Swords means the transport hubs are an obvious challenge for the crew, and as well as the motorways there is the railway network running as far as
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STATION PROFILE
Portrane, Skerries and towards the North, and of course Dublin Airport, all of which combine to create a huge amount of traffic moving through the area on a daily basis. “We also have several industrial premises dotted around,” S/O Hendrick adds. “Bristol Myers Squibb’s pharmaceutical plant is an upper tier facility based in Swords, and it’s unusual in some respects because it is nestled among domestic settings that have grown up around it. That poses a challenge if we were to have an incident there. “On the domestic fire front, we back up the retained stations in Skerries and Balbriggan, so we have a real distance to travel before we can get to them. This station and Finglas tend to put a lot of mileage up on our appliances in a very short space of time, which is why we just got a new fire appliance that we have taken out for the first time today.” With that, FF/P Greg Frazer comes into view, asking if we are slagging him about being the senior man on B Watch. He is also happy to mention the new appliance. “A lot of our calls take us on to the M1 so you need a reliable appliance that is going to get you there and back,” he tells me. “It’s a lovely machine and very well stocked, and I know that across the DFB they are trying to make sure every truck is the same, all equipment in the same place, so if you are at an incident and asked to get something you know exactly where to find it. It’s lovely to have a top of the range vehicle, and we are delighted with it.”
SENIOR MAN
FF/P Frazer is happy to tell me what being the senior man involves. “I’ve been the senior ranking firefighter here for about five years,” he says. “I’ve been here since Swords opened 15 years ago and when I came in there were two firefighters more senior than me who have now either retired or moved to Tara Street. It’s an unusual role because you are like a medium between the Officer and the crew. If anyone has a problem, they can come to me and I will talk to the Officer, and vice versa. The senior man passes the issue down, or up, and it’s a good system, but you don’t
FF/P Alex Daly
really realise you are seen as the senior man until all of a sudden you have younger crew members coming up and asking you questions! But it is a great job and I enjoy the role. “Thankfully the crew all get along very well together. We have a great mix of ages and personalities, so you only end up dealing with small things, and giving small bits of advice, so there has never been anything serious to deal with. In terms of ages, I’m 52 and the youngest is around 26, and we all get along great and have a bit of a laugh. Everything is tongue in cheek and everyone knows the slagging is harmless. “Before COVID-19 we always tried to get away for a few days as a Christmas break and have been over to Spain a couple of times. It’s a great way to socialise outside of the station, but what goes on tour stays on
tour! The crew also do a lot for charity as well, and regularly take part in fundraisers, which is a good way to bond and help the community.”
CHANGES
Having been at the station since it opened, I ask FF/P Frazer what has changed over the years. “At the start, because it had been a retained station previously, it was more or less empty, but we built it up with support from DFBSSC. We had a gym in a spare engine bay but DCC and DFBSSC helped
“We tend to put a lot of mileage up on our appliances in a very short space of time” FIRECALL SPRING
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STATION PROFILE
“Swords has the second biggest population of any town in Ireland, so that puts pressure on us too, but we really enjoy it” provide a purpose-built gym that is well used by a very active crew, and it’s a great addition to the station. “What has really changed is the area we cover, and the population that has become colossal. Places like Rush, Lusk, Skerries and Balbriggan all used to be small villages with small populations but in my time the population has exploded, and that brings our calls up and stretches us that bit more. Swords itself also has the second biggest population of any town in Ireland, so that puts pressure on us, but we really enjoy it: better to be busy than to be sitting around. “I have to say the equipment we have has also changed a lot and is really fantastic now,” he adds. “It certainly makes it easier to do the job well, because the technology has come on in leaps and bounds, even within the last ten years.” When I ask what he thinks is unique about working at Swords station, FF/P Frazer is quick to point out that the relationship with the surrounding retained stations and their crews is something he really enjoys. “We have the opportunity to work with some of the retained crews in Skerries and Balbriggan, and we have a bond there that other stations mightn’t get because they don’t get to work with the retained crews. “We have the same skill sets, but on the medical side of it we come into our own and we maybe are more highly qualified. They mightn’t have that many paramedics, but it is great to have them there to provide the first response care. For example, if there is a cardiac arrest in Balbriggan, which is 15 minutes away from us, and they can get there in three minutes, that makes a huge difference until we can arrive. They are a huge part of the chain and it has worked very successfully on numerous occasions. It is great being part of a chain like that.”
YOUNG BLOOD
With that, we move from senior man to second most junior, as FF/P Frazer hands me over to FF/P Alex Daly, who has been on B Watch here for two years. After just one year at the station, FF/P
Daly made a bit of a splash, quite literally, and made headlines when she was involved in a sea rescue in Dunmore East while off duty last New Year’s Eve. Though the story was covered in national and local papers at the time, I can’t not ask about it. “I was away with my boyfriend in Dunmore East, staying in a hotel on the seafront, and we were having breakfast and looking out onto the water,” she tells me. “I could see people trying to throw a ring buoy to a man who was a little far out, so I thought I had better go out and see what I could do. The people on the shore told me he had gone out swimming with a friend who had managed to get back in but he couldn’t, and nobody could reach him. I had previously been a lifeguard and have been a swimmer all my life, so I just got in and swam out to him. When I got to him, I realised there was no way I would be able to drag him back in to shore with me, so I waded with him for a while until the RNLI boat came out, as well as two other swimmers, and we managed to get him aboard and back to safety. “The hotel gave me a free breakfast when I went back, so that was great, and the man phoned me to thank me, which was really lovely. “Of course, I got a bit of slagging at the station after that because I had been out saving lives while off duty, and all that, but when that stopped the whole crew individually said to me how brilliant what I’d done was, and that was lovely to hear. Even though there is a lot of slagging, everyone is always appreciative of what you do and they are always on your side. We are like a little family, and when you are going to traumatic incidents you want to be able to come back to the station and have a cup of tea and talk about it, and everyone here is really close that way.” FF/P Daly is full of praise for the crew and how they have made her feel at home,
even if it took a little getting used to being the only female member. “I think it is brilliant working here, genuinely I think it is the best job,” she tells me. “I love the way it is different every day. I had never worked in anything like this job before, and it is different to be working with all men too.
WELCOME
“In my training, I was also part of the first every all-female syndicate because we had to be put together because of COVID-19 measures. So even when I first came into the job, I was used to doing everything with all females, lifting ladders and equipment, patients, etc, so it is a big change for me, going from all females to being the only female. But it’s all good. “It takes a little time to get used to, although they did have a female firefighter here before me, but they are great lads. The minute I came in they did everything they could to show me around, make me feel at home and support me, they were all so welcoming to me, but I can tell you that I am more thick-skinned now!” FF/P Daly is also happy to no longer be the most junior member of the crew, with a new recruit having joined, and she tells me she was eager to show him the same support and welcome she received when she first started. “When he came in first, I took him around the station and showed him where everything was and talked about the job, because that’s what the person who had been the newest before I joined did for me,” she says. “I think it can be intimidating asking the older lads, in case you feel that maybe you should know something already, so it is easier to go to the person next up to you. When you come in as the new recruit, you feel you have to step up and offer to do everything, and it’s great because I was used to always putting my hand up, but now he is doing the same. It is weird not being the newest anymore, but I’m getting used to it and we all make sure that everybody gets along and can do their job well.”
“Even though there is a lot of slagging, everyone is always appreciative of what you do and they are always on your side”
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Solidarity in the face of Covid. INMO and DFB members showing The Courage to Care 2022
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PARAMEDIC GRADUATION
PARAMEDIC GRADUATION
D/O EMS Paul Lambert talks to Adam Hyland about the recent graduation of paramedics from the RCSI, and the ongoing education involved
I
Watch the conferring ceremony at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_mQkyzBN5k or scan the QR code.
n January of this year, almost 100 paramedics from Dublin Fire Brigade graduated with a Diploma in Emergency Medical Technology from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, with a virtual conferring ceremony produced to mark the occasion. While in previous years the ceremony would have taken place within the beautiful and historic RCSI building, the ongoing pandemic and the rise in cases in January meant the online option was the best approach, with a tasteful, dignified and very professional production made to acknowledge the achievements of those who graduated. These graduates, consisting of one student from Class 13, 48 from Class 14, and 52 from Class 15, with the Coast Guard and Dublin Airport Fire and Rescue Service also represented, have in the last two years become very accustomed to overcoming disruption and the many challenges brought on by the pandemic, but have shown their commitment to become fully fledged paramedics after a long and arduous period of intensive study.
PROCESS
“It’s a long process, almost two years,” D/O EMS Training Paul Lambert tells me. “The students do their didactic or taught programme initially, then have to do their Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Course (PHECC) exams, so there is a lot of pressure in the first block of study.
“After these exams, they move on to the supernumerary section, where they spend four weeks as a third person on an ambulance, just as observers, taking vital signs, etc, then they move into their undergraduate phase, which is about 26 or 28 weeks working under the supervision of a paramedic at all times, but they are also rostered to do clinical placements.” COVID-19 meant that some of this final section was not always possible, but D/O Lambert says the students would have experienced other challenges too.
