WINTER 2018
FIRECALL OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF DUBLIN FIRE, AMBULANCE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES
883 YEARS OF SERVICE
Frontline Mo Bros
DFB SALUTES ITS RECENTLY RETIRED MEMBERS
THE MOVEMBER CHARITY CAMPAIGN
OPERATION BARRACUDA SIMULATED TERROR ATTACK
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CONTENTS
04
Christmas Party
EDITOR’S LETTER
13
10
14
RUGBY DFB against an Oireachtas XV.
16
Southampton FD in New York.
OPERATION BARRACUDA
21
HALLOWEEN A review of the busiest night of the year.
30 FUN IN THE SUN Dan Fynes reflects on a great day of family fun.
Terror attack simulation exercise.
CYCLE 33 THE CONTINUES
CYCLE FOR LAURA LYNN Tallaght crews get on their bikes for charity.
COMPETITION
INTERNATIONAL STATION PROFILE
19
NEWSLETTER
29
Young artists win place in 2019 Calendar.
05
FOREWORD
DFB IN BRIEF
18
Art
Brendan Lodola looks forward to an exciting year for the DFB Cycling Club.
24 PIPE BAND UPDATE Mark Toner reviews recent activities.
26
TEAM SPIRIT
Airport Firefighter and GAA star Lyndsey Davey talks teamwork.
STATION PROFILE C Watch in Phibsboro show us around.
CONTENTS FIRECALL WINTER
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CONTENTS
47
MAHOGANY STANDPIPE Mark Toner shares his cúpla focal.
OLYMPIAN EFFORTS
The remarkable story of DFB paramedics and Kenneth Egan’s father.
48
THE MAURICE MCCONNELL YOUTH AWARD
56
CHANGING THE FACE OF MEN’S HEALTH
The Frontline Mo Bros taking up the fight.
STAYING SAFE THIS WINTER
61
National Fire Safety Week Tips.
ADVERSE WEATHER PREPARATION
IN THE Swing 49 WALKING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND
Dave Kavanagh reviews the golf club’s year.
65
Greg O’Dwyer talks about preparing for ice, snow and flooding.
WILDFIRE DEVASTATION IN CALIFORNIA
42
A review of the unprecedented destruction caused by wildfires in November.
44
52
883 YEARS OF SERVICE
Retired members are honoured.
Retired Members:
DOUGIE DOYLE We meet retired firefighter Dougie Doyle.
Las Fallon recounts his trip to London.
100 YEARS OF THE FIRE BRIGADES UNION
The perfect winter break in Oslo.
71
TECHNOLOGY The latest innovations for the emergency services.
75
BOOK SHELF
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
CONTENTS WINTER 02 FIRECALL
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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 90 years.
working to make a difference | www.ipb.ie IPB Insurance CLG, trading as IPB Insurance, is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.
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For business in the UK, IPB Insurance is authorised by the Central Bank of Ireland and subject to limited regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority.
07/01/2019 20/11/2018 08:53 06/10/2016 10:15 17:24
EDITOR’S LETTER Editor: Adam Hyland Consulting Editor: Dan Fynes Contributors: Mark Toner, Las Fallon, Dan Fynes, Brendan Lodola
letter from the
EDITOR
Creative Director: Jane Matthews Assistant Designer: James Moore Cover Credit: DFB Photography: Dublin Fire Brigade, Ray McMonagle, Trevor Hunt, James Moore, Adam Hyland, iStock 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 ©2018 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.
ear readers, Welcome to the latest issue of Firecall, packed as ever with news and features from across Dublin Fire Brigade and beyond. I am proud to take over the reigns of what has always been a prestigious, informative and entertaining magazine, and hope to bring the same quality to this and future issues. A lot has gone on since the summer, and I try to capture just some of the many notable events involving DFB members over the last few months. I am delighted that Mark Toner’s Pipe Band Update has remained, and hope it will continue to be a regular, entertaining feature, but I am also in debt to DFB historian Las Fallon for his valuable contribution, as well as all other interviewees and contributors. C Watch at Phibsboro Station may well be sick of the sight of me by now, after a succession of visits to experience their Open Day, to write a station profile, and to cover the great efforts of all involved in the Movember fundraising campaign for men’s health. I hope I didn’t make their already busy lives even busier, but have to say I always found them welcoming, friendly and very helpful, so my sincere thanks to the crew there. It was also a pleasure to talk to retired member Dougie Doyle, who shared many a story about his time in the DFB, and to Dublin Ladies GAA star Lyndsey Davey, who combines her work at the Airport Fire Service with her success on the field of play. Further afield, I review the dramatic unfolding of events in the devastating wildfires in California throughout November, and talk to a firefighter in one of New York’s most sought after locations. Once again, thanks to all who helped put this issue together. I hope you enjoy the read,
Adam Hyland 04
EDITOR’S PICKS
p
OPERATION BARRACUDA
DFB take part in a major simulated terror exercise.
38 MAHOGANY STANDPIPE
Mark Toner once more brings us cúpla focal to keep our Irish language flowing.
p MO BROS UNITE
The frontline personnel who risk ridicule to raise money for a very worthy cause. We are updating our mailing list. If your contact details are out of date, please email: adam.hyland@ ashvillemediagroup.com
FIRECALL WINTER
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FOREWORD
Honorary Secretary’s
FOREWORD elcome readers to our winter issue of Firecall, taking a look at what has been a very busy few months for the Dublin Fire Brigade and Our Sports and Social Club. I was honoured to attend our Retired Member’s Party in November, and was pleased to see such a big turnout on the night. Every retiree has given great service to the DFB over the years, and we wish them all the best. Most recent retirees include Station Officer Larry Skelly, who leaves after 30 years serving all watches across several stations, and Tom O’Rourke, who retired as recently as 17 December, while many other members were recently given their 20 and 30-year service awards. Sincere thanks and best wishes to all. The last few months incorporated National Services Day and the annual deceased member’s mass, and I would like to thank the DFB Pipe Band for their involvement in both. I am also delighted that Mark Toner has again contributed a Pipe Band Update for this issue. Since the summer, we also had the usual busy night of Halloween to contend with, but further afield the wildfires in California hit the headlines, and this issue gives a rundown on the key points in the battle to contain unprecedented devastation and loss of life over the course of November. The DFB also took part in a major simulated terror attack exercise at DCU recently, with both Greg O’Dwyer and Mark Fay sharing their insights in this issue. Also in this issue, the Frontline Mo Bros team are in focus, detailing the great work they continue to do to raise funds and awareness for men’s cancer and mental health issues, both extremely poignant and important subjects for frontline responders. Fittingly, C Watch in Phibsboro, where Frontline Mo Bro captain Jonathan Forbes is stationed, is also in focus in our station profile. Finally, check out our international profile, taking a look at the Southampton Fire Department in the Hamptons area of New York.
DAN FYNES
A friendly reminder to order your new ID card by emailing idcards@dbfssc.ie with an attached headshot (on a neutral background), your name, pay number, station watch and location.
Enjoy the read, WINTER 2018
Dan Fynes
FIRECALL OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF DUBLIN FIRE, AMBULANCE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES
883 YEARS OF SERVICE
Frontline Mo Bros
DFB SALUTES ITS RECENTLY RETIRED MEMBERS
THE MOVEMBER CHARITY CAMPAIGN
OPERATION BARRACUDA SIMULATED TERROR ATTACK
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FIRECALL WINTER
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BACKGROUND
arly 2017 saw T TRA Ireland began preparations for the migration of the Irish Fire Service onto the National Digital Radio Service (NDRS), operated by T TRA Ireland. Working closely with the Irish Fire Service Ctr pro ect team, which is the pro ect team charged with delivery of the ne t generation of re service communications and Command Control Systems. T TRA Ireland and the Irish Fire Service pro ect team nalised budgeting and prioritised key migration components including group call design and eet mapping, as well as logistics services and site readiness planning.The ob ective was to achieve national roll-out within a 12 month period. The migration to the NDRS was at the core of an overall pro ect to upgrade the national Fire Service’s communications and command and control systems.
OBJECTIVES
The key ob ective was to migrate the 3 e isting Regional control centres, Munster, Western astern Regions, to the NDRS. Thus giving the RCC’s the ability to be interconnected and capable of despatching, monitoring and communicating with each others region’s Fire Service resources over a single national pla orm.