CHALLENGES
“When they were being supervised, they had to deal with COVID-19,” he says, “so the work they would normally do became much more arduous and took longer because of the PPE needed, taking precautions to make sure they were safe and their colleagues were safe, before and after a case, and spending more time cleaning the ambulance to make sure it was safe for the next patient. “To do patient assessment during all of this, these are all skills that are difficult enough to do under normal circumstances, so when you are fully gowned up doing it, you need a lot of resilience, and all of the students demonstrated a great resilience during their internship during this period. We are very proud of how they performed.” D/O Lambert says the graduation of this group is something that all involved are justifiably very proud of, and it was fitting to be able to acknowledge their efforts with the virtual ceremony. “The students have an ever-increasing scope of practice, and the role is hugely different from when I joined,” he tells me. “The skills and assessments being performed, they are very knowledgeable and professional in their approach, there is a lot of critical thinking, everything is more advanced. The emphasis is now on continual education, and that is what we want to instil in them. We have excellent tutors here, and we are very proud of the
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PARAMEDIC GRADUATION
ABOVE:The virtual conferring ceremony was professional and celebratory. LEFT: D/O EMS Paul Lambert
work they have put in, they are in early to prepare, staying late, doing additional sessions with students. When students are here their application to the study and the effort they put in is tremendous, but it all leads to equipping them with the tools, expertise and knowledge required to do the job properly.
VIRTUAL CEREMONY
“The graduation really is an acknowledgement of their dedication and commitment to the study, their application, and it is great for their families as well because their families lose them during the time when they are studying, the students lose time with their children and other halves. They
have to apply themselves in the evenings and weekends to make sure they are ready for their examinations and to progress in their career.” It was inevitable, D/O Lambert says, that there was some disappointment when the graduation ceremony couldn’t take place as an in-person event, but he feels the right call was made to host it online. “It’s awful that they missed out on the social interaction and the sense of celebration and the physical attendance of such an event,” he says. “I’ve been to previous in-person graduations and there is a lovely sense of occasion. The RCSI always go out of their way because they are very proud of their collaboration with DFB, and it is such a nice occasion for the students and their families.” On the plus side, he points out: “The ceremony is now online and it is nice to
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PARAMEDIC GRADUATION
Both RCSI and DFB personnel were keen to acknowledge the achievement of the graduates, including RCSI Vice Chancellor and CEO Prof Cathal Kelly, Programme Medical Director Dr Niamh Collins, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Prof Hannah McGee, as well as DFB’s CFO Dennis Keeley, Course Directors Niall O’Reilly and Mark Fay, Brigade Medical Director Dr Peter O’Connor, and Third Officer DFB Ambulance John Keogh.
be able to revisit it, because it can give you a nice sense of achievement and it’s something to tell your children in the future. This class can show their family or friends, and it also allowed for family and friends in the broader sense to attend too. Extended families could also view it so it hits a broader audience, which is lovely.” The virtual conferring ceremony itself is very impressively made, and D/O Lambert is quick to point out that the partnership between RCSI and DFB meant all involved were eager to show their admiration for and acknowledgement of the dedication of the graduates.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
“It just showed the emphasis or weight the RCSI give to the paramedic programme, because they had everyone from the RCSI President Ronan McConnell delivering his address, Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs Professor Hannah McGee also contributed, plus Head of Postgraduate Studies Professor
Darran O’Connor, and Programme Medical Director Dr Niamh Collins, then from our side CFO Dennis Keeley, Brigade Medical Director Dr Peter O’Connor, ACFO Michael O’Reilly, Third Officer John Keogh, Brigade Training officer Brendan Carrol, D/O EMS Support Martin O’Reilly, myself, and also Programme Manager Patricia Fitzpatrick. We all wanted to contribute because we all wanted the students to know how important it was that we recognised their achievements and resilience to come through their educational process during COVID-19.”
NEXT STEPS
The graduates are now, as D/O Lambert says, “full practitioners on the road” and as they would have already been PHECC-registered practitioners at paramedic level, “they are now the frontline ambulance service dedicated to providing excellent healthcare”, but the emphasis in continuous learning is something he is keen to point out.
“Since their graduation, there has been a new set of clinical practice guidelines, so their education hasn’t stopped,” D/O Lambert tells me. “They will have to come back to us later this year or next year to add to their skillsets and scope of practice. Learning is constant and there will be a professional requirement for them to maintain a portfolio of evidence of CPC where every year they will have to demonstrate 18 CPC points by doing case studies or online education, or attending courses that will generate these points. They have to maintain continual education, and can be audited by the PHECC council to make sure that process is continuing… so they can never stop learning.” With these new requirements being launched in the coming months, DFB and the Training Centre are taking steps to make sure this continued learning can be achieved while the graduates are operational. “We will have pieces on our Learning Management System where they can go online and do a case study or reflective writing piece for appraisal, and that can form some of the evidence of learning,” D/O Lambert says. “They will also be able to attend courses, either in person or online, and we will do our best to assist them with any programmes they want to attend that will generate points for them.” While the recent graduates will have their continued learning catered for, the training and education of the next group of students has also already begun. “We have Class 16 and Class 17 in progress at the moment,” D/O Lambert says. “Class 16, which is the largest we have ever brought in at 56 people, are in their postgraduate section, so they have done their Part 2 PHECC exams and will do their postgraduate section next, so their next step is to be monitored on the ambulance, and submit three case studies and then go in front of the DFB and RCSI panel to present themselves for full registration. Class 27, with 36 students, have just completed their supernumerary internship and are about to move into their undergraduate internship. “As well as that, we also have a new class starting in June, with 44 students. So, it’s a non-stop cycle.”
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Blood Transfusion_Full.pdf
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04/02/2020 16:09 29/03/2022 05/02/2020 17:19 11:37
RESEARCH Michelle O’Toole, Senior Simulation Researcher, RCSI SIM Centre
Former DFB Firefighter/ Advanced Paramedic Michelle O’Toole talks to Adam Hyland about her research project at RCSI’s SIM Centre
Michelle with her son Harry
I
n difficult times, we turn to those closest to us, and in recognition of this, former Dublin Fire Brigade Firefighter/Advanced Paramedic Michelle O’Toole is now leading a major research project exploring how family members and friends can best support a first responder’s mental health. As co-lead of the SAFER Families/ Friends research project at the Royal College of Surgeons (RCSI) SIM Centre for Simulation Education and Research, Michelle will work with various community partners to educate those living with emergency services personnel on how to help them cope with workrelated stress while also being mindful of their own self-care. Firefighters and other first responders deal with stressful incidents on a daily
HELP IN THE HOME basis, with research showing they are more likely to experience depression, PTSD and other mental health issues, and while the tremendous work of DFB’s Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) team has broken down the stigma of asking for help, the need to equip families and friends with the skills to both recognise the signs and symptoms of stress, and provide a first helpful intervention, is still hugely important.
CISM
Having joined DFB in 2009, Michelle spent six years at Blanchardstown station before she moved to the Training Centre
as an Instructor, providing paramedic education as well as CISM support, which she says is something she dove into after experiencing traumatic events herself. “My very first incident was a fatal road crash,” she tells me, “and I really didn’t feel prepared for it, but my S/O noticed this, and organised for the CISM team to come to our station. I didn’t really know what to expect, but the CISM leader at the time, the late Adrian O’Grady, came in with a colleague and we had a debriefing and talked about the incident. It was like a lightbulb moment for me because I could see the benefit of this straight away. For me as a new recruit, getting to know
“My very first incident was a fatal road crash, and I really didn’t feel prepared for it, but my S/O noticed this, and organised for the CISM team to come to our station.” FIRECALL SPRING
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RESEARCH
“As a new recruit, getting to know other people and getting their perspective on it really helped me to understand the bigger picture and to see that there were supports within the job from people who understood”
Michelle graduating in 2009
other people and getting their perspective on it really helped me to understand the bigger picture and to see that there were supports within the job from people who understood. That was really big for me and I wanted to get involved straight away.” CISM Lead Adrian O’Grady advised Michelle to get more experience and come back after a few years, which is exactly what she did. “Blanchardstown is a really busy station and there were a lot of different types of incidents that I was involved in,” Michelle says, “and I was very lucky to see a lot of them so early on in my career. Because of the experience of dealing with those incidents and coming through on the other side, I was better equipped to talk to other people who were experiencing the same thing. “Up until then the CISM team included people who were much more experienced than me and I was conscious that I was younger than a lot of the team, but Aido took a chance on me.” Joining the CISM team fully in 2013, Michelle says that she had a great team with excellent training and mentorship, and thus began her major interest in mental health support for first responders. Along with S/O O’Grady and FF/P Brian Doyle, Michelle began doing further research into CISM and completed a Masters in Psychological Trauma at Nottingham University before returning to DFB.
“When I came back from my Masters, I knew there was so much we could do to better prepare ourselves and our colleagues,” she tells me. “We set up a research team, and the first thing we did was look at the recruits who were in training at the time. They were the ideal candidates to start with because they were about to go operational, so we wanted to talk to them and see how they felt about being prepared. We did interviews, surveys and focus groups, and we got a lot of valuable information.”