MIGRATION
Ctr pro ect personnel undertook a rigorous and e haustive network hardware evaluation and testing programme, in order to ensure that every aspect of the T TRA network hardware functionality met or e ceeded the agreed SLA. A T TRA Ireland and Fire Service working group determined that the most effective way to achieve a successful migration would be to implement in 3 phases, based around a speci c training programme encompassing the Regional control centres. In order to deliver a common national standard, as well as the technical considerations, quality management and control centre procedures also had to be standardised. For that reason, during the rst phase of the migration, T TRA Ireland worked hand in hand with Ctr to devise and deliver intensive train the trainer’ programmes, which enabled Fire Service personnel to e ciently cascade knowledge and details of protocols and procedures throughout the organisation. The rst control centre to come online was the MRCC, which is now fully live and serving the Munster region. The Western region installations are underway and the ast will follow. Full roll out and migration to the NDRS Tetra network will be completed by mid year 2019.
BENEFITS
Critically the migration to T TRA will create a communications system and operational structure where all three regions can interoperate and provide support and redundancy to each other, delivering greater dependability and reliability than currently e ists both operationally and technically.
TETR Ireland ommunications imited
1 Heuston South uarter, St ohns Road, Dublin 8. Tel: 01 640 0219 Email: info tetraireland.ie Web: www.tetraireland.ie
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SPORTS AND SOCIAL CLUB
SPORTS AND SOCIAL CLUB UPDATE
We take a look at what’s upcoming for members of the Dublin Fire Brigade Sports and Social Club (DFBSSC).
STATION REPRESENTATIVES: NO. 1
Linda Scully Sarah Good
NO. 2
Eithne Scully
NO. 3
Gerry Corcoran
NO. 4
Ger Ryan Deirdre Berry
NO. 6
Dave Connolly
NO. 7
Gary Mason, Keith Dore
NO. 8
Derek O’Riordan
NO. 9
Neil Quinn
NO. 12
Ray Kenny Paul Marsh
SPORTS AND SOCIAL CLUB COMMITTEE FOR 2018/19 Get to know your committee members. Please feel free to contact your station representative with any questions you have. If there is a free space in your station and you would like to become a station representative, please do not hesitate to contact us.
CLUB COMMITTEE CHAIR
Declan Rice
TREASURER
Simon Finglas
HONORARY SECRETARY
Dan Fynes (HQ)
NO. 13
Mick Ratchford
HQ
Dean Kelly Sean Mac Domhnaill Paul McCann Siobhan Talbot
ERCC
Ray Campion
LOGISTICS
Paul O’Toole
RETAINED
Glen Fitzgerald
RMA
Frank Nugent Tommy Doyle
TRUSTEES
Dave Snee Willie O’Leary
WINTER 08 FIRECALL
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SPORTS AND SOCIALCLUB MONTHLY RAFFLE PRIZE WINNERS Please contact your station Sports and Social Club representative to collect your prize.
AUGUST 2018
our shiny new website. Suggestions to date include a night at the Leopardstown races, a night at Shelbourne Greyhound races, and a summer BBQ.
DFB GAA
Circle K Voucher for €100 Dennis Keeley 5th Floor, HQ Stephen Kinsella B-4 Donal McDonald Deirdre Berry C-4 Stephen Bonfil D-2
Congratulations to our DFB GAA team, who beat a team from the NIFRS in Croke Park on September 29. The Sports and Social Club was delighted to sponsor the event, and even happier to see our team collect the Friendship Cup with a deserved victory.
SEPTEMBER 2018
DFB RUGBY
Kindle Touch 6” E-Reader Gregg Hannon B-3 Gerry Holmes C-12 Ken Farrell D-5 Ashley Dillon D-ERCC
The DFB Rugby team has also been busy, having recently taken on an Oireachtas XV at Donnybrook Stadium. The game involving the regular team, some veterans and guests, faced a side including Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, senators and others from Government ranks, and helped to raise a lot of money for Suicide Or Survive. The score doesn’t matter when it’s all for a good cause, so well done to the team!
OCTOBER 2018 Tesco voucher for €100 Laura Whelan D-4 Niamh O’Regan B-2 Aaron McCarthy Brian Stewart D-ERCC Brian Gunning B-3 Congratulations to all our winners, we hope you enjoy your prizes.
DFBSSC GOES DIGITAL The DFBSSC has now gone digital, with our new website currently being built. New and existing members should go to the website at www.dfbssc.ie to register your details on the on-screen form provided. You will need to include your email address in order to receive Club information via our new newsletter, but it only takes a minute, and can be done on your smartphone using the mobilefriendly form.