FAMILY
Some of the findings from that research proved to be unexpected, but led to the formation of a very important aspect of recruit training, Michelle says. “The survey itself asked the recruits who would be their first point of contact if they were stressed, and we were so surprised that the majority said family members – their mother, wife, etc. That really surprised us because all research up until then had said peers were the people they talked to because they were in the same situation, and talked the same talk. That set us off on a different track, and we started to look into how we could support family members, and from that we set up the Recruit Family Night. “This was established to get families in to make them aware of what the recruits were going through in training, but we also noticed that people were loving the community aspect of it. That planted the seed for me that something needed to be done for family members of first responders.” Michelle continued working as part of the CISM team until February 2021, when she took “the tough decision to leave DFB” and take on her new role with RCSI’S SIM Centre, and alongside her co-lead Professor Walter Eppich, successfully applied for a research grant from the Movember charity’s Veterans and First Responders Mental Health Grant Program. “It was really fitting that we got a grant from Movember,” Michelle tells me, “because there were several key players in DFB who set up a network within Ireland with other emergency services personnel, and every year DFB raises a lot of money with these people, so it is really nice to see the support coming back, for some of that funding to get used to advance mental
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RESEARCH
Michelle O’Toole with her family on her retirement from DFB
health support in our own emergency services. I try to champion the fact that the fundraising within DFB is ongoing, and want to build on their legacy with this project.”
PROJECT
The project team consists of Michelle as Senior Simulation Researcher, Prof Eppich as co-lead, and colleagues Dr Angeline Traynor and Anna Tijn, with DFB’s Brian Doyle as part-time research assistant. Mental Health Ireland will help with the coproduction piece and Dublin Civil Defence will provide the personnel who will play the roles of first responders in the simulations.
“That is important because we need people in the scenario who have lived these experiences, to make the scenarios as close to reality as possible,” she adds. “We have our team in place and will begin implementation soon,” Michelle says, “setting up a co-production workshop that will see us bring people involved in this type of training to get their input in designing the simulated scenarios and the interventions. We want all those key players at the table so we are bringing in family members, firefighters, paramedics, the policymakers in this field, to figure out the best way to do it. “It’s really important that we use our
“It’s really important that we use our family member and first responder voices to make this training a success, to figure out what they need, and what they have at the moment, so we can fill in the gaps with our intervention”
family member and first responder voices to make this training a success, to figure out what they need, and what they have at the moment, so we can fill in the gaps with our intervention.” Michelle points out that while the mention of “simulation” brings to mind high-tech approaches, her project is what she describes as a simple approach that replicates the scenarios in which family members and friends may find themselves when the first responder they are close to needs support. “We are training family members to initiate those difficult conversations with first responders after traumatic incidents,” she explains. “When they come home after a bad day, first responders might not want to talk about it initially, and that is ok, so we build simulated scenarios based on their work experiences, starting the conversation with them.
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RESEARCH
“We are training family members to initiate those difficult conversations with first responders after traumatic incidents”
Michelle served with DFB for 12 years
“We will train the family members in psychological first aid, but before we get them to the Simulation Centre there will be education, teaching them about what stress is, the signs and symptoms, what to look out for, and also how to take care of themselves. We recognise that doing this work can take a lot out of family members too, so they need to know how to look after their own mental health.” The project will therefore not just show how to detect and help with mental health issues, but emphasises that such events should be seen as par for the course.
HELP
“The most important thing we are trying to emphasise is that it is ok to ask for help,” Michelle says, “and to encourage first responders to speak up when they do need help. We know from research that men in particular are bad at putting their hands up and saying they need help, and it is often the family members and people who live with the first responder who notice that they are not ok. It is about encouraging the family members to be able to notice that, how to recognise it and how to intervene, taking away the stigma.
“We want to initiate the conversation that opens the door for the family member to be able to help. Professional help is not always needed, because sometimes first responders just need someone to listen.” When help is needed, Michelle says there are several resources available. “All organisations and emergency services will have an internal structure, whether it is a CISM team or similar, and we encourage people to go to whoever they trust first, whether that is somebody at work or somebody at home. Outside of that, if DFB members need professional help, after CISM you can go to Dublin City Council and then into occupational health. “For family members or people not privy to that care, there are lots of resources available. If it is about just speaking to somebody you can go to low-cost counselling services. While Mental Health Ireland don’t provide mental health services themselves, they do have a huge amount of resources on their website that can point you in the right direction, and we are hoping that we can link with them to create content that people can get information from. We will also share with AWARE and SMART.” Providing the valuable information this research project will result in is key to Michelle’s aims to better support family members living with a first responder. “CISM as a package is supposed to include family members,” she tells me, “so, it’s fundamental to include everybody in the first responder’s life, but many organisations are more concerned with their personnel only, so we are planning to present this idea to those organisations so they can take it on board in their policies. “We are hoping to get organisations involved such as CISM Network Ireland, who have a larger reach across the country, and we want to be able to knock on doors and say this actually works, so you need further scalability and need to
invest in providing it. We have to start seeing the family of a first responder as a unit because there is such a crossover between what happens at work and at home. “There is a lot of interest from people all over the world. There is a need for it, so we are going to focus on doing this part right, and in a year we can go back to organisations with evidence that this works. “Having worked with DFB for years and experienced what I have, and working with the CISM team, now is the time to bring that learning out to the international world so that other people can know what we are doing and how best to do it.” Michelle says the project is asking for people to register their interest in the programme, whether first responders or family members by emailing simulationresearch@rcsi.com
Find out more about the RCSI SIM Centre at www.rcsi.com/dublin/ about/simulation DFB members can use the following 24/7 phone numbers offering confidential advice and support: 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
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IKA GENERIC ADVERT A4_Layout 1 08/06/2015 14:49 Page 1
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STRONGMAN
SHOW OF STRENGTH D ublin Fire Brigade’s firefighters face challenges every day, but FF/P Cathal McNally of A Watch in Swords recently pushed himself to the limit when he took part in the World’s Strongest Firefighter competition run by Hollywood legend Arnold Schwarzenegger. The Arnold Sports Festival, held in Columbus, Ohio, in March, saw 16 emergency services members chosen out of more than 400 applicants to compete in the firefighter section of the strongman competition. Schwarzenegger set up the special category for firefighters after he was impressed by the work of crews battling the 2018 California wildfires, and this year FF/P McNally decided to take on the challenge and represent DFB and Ireland at the event. “I always wanted to be a firefighter,” he tells me. “I grew up in Northern Ireland and the NIFRS used to run a Fire Cadet programme, which I did once a week for three years, and it gave me work experience with them. I joined the Army and after three years the possibility of joining DFB opened up to me. I hadn’t really thought about joining, but a colleague said he was applying and told me I should apply too, so I did and got in.”
TRAINING
It’s remarkable that FF/P McNally only started training for strongman competitions during lockdown, but his time in the Army and his rugby playing background meant he had a good starting point in terms of physical strength.
Cathal McNally of A Watch Swords talks to Adam Hyland about taking part in the World’s Strongest Firefighter competition
FF/P McNally tested himself to the limit
“I started going to the station gym more regularly, and it just went from there,” he says. “When restrictions were lifted, I was then able to go to the Swords station gym and my own gym, so I was able to build on my strength.” A post shared on Instagram by the DFB Athletics Club alerted FF/P McNally to the strongman competition for firefighters, and after some deliberation he decided to apply. Even getting to the competition itself was a tall order. He had to submit videos of himself doing various dead lifts to prove he was strong enough to compete, followed by a video talking about himself, and why he would be a good fit for the competition.
COMPETITION
As for the competition itself, FF/P McNally flew over with fellow Swords A Watch members Aaron McCourt and Stephen Weldon as support, and faced several rounds that challenged his physical strength. “The first event was a 250lb log press, followed by a 250lb sandbag carry, then came the 525lb dead lift, and finally an arm over arm pull of 550lb for 20 feet,” he tells me. “The sandbag carry was the hardest because it just hits you all of a sudden and you can’t move anymore.” While the vast majority of competitors were from the US, as well as FF/P McNally there was one entrant from the Czech Republic and one from Canada, and he tells
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STRONGMAN Representing DFB and Ireland at the event with fellow competitors
ABOVE: Presenting Schwarzenegger with the DFB challenge coin. BELOW: Cathal (centre) with fellow Swords A Watch members Aaron McCourt and Stephen Weldon
“The sandbag carry was the hardest because it just hits you all of a sudden and you can’t move anymore”
me it was a proud moment for him. “One of the big appeals for me was representing DFB, but also having the chance to represent Ireland, getting to walk out on stage in front of a few thousand people carrying an Irish flag,” he says. Competition, he tells me was tough. “There were all sorts of people from different backgrounds,” he says. “Predominantly it is a strongman competition and the person who won is all but a professional strongman competitor who has been at the top end of competition for the last ten years. But then you had powerlifters who are also at the highest level in the US, very strong and powerful people.”
HERO
Despite the strong competition, FF/P won a top ten finish with a placement of ninth, but to top off his visit he also got to meet one of his heroes, Schwarzenegger himself. “We got to meet him on the Saturday and Sunday morning,” he tells me. “It didn’t feel real at the time and looking back now it is still hard to believe. When he came down on the Saturday morning we met him for
a few minutes and he had everyone in stitches laughing and put everyone at ease straight away. “On the Sunday, he brought us all on stage and then we met him afterwards at the presentation, but it is all just so surreal in the moment.” FF/P also got to present Schwarzenegger with a DFB challenge coin specially made for the occasion. “One of the other competitors had competed in 2020 and he had told me that Arnold loved to collect challenge coins himself, so I talked to the DFBSSC and they organised the making of a challenge coin for me to present to him, and he was delighted to get it,” he says. “It’s hard to explain what it is like to meet him,” FF/P McNally adds. “When you see him there is an aura around him, a buzz in the room when he walks in, everybody acts differently around him. “On the other side of that I have two boys, 11 and six, and when I told them I was going to meet Arnold Schwarzenegger, they didn’t know who he was,” FF/P McNally laughs. “I also got a picture taken with the presenter of a YouTube programme about strongmen, and my boys were more amazed that I had met somebody off YouTube than that I had met Arnold.” FF/P McNally came home from the event with something else too, a new title as Head of International Recruitment for the World’s Strongest Firefighter
organisation. “It sounds like a lofty role,” he says, “but essentially, they are looking to expand the competition because there were only three non-US competitors, so they want me to spread the word over here and get more people involved. So, if you are interested, reach out to me.” Having competed in two competitions in Ireland last year, FF/P McNally has another coming up in the next two months, and is also part of the DFB Rugby Club’s 7s team heading off to Lisbon for the World Fire Games at the start of May. “I’m not built for 7s rugby, but we’ll see how it goes,” he says.
TEAMWORK
On the work side of things, FF/P McNally is eager to point out that while his strength does help him in his role, it is far from essential for firefighters to be as strong. “You don’t need to be very strong to do the job because you are never on your own in the fire brigade,” he tells me. “We work as a team. You might have someone very strong on your team, or someone who is fit, or someone very smart, or very experienced, or who has a useful background, so we put our combined strengths together to do the job. “While I do find that when there’s a door that needs to be broken down, or something to be carried, I put my hand up for that job, there is also stuff I wouldn’t be able to do that others put themselves forward for, so it is a balance, it is all about team work.”
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INTERNATIONAL PROFILE
INTERNATIONAL STATION PROFILE
PLANTATION, FLORIDA Battalion Chief Iraldo Curbelo talks to Adam Hyland about life and work in south Florida, and his connections with Dublin Fire Brigade
A
mong the visitors to Dublin Fire Brigade who took part in the St Patrick’s Day Parade and enjoyed DFB hospitality were firefighters from Plantation Fire Department in southern Florida. Battalion Chief Iraldo Curbelo and his wife Theresa are the main drivers behind bringing firefighters to Ireland, and were again this year delighted to pay a visit, but having returned to more tropical surroundings, I ask Chief Curbelo, who has been with Plantation FD for 26 years and served as Battalion Chief for 12, what it is like to live and work there. “I can tell you this is a great city” he opens. “What I enjoy about working in this department is that even though we are large enough to be busy, we are not extremely overwhelmed like some other cities, so it gives us time to practice our craft, especially being that a lot of our paramedics and EMTs are firefighters, but provide more of the medical and EMS operations. “We can hone our craft in that respect and we feel we are better than most. We have great medical directors here in south Florida, and are cutting edge in terms of what we are doing out on the street, from our cardiac alerts, stroke alerts, sepsis alerts, trauma, all these things. Also, we get to the hospital and the doctors know
One of Plantation’s five EMS vehicles
“We have around 150 active members, making us the largest volunteer fire department in the state of Florida, which is something we are very proud of” us, know we are capable in what we are doing, so the relationship is very good. That’s what I enjoy, being in somewhat of a smaller town but still doing a challenging job.”
COMBINATION
Plantation is what is described as a combination department, which means it is comprised of a firefighting or fire suppression department made up of volunteers, but with full-time Chiefs, while the EMS and paramedic department, or Rescue Division, are fulltime professionals. Other divisions such as maintenance, logistics and fire safety, are also full time. “We are kind of unique in south Florida in that respect, Chief Curbelo tells me. “A
lot of fire departments around us would be considered Fire and Rescue, and are made up of full-time firefighters, but ours are volunteers and when a call goes out, they are notified by pager and respond to the firehouse to gear up and go to the incident.” There are also specialist units within the department, including a Dive Rescue team (which is important given the proximity to the Everglades), and a HazMat team, and the department as a whole has grown along with the city since its establishment 65 years ago. “We started our volunteer system back in 1957, and back then there were 21 members who decided they wanted to provide this service for the city of around 8,000 people,” Chief Curbelo explains. “Three years later we built our first
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INTERNATIONAL PROFILE The visiting group with S/O Dan Fynes and Assistant Chief Greg O’Dwyer
The Curbelos take Dublin
Exchanging gifts with CFO Keeley, including a gift made by a previous visiting firefighter
firehouse, and through the years we have grown to operate six strategically-placed stations across Plantation, covering an area of 22 square miles. “We have a population of around 95,000 now, but that expands to around 150,000 during the day because we have two major mall complexes here, as well as large industries such as Motorola, so workers and visitors swell the population. “Our volunteer firefighters need to live within two miles of a firehouse to be able to respond, and at present we have around 150 active members, making us the largest volunteer fire department in the state of Florida, which is something we are very proud of. I have to say, it works for us, and we have really top of the range equipment to help us provide a full spectrum of the fire and rescue service.” While fire suppression accounts for around 3,500 firecalls per year, the majority of the workload falls to the EMS or Rescue
Division, who respond to around 8,500 calls per year.
EMS
“Our EMS personnel started in 1996 with three rescues in the city, and from that we have grown to have five rescue trucks throughout the city working 24/7 all year round,” Chief Curbelo says. “We do 24 hours on, 72 hours off, which is a little different from the surrounding areas, but our people really like that arrangement.” Talking about the challenges and hazards the divisions face working in Plantation, Chief Curbelo says the diversity of the city’s layout is one, as is the nearby Florida turnpike that accounts for a lot of RTCs, but another is something many cities across the world are now facing. “We have a diverse setting, from traditional neighbourhoods with schools to two major malls and a lot of businesses,” he tells me, “but recently we have seen a big boom in
high rises going up, so all of a sudden we have gone from our tallest building being five storeys to now having multiple high rises of at least ten storeys, so that has become a huge challenge, not only in what we have to deal with, but also the volume of calls our volunteers have to respond to.” New challenges such as high rise buildings mean training is very important, and with a volunteer department this can be difficult, but Chief Curbelo says Plantation has managed to incorporate the necessary skillsets and training within its structure.
TRAINING
“The State of Florida has standards of fire prevention in place, so all volunteers have to complete a course to meet the minimum standards to become State-certified,” he says, “but our firefighters have gone an extra step because we offer the opportunity to become Fire level 2-certified, which involves the same training as any full-time firefighter in Florida. “We provide training throughout the member’s time here, twice a month as a division and twice a week at station level. We also have our own training centre and instructors, and we are lucky in that since we have the largest volunteer department in Florida, we also have a lot of highly-trained
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INTERNATIONAL PROFILE
LEFT: Midtown station looking out BELOW: Battalion Chief Iraldo Curbelo with his daughter and son
Meeting the crowds of onlookers on St Patrick’s Day
instructors and people certified to provide these courses, rather than having to go out to the traditional Fire Academies.” Harking back to its establishment in 1957 as a volunteer service, Plantation FD puts a strong emphasis on ‘neighbour helping neighbour’, and Chief Curbelo says that their mission statement is to provide the best care they can to the citizens of the city. “One of our sayings here is that you should treat everybody like your Mom,” he tells me. “That way, you know you are doing the best you can and being as caring as possible. It is not always easy, but we try to provide that every day.” As a community-driven service, it is no surprise that many of the volunteers come from the local high schools, and the department is proactive in reaching out to them and helping with their career goals. “Although we have people of all ages, we do a lot of recruiting of students who are about to graduate,” Chief Curbelo says. “Once they get in and become involved, they get excellent training and can be certified in areas that lead to other careers, whether that is with us or working as firefighters or paramedics in other cities.”