THURSDAY NIGHT SOCIAL EVENTS In October and November, we held social nights at the Church Bar on Mary Street, with food and drink provided on the night along with five €100 raffle prizes. As always, these get-togethers are a great chance to meet up, have a few drinks, and enjoy the banter. Keep an eye out for the next event and come along. If you have any suggestions for social nights out in 2019, don’t be shy, and please contact your station representative or us through
DFB CYCLING CLUB Following their AGM on 30 November at RUIN Bar, the wheels keep on spinning for the Cycling Club, with a number of events planned for 2019. Highlights include the club’s first overnight cycle trips in March, and a French Alps tour in September. If you would like to join the club, or find out more, contact any one of the members listed on the Cycling Club pages.
DFB KIDS CHRISTMAS PARTY This year’s Christmas party was held on 16 December in a new, bigger venue, the Castleknock Hotel. Over the course of five hours we had the usual fun, games and entertainment, and of course, a special visit from a certain man in red.
RETIRED MEMBER’S PARTY This year’s retired member’s party was held on 23 November at the Castleknock Hotel, honouring all members of Dublin Fire Brigade Sports and Social club who have retired recently. On the evening, each member received a specially commissioned statuette in recognition of their service and as a thank you from the Club for their loyal
membership throughout the years. You can read all about it and see pictures from the night in this issue.
DECEASED MEMBERS’ MASS The annual mass for deceased members of Dublin Fire Brigade and former Dun Laoghaire Fire Brigade took place at St Saviour’s Church, Dominick Street, on Sunday, 11 November, with light refreshments on offer after the ceremony at The Teacher’s Club. We would like to thank all of those who attended and wore their dress uniform on the day to honour those who have passed away.
ID CARDS Don’t forget to order your new ID card by emailing idcards@dbfssc.ie with an attached headshot (on a neutral background), your name, pay number, station watch and location.
GRANT APPLICATIONS You can apply for all grant applications online via the dfbscc.ie (http://dfbscc.ie/ grant-applications) or Firecall.ie (http:// firecall.ie/grant-application/) websites. Please ensure that you apply well in advance of your planned event so that the grant can be discussed in a timely manner with the committee.
FIRECALL Did you know that you can now view previous editions of Firecall magazine online? Go to www.firecall.ie to find the issue you are looking for. There are also links to our other social media accounts and to current news. And feel free to make suggestions to our committee members as to how we can improve this.
WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK AND SUGGESTIONS Please email with your suggestions for social nights out, sporting events, or anything else. All are welcome to contribute, and no suggestions will be turned away! Looking forward to hearing from you. Until next time. DFBSSC
FIRECALL WINTER
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DFB IN BRIEF
DFB
A recap of Dublin Fire Brigade news and events over the past few weeks and months.
New hydraulic platform operators complete their assessments.
Launching the 12 Days of Christmas Safety campaign.
Representing the DFB on National Services Day. Station officer Mark Kiernan retires from A Watch Phibsboro after 33 years, pictured with his daughter Gemma.
Crews from Finglas attend a fire above a pub in Finglas Village.
Three pumps attend a well-developed fire in a flat on Hardwicke Street.
Blanchardstown fire and ambulance attend a jack-knifed truck and remove the driver safely using a HGV platform.
The DFB GAA team who took on the NIFRS to win the Friendship Cup. Kilbarrack crew put out a car fire in Howth.
Recruits in Skerries on a ladder exercise.
WINTER 10 FIRECALL
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Tallaght crew visit Belgard Community Centre and get a new recruit.
DFB Pipe Band Pipe Major plays a lament at the deceased member’s mass at St Saviours Church Dominick Street.
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DFB IN BRIEF The Irish Wheelchair Association Firefighter Angel Pin Launch at the OBI.
Crews from Dolphins Barn attend an RTC in Dublin 6. Finglas firefighters at a car fire on Tolka Valley Road.
Graduates of the Instructors Tactical Ventilation course.
The DFB Pipe Band march on National Services Day. Even we have to evacuate when an alarm goes off, as this alarm at our Admin building on 5 December showed.
Firefighters and paramedics from Swords and Balbriggan attend a two-vehicle RTC on M1 northbound.
A and D watches from Donnybrook clearing their forecourt for Donnybrook Tidy Towns. Members of DFB receive their 20 and 30-year service awards.
Mass casualty exercise for trainee paramedics at the OBI.
Fire engines from North Strand, Tara St and Donnybrook attend a fire on a roof in East Wall. DFB Ambulance crews working through a status yellow wind and rain warning. Station Officer Larry Skelly receives his retirement plaque from Third Officer John Keogh after 30 years with all watches across many stations.