DUBLIN
On the subject of the recent trip to Dublin, Chief Curbelo is full of praise for Dublin Fire Brigade and the hospitality they were shown. “While planning one of our trips, through word of mouth a few firefighters became interested, especially when one colleague from a neighbouring department suggested it would be great to be involved in the St Patrick’s Day Parade,” Chief
Curbelo tells me. “We reached out and got hold of Dan Fynes and a couple of other very nice people – great hosts – and it all came together. I have to say, we enjoyed every bit of it. DFB is so accommodating, really made us all feel welcome, and we hope to continue to visit in the years ahead.” Along with his wife, he also brought his son, a FF/P and registered nurse working in neighbouring Tamarac, and his daughter, a volunteer firefighter with Plantation FD, and the sense of family involvement, both personal and professional, is something he is keen to emphasise. “Plantation is a great city to live in, and I grew up here in south Florida where I have lived for 20 years, and our fire department is one big family, a brotherhood and sisterhood that has now become worldwide,” Chief Curbelo says. “We
enjoy bringing our people over to Ireland to see that family spirit in action, and to see that history of firefighting together as a community that goes back a lot longer than we have here, and we want to say how proud we are of the connection we have made.” This, he says, was exemplified by the gift presented to CFO Keeley before the Parade. “It was made by one of our personnel who visited three years ago, who designs flag structures out of wood. We told him we wanted to get a gift for DFB, and he designed it so we could present it to CFO Keeley and explain that it came from someone who had been over before and had really enjoyed it, and had memories that would remain. That’s a message we all want to share.”
“One of our sayings here is that you should treat everybody like your Mom”
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80% 5% IN AFRICA WOMEN DO
WITH ONLY
SCAN ME WITH
OF THE FARM WORK
YOUR SMART PHONE
OF THE HELP & SUPPORT
In Africa, the hand that rocks the cradle also tills the field. In addition to raising children, preparing food, carrying water and collecting firewood, African women do up to 80% of the farm work. But they get as little as 5% of the support - in training, seeds, land and credit. You can change this. Add your name to the petition to demand increased support for African women farmers. Find out more at www.changeherlife.org
ADD YOUR NAME
Text ‘PETITION’ followed by your name to 57856 Texts will be charged at your standard network rate
CHANGE Petition organised by
HER LIFE .ORG
RETIRED MEMBER
RETIRED MEMBER PROFILE Tom Geraghty
Retired D/O, historian and author Tom Geraghty talks to Adam Hyland about his career
T
he majority of Dublin Fire Brigade members will be familiar with many aspects of the organisation’s history, but few could match retired D/O and historian Tom Geraghty, who literally wrote the book on the subject, and lived through a time of change and progression that he in many ways played an important role in. Working as an electrician in London in 1963, Tom had gotten married and wanted to return to Dublin, and so asked his father to keep an eye out for any jobs he might be interested in, and when he was sent a press cutting of an ad about vacancies in Dublin Fire Brigade in 1963, he applied and the rest is history. At the time, training was done at Tara Street, followed by a probationary year at the station. “I think that was the right approach,” he tells me, “because in that 12 months you got used to working in the control room, on the emergency tender, the turntable ladder, so you got experience working on a lot of things. It was also good practice that you were sent out to sub-stations on holiday relief for a few weeks at a time, so you got good experience in that too. “At the end of the year, you had your passout exam, both theory and
Retired D/O, author, historian and trade unionist Tom Geraghty
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RETIRED MEMBER
practical, and if you passed your medical you became permanent staff.”
CAREER
When Tom started, DFB crews were working a 72hour week, with only two Watches, 24 hours on and 24 off, which he felt was hard, and this was something he would turn his focus to later, but one year on, he moved to B Watch at the newly opened Dolphin’s Barn station. “I spent six years there,” he says, “and it was a very busy station, because at the time there was no station at Tallaght or Rathfarnham, so we covered right out to the county boundary.” Tom says he enjoyed the work, and that he had “an aptitude for it”. “I had worked on demolitions in England so I had no problem with heights or anything like that,” he says, “but I loved the job because I was helping people, which was something ingrained in me by my mother. I grew up in the Cornmarket tenements and saw a lot of poverty around me, so I always wanted to be able to help those less fortunate.” A successful application for the Sub-Officer panel saw Tom return to Tara Street where he spent a further six years before gaining another promotion to Station Officer, when he was assigned to Rathmines where he served from 1975 to 1982, recalling that this was the most pleasing years of his career. During this time, Tom was also one of a group of firefighters who negotiated the setting up of DFBSSC, and in April spoke at the 50th Anniversary celebrations about his involvement. When Rathmines closed, Tom moved to Donnybrook where he says he had a great working relationship with his D/O, and spent three years there before being transferred back to Tara Street as Senior S/O on his Watch, then gained promotion to D/O and moved to Phibsboro: another very busy station. “We had a huge area to cover,” he tells me, “because this was
before the new station was built in Blanchardstown. I had my own station, Finglas and two retained stations in my district in Swords and Balbriggan, so there was a lot of responsibility and a lot of travel, but it didn’t bother me. I liked the job, especially the operational side of the service.” After six years at Phibsboro, Tom went back to Tara Street as Mobilisation Officer and served there for another six years until his retirement. “I had always said I would retire at the age of 58, and though I stayed until I was 60, I was conscious of the fact that I wanted to retire around then, because I had seen other firefighters stay on in the job into their 60s or even 70s, and they didn’t have enough time to enjoy their retirement,” he tells me.
“My life has really been the DFB, my family, and the trade union.” THE BOOK
It was upon retirement that Tom began the body of work that would see him write what is still the definitive history of Dublin Fire Brigade, alongside fellow historian and author Trevor Whitehead. The Dublin Fire Brigade: A History of the Brigade, the Fires and the Emergencies, was the result of four years of painstaking research Tom embarked on after finishing his career as a firefighter. History was, he says, in his blood, and given the amount of time he had given to serving Dublin Fire Brigade and the city of Dublin, it was a natural step to take on writing this history. “I was always annoyed that nobody had ever written a book about the history of DFB,” he tells me. “There were three or four histories of the London Brigade, and I had read one on Manchester, Belfast, and the early Cork fire brigade, the Edinburgh Brigade, but DFB had a story that was probably
better than most, and I had written a lot of articles for Brigade Call magazine (now Firecall) when we produced that ourselves, so I set out to write the book. “I contacted Trevor Whitehead, who had written a booklet on DFB and was an authority on fire engines, and we agreed to work together to write the history of the Brigade. “I have always been interested in history. My father was great for telling me the history all around us and where I was born and raised, we were very much in the heart of Dublin history. Four doors down from us was the house of Napper Tandy, the United Irishman, Wolfe Tone was waked in High Street just down the road, and we lived next door to St Audeon’s Church. There were places steeped with history.” Doing the majority of the research, Tom worked with Trevor Whitehead on fine tuning each chapter as he wrote it, sometimes visiting him in England to go over the manuscript and make edits, and when they were near completion went to several publishers to see if they could get it printed. For one reason or another, they didn’t take it on, but a friendship struck up through long hours at the National Library brought another avenue. “I had developed a friendship with the City Archivist Mary Clarke, and she said she would approach the City Manager about it,” Tom tells me. “She came back to me and said Dublin Corporation would be interested in publishing it, and we got funding from them and the DFBSSC, who paid for colour photographs to be included. After four years, I was delighted to see it published, because I had put so much time into it, and because at this stage my wife was sick of hearing about it! But I was happy to finally have it out there.”
UNIONS
“My life has really been the DFB, my family, and the trade union,” he adds, and this third part is something Tom says brings him great pride. “I always had a good relationship with the people who worked with me,” he says, “and that was important
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RETIRED MEMBER
Tom speaking at the DFBSSC 50th anniversary celebration
because I was a union representative since I started in the job, and remained one right up to the point where I was a D/O. I worked hard to improve pay and conditions.” Coming from a family steeped in the trade union movement, all four of his brothers were full-time union officials, and having been involved in the movement when in England himself, it was a natural step when he was elected shop steward for his Watch just a year after going full-time operational. As mentioned, when Tom started his DFB career the job involved a 72hour week, but he was involved in negotiations that brough this down, first to 56, and then to 48 by the time he retired. “I was also heavily involved in negotiating on pay and conditions,” he tells me. “We actually went on
strike to get pay parity with the gardaí in 1965, just after I was elected shop steward. We were looking for parity with the gardaí, or at least one of the British Brigades, and went to the Labour Court, who granted us a pay increase, but not parity, so we tried again in 1968 and we eventually got parity with the gardaí.”
“I loved the job because I was helping people, which was something ingrained in me.” Tom was also very active across several committees that saw progression and improvements through the trade unions, and became one of the youngest ever Branch Chairmen of the organisation that
consisted of unions from across a number of industries. He was elected to the Executive Committee in 1969 and served on it until 1994 through the merger with the Federation of Workers Unions, negotiated with the Transport Unions to form SIPTU. He is also the only surviving member of the sub-committee behind erecting the Jim Larkin statue in the city centre. Importantly, he also served for 17 years as Chairman of the Standing Orders Committee of the ICTU. “What that did was it meant I went to meet representatives from a lot of other countries, and visited many of them to see how their Brigades operated,” he tells me. Through this union work, Tom spoke at and attended conferences where he learned about pay and conditions for firefighters, always
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“I enjoyed my life in DFB. I think I was cut out for it.”
The book detailing the history of Dublin Fire Brigade
working towards improving the lot of Dublin Fire Brigade members. “I enjoyed that aspect of my role because I made a lot of friends and kept informed about the pay and conditions in fire brigades around the world,” he says. “As an S/O I used to let visiting delegates to union meetings stay with me so I developed
good relationships with them and kept in touch with them. I have good relationships with a lot of firefighters and still correspond with the people I met from around the world. I represented the Union everywhere.”
PROGRESSION
Playing a part in this progression
within DFB is something Tom says he is very proud of. “The status of DFB has grown and improved so much,” he says, “and deservedly so. The training is on par with the top countries in Europe. When I joined and up until I became a Sub-Officer, a lot of the training in things such as the ambulance and specialist areas such as BA were down to whether you wanted to volunteer to do those courses, but that has all changed now and everyone is trained up on it, and that is good because everybody should be able to do these things. When they first introduced BA as a specialty, I immediately went and did the course and then became an Instructor in it and taught others, back when there were only 5 or 6 of us instructing. Having advocated for years for that to be a part of training, it is great to see that this has all been taken on and is common practice now. “The same goes for counselling. In my early days, the only way to wind down from a bad incident was to go for a drink to try forget about it, but now the supports are in place to help people properly. “I enjoyed my life in DFB. I think I was cut out for it. There are a lot more positives than negatives in terms of progression, and I am very pleased to have seen that happen in my lifetime.”
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© UNICEF/UNI350358/Dejongh
for every child, a future.
Founded in 1946 after World War II to provide emergency relief for children in post war times, UNICEF has worked relentlessly since then, reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children around the world. In terms of vaccines alone, UNICEF delivers over 2 billion vaccines doses each year, reaching 45% of the world’s children under five. But who will be there for children in the future? There is a special way for you to help UNICEF so we can be there for every child.
If you choose to leave a gift in your Will to UNICEF Ireland, you will need the following details. Our Charity Number: 20008727 Registered Office: 33, Lower Ormond Quay, Dublin. You can also contact us directly to arrange a consultation with Pauline Murphy - our Gifts in Wills Manager and receive your Gifts in Wills guide. Tel. 01 878 3000 or Email: pauline@unicef.ie © UNICEF/UNI371081/Párraga
UNICEF is the world’s largest children’s organisation and works to create a better future for every child.
You can include a gift in your Will to UNICEF and give children the start in life they need.
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28/01/2022 09:43
BINGE WATCHES BINGE WATCH
More great series to catch before good weather makes us feel bad about staying in to watch TV
Godless
Netflix, One series Good Western dramas have been hard to come by since the magnificent Deadwood, but this story of a mysterious young outlaw who finds himself in a small town populated almost entirely by women after all the men died in a mining accident is worth watching. Pursued by a vengeful gang leader played by a disturbingly ruthless Jeff Daniels, the young man (played by Jack O’Connell) finds refuge among the women until his date with destiny becomes unavoidable and he is forced to face his enemy. Gritty and atmospheric, it pulls no punches in its violent depiction of the Wild West, with good performances from a very strong cast that includes Michelle Dockery and Sam Waterston.
Hellbound Netflix, One series
The Netflix audience went crazy for Squid Game, but this powerful and gripping horror thriller overtook it in terms of viewer numbers, and rightly so. Of the two series, this is the one that will be remembered because of its intelligent concepts and insightful views on society. The premise is chilling - An angel of death suddenly starts to appear to people telling them the exact time they will die and go to Hell, before three hulking demons arrive and beat the person to death – but it says a lot about this excellent drama that this becomes incidental to the plot as various factions of society react in different ways once footage of the events become available. The tension ramps up with every episode, to the point where one plot twist becomes almost unbearable, but it plays out brilliantly, with an ending that asks more questions than answers and more than hints at a follow up.
Dark Side of the Ring All4, Amazon Prime, 3 series
If you like wrestling, you will love this excellent documentary series about the behind-the-scenes stories from the WWE and other US franchises. Ranging from the bizarre to the darkly humorous to the terribly sad, it shines a light on some of the most famous storylines and incidents of the last few decades, from the union of Macho Man Randy Savage
and Miss Elizabeth to the tragic death of Owen Hart, to the steroid scandals that threatened to derail the entire world of sports entertainment. The first series features six episodes but with an overwhelmingly positive reception, the second series expanded to ten episodes and the third 14 episodes, and each is well worth watching.
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BINGE WATCH
Inventing Anna Netflix, One series
Yellowjackets
Amazon Prime, One series (2nd series coming) Imagine a cross between Lost, Desperate Housewives and Big Little Lies and you get some idea of what to expect from this compelling series about an American high school female football team whose flight to a tournament in 1996 crash lands in the Canadian wilderness, leaving the girls, their coach and his sons stranded for 19 months. However, there are plenty of surprises in store as we jump back and forth between their time in the wild and the modern day when the survivors have to live with the notoriety their story brought, and the dark and disturbing secrets they share about just what happened and what they did to make it out alive. An unrecognisable Christina Ricci excels as the demented Misty, guaranteeing you will never see her in the same light again.
This true story drama tells the fascinating story of Anna Sorokin, a Russian-German con artist who defrauded a number of people, hotels and financial institutions in the US out of hundreds of thousands of dollars between 2013 and 2017. Under the pseudonym of Anna Delvey, Sorokin played on the wealth and vanity of New York socialites, hosting extravagant events and fake fundraisers to rub shoulders with the rich and famous while sleeping in her car or as a guest of her victims. Finding it all too easy, she also forged documents claiming she had millions in s Swiss bank account to get loans from banks, until justice finally caught up with her and she was sent to prison. Before her trial, when she appeared bedecked in designer clothes, she boldly stated that “I’d be lying to everyone and to myself if I said I was sorry for anything”.
Severance
Apple TV, One series We’ve all imagined what it would be like if we could divide our brains into work and life sections, and this surreal psychological thriller plays out that idea with both expected and unexpected results. The plot follows Mark (played by Adam Scott) who as an employee of a large company agrees to a “severance” programme in which his non-work memories are separated from his work memories, and gives an enjoyable take on corporate drudgery and the idea of a work-life balance. The cast is great and includes Christopher Walken, Patricia Arquette and John Turturro, which is in itself a reason to watch this highly acclaimed drama.
The Book of Boba Fett Ted Lasso
Apple TV, Two Series (3rd series coming) Undoubtedly made for a US audience unfamiliar with the realities of Premier League football and all that it entails, this is nevertheless a strangely addictive fish out of water comedy drama. Having enjoyed success as an American Football coach, Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis) is hired as head coach of struggling Richmond FC, unaware his boss has brought him in to deliberately see him fail and have the team relegated to get back at her cheating ex-husband. With an unflinching optimism and homely approach, Lasso wins over his doubters, and while the football world is presented in a very naïve way (famous players able to walk the streets without being mobbed, etc), it goes deeper as it unfolds, with the second series presenting a more thoughtful storyline that adds weight to proceedings. Cheesy but enjoyable.
Disney+, One series
A post-credit scene at the end of The Mandalorian teased the arrival of Disney’s next step in their takeover of the Star Wars universe, and the continuing story of everyone’s favourite bounty hunter won’t disappoint those who remained adamant that Fett survived falling into the Sarlacc pit (ask a fan) in The Return of the Jedi. Set after that film’s timeline, the series sees Boba assume control of Jabba the Hutt’s criminal empire and brings together several storylines and characters, with knowing nods to the original trilogy and those that followed. It may not be a masterpiece, but it is well worth watching to see how the story fans imagined for years comes to pass on the screen.
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TRAVEL
SOUTHERN COMFORT Having looked at Leinster, Connacht and Ulster, it’s time to see what Munster has to offer in the way of getaways
Adare Manor, Adare, Co Limerick
A 300-year-old Georgian heritage house situated on 450 acres of wooded estate in Blackwater Valley, this charming hotel option is an ideal location for a romantic getaway or family break. As well as luxury accommodation, there are plenty of on-site activities on offer, from hikes to private salmon and trout fishing on the River Blackwater, to falconry. The award-winning LH Brandy and Cider are also made on site, so you can be sure to be offered a taste while enjoying dinner at the farm to fork restaurant that sources all of its ingredients from the surrounding land and river. There’s room for 26 in the main building, but you can also avail of the courtyard mews that sleeps 13 and can be rented as a selfcatering option.
You are entering the big leagues when you stay at Adare Manor, with luxury at every turn in this beautifully restored and exquisitely furnished manor house set on 840 acres of pristine parkland. It boasts Limerick’s first ever Michael star restaurant, a golf course and a spa, but what really stands out here is the way in which the excellent staff pay that extra special attention to you, making you feel like the only guest staying there. Whether you choose a classic or deluxe room, you’ll be amazed at the attention to detail and sheer luxury, and even strolling around the grounds or through the house itself will make you feel like landed gentry. Yes, it is expensive, but a stay here will stay long in the memory, and you can’t put a price on that.
www.longuevillehouse.ie
www.adaremanor.com
Park Hotel Kenmare, Co Kerry One for wellbeing lovers and those who like to be pampered, Park Hotel Kenmare is set in beautiful surroundings overlooking Kenmare Bay, and has spacious bedrooms furnished to the highest standard, with the top of the range rooms offering a sea view or private veranda. With an award-winning restaurant on site, eating well is guaranteed, and the cocktail bar has one of Europe’s largest whiskey collections, but the hotel also has a 25meter pool and deluxe spa that blends healing and therapeutic traditions that will help revive body and soul. The lovely town of Kenmare is two minutes away, if you want to get out and about, while the hotel also offers tennis and croquet if you want to try your hand. www.parkkenmare.com
Longueville House, Mallow, Co Cork
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TRAVEL
Liss Ard Estate, Skibbereen, Co Cork
Darina Allen and family’s country house is more than just accommodation, it has become a world-famous destination for aspiring chefs who can also enjoy the luxury on offer. With a 12th century Norman castle on site, the gardens provide the food that is prepared for you, or which you might want to try cooking yourself if you take on a course at the nearby cookery school. There are plenty of scenic walks to enjoy, but you can also use the outdoor pool in summer, play a game of tennis or croquet, or visit the Grainstore to see a show, or hold your own event. A craft shop and café add to the tiny village feel, but it’s likely the “best breakfast in Ireland” might be the memory you take away with you.
Old world charm meets contemporary design at this 163-acre estate that features a 19th Century country house, garden mews and Victorian lake lodge, making it a perfect place to unwind and recharge the batteries, whichever accommodation option you choose. The extensive gardens include the unique Irish Sky Garden designed by internationally renowned landscape artist James Turrell, while the sauna and private lake promise solitude and time to relax. You can also go boating and kayaking on the lake, or have a picnic prepared for you to enjoy on the grounds. The town of Skibbereen is two minutes away too, if you ever fancy leaving the grounds, but with the fine dining on offer, you may not want to.
www.ballymaloe.ie
www.lissardestate.ie
Gregans Castle Hotel, Co Clare If you really want to get away from it all, this boutique option puts an emphasis on luxury, gourmet and eco-friendly, offering peace and quiet and minimal distractions, without a TV in sight. Overlooking the breath-taking Burren landscape and looking across Galway Bay, it’s an oasis of comfort and good old-fashioned hospitality, with award-winning food and luxury bedrooms. Antiques, art, roaring fires and candle-lit rooms give this a warm and cosy feel, but you really should head out at some stage to enjoy the nearby Cliffs of Moher, Aran Islands and Burren, or take to the ocean for a spot of deep sea angling, or surfing on one of Co Clare’s magnificent beaches. www.gregans.ie
Ballymaloe House, Shanagarry, Co Cork
Glin Castle, Glin, Co Limerick If you really want to push the boat out, you can hire this 800-year-old castle on the banks of the River Shannon in Limerick. Home to the knighted Fitzgerald family of Glin, it is available for private rental for that once-in-a-lifetime group party or event. Situated on 400 acres of woodland, with a walled garden and stunning grounds, it has 15 luxury en suite bedrooms, a grand entrance hall, dining room, library and drawing room, all with open fires to give a cosy but elegant atmosphere. You can while away your time relaxing in this plush setting, or organise activities such as clay pigeon shooting, yoga, whiskey tastings and archery if you are feeling energetic or just want to savour the regal surroundings. www.glin-castle.com
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
INTERNATIONAL NEWS Emergency Services News from Around the Globe
SWEDEN MAN ARRESTED FOR SETTING GOAT STATUE ON FIRE Swedish police have arrested a man for allegedly burning down a “Christmas Goat” statue in the city of Gävle. The Gävleblocken statue, made using straw covering a steel frame, is erected every year in the town square, but it has become an unofficial tradition for the figure to be the victim of an arson attack. The Gävle Yule Goat was first burnt down on New Year’s Eve 1966/67, a month after it was erected, and every year since until 2016 it has gone up in flames, with locals putting bets on how long it will survive. It has entered the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s most sabotaged public monument in modern history. This time, it was burnt down a week before Christmas, with a 40-year-old man taken into custody, but many locals expressed their happiness that “the tradition has been restored” following the 20162020 period in which no arson attacks were made.
USA CHEMICAL WAREHOUSE FIRE IN NEW JERSEY A massive fire at a chemical warehouse in Passaic, New Jersey, in January saw a huge fireball light up the night sky, followed by an enormous cloud of toxic smoke.The smell of burning chemicals was reported several miles away, with residents told to close all windows and doors until toxicology reports could be concluded.The three-storey building in which the fire originated collapsed, but not before the fire ignited a nearby chlorine plant, triggering concerns about air quality, before firefighters brought it under control after several hours. Efforts to control the fire earlier were also hampered by the freezing temperatures seen in New Jersey in January, with water from hydrants and hoses frozen, boats unable to draw water from the Passaic River, and three fire trucks frozen and stuck in ice at the scene.
UKRAINE RUSSIA TAKES OVER NUCLEAR PLANT Ukrainian firefighters have said they were initially prevented from accessing Europe’s largest nuclear power plant to extinguish fires caused by heavy shelling from invading Russian forces in March. After the attacks were briefly paused, they were subsequently allowed to douse a blaze at a training facility on site before the fire could spread to the main reactors, which can power 4million homes. The US Embassy in Kyiv called the attack on the plant at Zaporizhzhia, some 400 miles southeast of Kyiv a “war crime”, while Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky said: “We survived a night that could have stopped the story, the history of Ukraine, the history of Europe.” He said an explosion at Zaporizhzhia would have equalled “six Chernobyls”, alleging that “Russian tank commanders knew what they were firing at.” The Kremlin denied its forces, which earlier also seized the site of the Chernobyl plant, had shelled the facility, instead blaming Ukrainian saboteurs.
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
FINLAND
EUROPE
FIRST RESCUE WORKER DEATH IN 18 YEARS
SUPPORT EFFORTS FOR UKRAINIAN FIREFIGHTERS
A firefighter died when he fell through ice off the Finnish coast in February, the first death of an on-duty rescue worker since 2004. The tragic event occurred on an ice road at sea a few kilometres off Hailuoto island in the west of the country, when the firefighter was responding to an accident involving ice road equipment that had been partially submerged. Authorities have opened an investigation into the accident, with local rescue agencies flying flags at half-mast and holding a moment of silence the following day. Juha Richter, chair of the OuluKoillismaa Rescue Department, said the accident had shocked the agency, adding: “Everyone knows this is a risky profession, but when something like this happens it becomes more concrete. Rescue workers may have to face death in their work, but the death of a co-worker is an entirely different matter.”
BANGLADESH FERRY FIRE LEAVES DOZENS DEAD A special committee has been set up to investigate after at least 40 people were killed and 100 others injured when a packed ferry caught fire in southern Bangladesh at the end of 2021. The three-decked vessel with at least 500 people on board was on the river near Jhalakathi as it sailed from the capital Dhaka to the town of Barguna, when the fire broke out in the engine room and quickly spread. Some victims drowned after jumping into the water to escape, but the actual death toll remains unclear as the exact number of passengers on board was not certain. Witnesses said the fire appeared to have been caused by mechanical failure, which the ship’s owner denied, telling local media there had been an explosion on the ferry’s second floor. Ferry accidents are common in Bangladesh, with the most recent tragedy coming after dozens were killed in June 2020 when a boat carrying around 50 people capsized near Dhaka.
Aid projects to help support Ukrainian firefighters have been organised by fire services across Europe in the wake of the invasion by Russia. Polish firefighters have collected body armour and helmets for their colleagues in Ukraine, while in Finland, the national fire and rescue organisation collected 1,300 helmets and turnout suits to send. Volunteer forces in Edmonton, Canada, also gathered huge amounts of equipment and medical supplies following efforts to “fill a plane for Ukraine”, while Norwegian, Swedish and Slovakian firefighters are coordinating relief and aid donations in their countries. Independent aid projects are also being organised and coordinated through the WhatsApp group International Firefighters Alliance.
UK GRENFELL WARNING REVEALED
The second phase of the Inquiry into the devastating Grenfell fire in London has found that a senior civil servant had warned a cladding industry meeting that “there is going to be a major fire” three years before the tragedy. This second phase of the investigation aims to examine how the block of flats in west London came to be coated in flammable materials that contributed to the spread of fire in the 2017 tragedy that claimed 72 lives, with details of prior warnings now emerging. Brian Martin, who was the official in charge of fire safety building regulations at the then-Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, made the comment about an impending tragedy as he left a meeting organised by the Centre for Window and Cladding Technology in July 2014. The meeting was held to discuss concerns over fire safety regulations in the UK’s building industry.
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BOOKSHELF
BOOK REVIEW
THIS SEASON’S BEST READS
EYEWITNESS BLOODY SUNDAY: 25TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION
T
he 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday means the massacre of 13 unarmed civilians and wounding of many more in Derry in 1972 by British soldiers is very much back in the public eye. Oral historian Julieann Campbell, whose uncle was killed that day, has released On Bloody Sunday: A New History of the Day and its Aftermath, but also out now is the 25th anniversary edition of Eyewitness Bloody Sunday by Don Mullan. This particular book was the catalyst behind an unprecedented fight for justice and the scrapping of the initial Widgery Report, which was shown to be not just deeply flawed but amounted to a cover-up by the British establishment, and prompted the subsequent Savile Inquiry, which became the most expensive and longest-running inquiry in British legal history. This updated edition released 25 years after its original publication, presents an even more compelling argument for further investigation into what happened that day. The 100 eyewitness accounts compiled by the author, who was a 15-year-old boy when he witnessed the events, are retained, as are the original foreword and introduction, but the new additions add to what is a compelling read. A new summary of every development since the first edition came out shows the impact of the fight for justice by victims’ families, with an outline of the hearings, and the announcement and eventual findings of the new Inquiry culminating in an official apology from the British Government. A new foreword and appendices highlight the expert crossexamination of one Soldier F, but what is most intriguing is the author’s detailed investigative examination of an unanswered question: Were sniper shots fired from the Derry Walls, and who fired those shots? Mullan mounts up the evidence that snipers from another regiment, and not just the 1st Parachute Regiment, may have been guilty of killing unarmed civilians that day, including eyewitness testimonies, ballistics reports, army radio transmissions, and perhaps most chillingly, the evidence that the British MoD, within a day of the announcement of the Savile Inquiry
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into the shootings, destroyed weapons including a sniper rifle recalibrated to shoot the same bullets the 1st Paras used. The author himself admits the answers to this issue may never be resolved, or admitted, and that Derry now has its own “grassy knoll” mystery, but the facts as presented here could be more than enough to prompt further investigation. The only barrier is those who don’t want the truth to come out, but if this edition on the 50th anniversary of its first publication draws even a fraction of the interest the original saw, this mystery is something that will be looked at for a long time to come.
Author: DON MULLAN Publisher: RED STRIPE PRESS Available: EASONS, HODGES & FIGGIS, DUBRAY REDSTRIPEPRESS.COM Price: €16.99
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BOOK REVIEW
THE DUBLIN RAILWAY MURDER Author: THOMAS MORRIS Publisher: HARVILL SECKER Available: EASONS, HODGES & FIGGIS, DUBRAY Price: €17.99
THE INTERVIEW Author: GILL PERDUE Publisher: SANDYCOVE Available: EASONS, HODGES & FIGGIS, DUBRAY Price: €14.99 Dublin schoolteacher and children’s author Gill Perdue marks her adult fiction debut with this intriguing crime thriller. High-achieving victim interviewer Laura Shaw is adept at getting vulnerable people to open up to her, but she faces a challenge when she meets a 14-year-old assault victim who was found covered in blood, speaks only in fairy tales, and whose stepfather is missing. Shaw’s idyllic life starts to unravel as the case triggers long-forgotten memories that threaten to derail her family life and career, and the tension ramps up as time becomes a factor in solving the mystery meaning behind the fairy tales, with Shaw grappling with the burning question of whether every life is worth saving. Expect more from this new entrant into the crime thriller genre.
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In November 1856, George Little, chief cashier at the Midland Great Western Railway terminus at Broadstone, was discovered dead in a pool of blood in his office. He had been severely beaten around the head, but the door was locked from the inside, no weapon was found, and thousands of pounds in gold and silver coins lay untouched. It was a mystery that baffled detectives, lawyers and Scotland Yard, with five men arrested but subsequently released, and ignited a frenzy of press speculation in Victorian Dublin. Author Thomas Morris here lays bare the facts and the lives of those involved, underlaying it all with meticulous detail that gives a fascinating insight into 1850s Dublin. At the time, some remained uneasy that the unknown killer was enjoying notoriety while the victim went forgotten, but while answers to the whodunnit may not be assured, this very enjoyable book does at least ensure that George Little will be remembered.
THE BBC: A PEOPLE’S HISTORY Author: DAVID HENDY Publisher: PROFILE BOOKS Available: EASONS, HODGES & FIGGIS, DUBRAY Price: €35 For 100 years, the BBC has held lofty aspirations to be a reservoir of knowledge, but in the age of online streaming platforms and with constant arguments about licence fees and spending (repeated throughout its existence), the broadcaster faces many challenges. David Hendy, a professor of media studies, pays some attention to these obstacles, but in this interesting read, he shines a light not just on the BBC’s remarkable achievements over a century, but also the people behind them. Aided by an oral history, we hear from director generals but also lift operators and secretaries, and what is revealed are great details and more than a few revelations. One that stands out is the fact that David Attenborough was initially turned down as host of a gameshow because his teeth were too big, but there are many more in this enjoyable look at a corporation that started with a blank slate and became a global vault of collective experience.
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TECHNOLOGY
TECHNOLOGICAL TOOLS THE LATEST INNOVATIONS FOR THE WORLD’S EMERGENCY SERVICES.
PARAMEDIC DESIGNS NEW CHEST HARNESS An EMS Paramedic in Essex County, Canada, has designed a new chest harness that will be provided to her organisation. Acting District Chief for EssexWindsor EMS, Hannah Chevalier, said it would reduce injuries to the wearer by better centring the weight of portable devices such as radios that typically have been attached to a waist belt. “Paramedics have realised the weight that originally we were keeping on our hips was always off balance,” she said. The harness, which was developed over two years with EMS equipment manufacturer Conterra, can be worn over PPE and has tear away clips for added safety.
NEW LA FIRE TRUCK
Emergency vehicle manufacturer Rosenbauer has developed a new electric firefighting vehicle in conjunction with the Los Angeles City Fire Department. The RTX boasts an unprecedented level of safety for the crew, comprehensive connectivity and extremely stable handling. A low-floor chassis gives a lower centre of gravity than truck chassis vehicles, while single-wheel suspension and switchable rear-axle steering ensure easy manoeuvrability. It has two electric motors supplied with power from two high-voltage batteries that also provide the energy for pump operation, and a range extender (diesel engine with power generator) that the manufacturer says turns the RTX into an integrated power plant that automatically recharges the batteries when needed. The driver and crew cabs can also merge to form a command centre, while all firefighting equipment can be controlled via a 17inch display in the control panel.
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TECHNOLOGY
OVERCOMING CONNECTIVITY ISSUES Spanish-owned aeronautical group Pegasus Aviacon has teamed up with tech company LiveU to enhance its aerial firefighting services through mission-critical bonding solutions that provide live streamed images and internet coverage from difficult environments where connectivity is scarce. LiveU’s technology is widely used in the broadcast and video streaming sector and is based on IP bonding, which facilitates the bonding of bandwidth from multiple cellular networks such as mobile and WiFi, to create real-time broadband connectivity. It is now being installed in Pegasus aircraft and can be controlled through a cloud-based management system, giving their planes and helicopters highspeed internet access while in flight on wildfire fighting missions across Spanish-speaking countries around the world. “This technology greatly enhances the information we can obtain from our operations, allowing us to capture live video images from places where it was previously unfeasible,” said Jose Antonio Rodriguez, Head of Projects at Pegasus. “These real-time images play an important role, allowing emergency managers to make decisions with fresh information from the field. LiveU is an important technological step forward for us and we are looking to expand its use in all the countries we serve through our fleet of more than 130 aircraft.” LiveU’s Jean-Christophe Albou added: “We have always known our technology has great potential beyond its use in broadcast verticals and we’re now seeing its use grow in emergency services and first responder sectors.”
SPACE FIRE SAFETY EXPERIMENT
A Cygnus cargo ship has been launched to the International Space Station (ISS) carrying an experiment designed to improve fire safety on moon and Mars missions. The Solid Fuel Ignition and Extinction (SoFIE) experiment is the latest in a series of in-orbit investigations looking at how fire behaves in microgravity. “What we hope to do is inform future missions on material flammability as they work prototype designs for future spacesuits, cabins and habitats, and predict how those materials would burn in lunar, Martian, or other environments,” said SoFIE project scientist at NASA’s research centre Paul Ferkul. “The experiments will also help NASA identify the best ways to put out fires or smouldering materials in space.” When SoFIE reaches the ISS, the experiment will be installed in the Combustion Investigation Rack, located on the US Laboratory Module, Destiny, for safe combustion research. “The space station provides a unique microgravity environment that enables scientists to study the true nature of flames isolated and unaltered by gravity,” Ferkul added. “Moreover, livestreamed video along with sensor data will allow the team to look at flames while they are burning, and make adjustments for ignition factors, flow speed, oxygen, pressure and radiant heating.” The experiment, which will look at plexiglass, cotton-based fabrics and other materials commonly used in spaceflight, is set to run until the end of 2025, and draws upon work previously performed by two other NASA experiments: the Flame Extinguishment Experiment (FLEX) and the Advanced Combustion via Microgravity Experiments (ACME).
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29/04/2022 15/02/2022 10:20 15:46
INSURING
IRELAND At IPB Insurance, we are proud to be Ireland’s only indigenous mutual insurer, owned by, and managed on behalf of our Local Authority and ETB Members. From the Cliffs of Moher to the Spire in Dublin, we have been protecting our Members and their communities nationwide for over 95 years.
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