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DFB IN BRIEF
Facebook “f ” Logo
CMYK / .eps
Facebook “f ” Logo
CMYK / .eps
St Vincent’s Junior Boys School visit HQ. DFB Recruits taking part in their Paramedics course.
@DubFireBrigade
Attending a derelict building fire on Bridgefoot/Watling Street.
The Frontline Mo-Bros Charity Car Wash in Phibsboro Fire Station for Movember and Irish Cancer Society.
A Dolphins Barn crew attend a fire in a shed in Inchicore. Helping Santa get to Make A Wish along with Garda Traffic and the Blood Bikes East.
Dolphins Barn engine temporarily out of service after attack.
Instructors tactical ventilation and flow path management course at the OBI.
Dealing with the effects of Storm Callum.
New black fire trucks for DFB.
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5 units attend a fire in Milltown. One person treated at scene by advanced paramedics from Donnybrook, but sadly the person passed away.
District Officer at Donnybrook A Watch John Rush gives his last parade after more than 35 years of service.
Phibsboro C Watch put out a fire in a wheelie bin in Drumcondra.
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LAURALYNN
LauraLynn does amazing work for children with life-limiting conditions. We’re proud to support them. Presenting the cheque to LauraLynn at Tallaght Fire Station.
Back in
THE SADDLE This year’s cycling fundraiser by Tallaght D Watch saw the team pedal from Dublin to Kilkenny in aid of LauraLynn.
A
fter last year’s hugely successful charity cycle to raise funds for Fighting Blindness, members of Tallaght D Watch were back on their bikes this September. This time the cycle was in aid of LauraLynn, which provides hospice services for children in Ireland.
The charity cycle from Tallaght to Kilkenny was again organised by Joe Mulligan of D Watch, with the charity chosen by Alan Horgan. Some 15 firefighters took part in the event, and though the weather was warm, they had to face a strong breeze against them for the entire route. There was a much-needed pit-stop at Carlow Fire Station, where Station Officer Leigh Carr and his colleagues provided refreshments and a chance to catch a breather. The wind picked up again as the team began the second leg of the cycle, resulting in their later-than-
planned arrival in Kilkenny at 6pm. Unfortunately, Chief Officer John Collins, who was awaiting the team’s arrival, had to leave before the team arrived, but they were met by Station Officers Walter Wallace and Peter Crosbie, who also provided refreshments. As Joe Mulligan said: “They always put on a very good spread.” The cycle was accompanied by bucket collections at The Square in Tallaght and Dundrum Town Centre, who we would like to thank. A total of €4,758.42 was raised, and a cheque was presented to Liz O’Riordan of LauraLynn in Tallaght Fire Station on Halloween, one of the busiest days of the year for Dublin Fire Brigade. “LauraLynn does amazing work for children with life-limiting conditions. We’re very happy and proud to support them and their work this year,” said Joe Mulligan. “Donations are just as important as they’ve ever been to LauraLynn, and I’d urge anybody who can to donate to them,” he concluded.
To donate to LauraLynn and help continue their great work, visit their website on www.lauralynn.ie FIRECALL WINTER
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DFB RUGBY
The DFB and Oireachtas XV teams.
OIREACHTAS REPORT The DFB Rugby Team met an Oireachtas XV in a fundraising game for Suicide Or Survive.
T
he DFB Rugby Team played out a closefought match against an Oireachtas XV on 24 November, and though they couldn’t come away with a victory, the real winner was the Suicide Or Survive charity, with much-needed funds raised for them on the day. Having beaten the Defence Forces and our friends in the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service this year, it was time for the newlyreformed DFB Rugby Team to
take on the Government itself at Donnybrook Stadium. Suicide Or Survive focuses on breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health issues, and ensuring those affected have access to quality recovery services. As Firefighters and Paramedics, we are often the first help to arrive after a person has, has attempted to, or is thinking about taking their own life. We see first-hand the devastation that suicide or mental health issues unleash on a family. We, too, recognise that under our uniform we are people, and are also as vulnerable as the next person, so this match was an important event. Before a ball was kicked, bucket collections took place in St Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre
on 27 October, and in the city centre in November, and this was added to by the donations made at the match. Unfortunately, on a cold and dull November day, the combined Dáil and Seanad XV came out on top in a closely fought 7-0 win, with a youngster called Leo Varadkar playing alongside TDs, senators and government officials. Former Leinster and Ireland prop Mike Ross also togged out and played a section of the match for each team, while DFB Tallaght’s Sara Phelan, club captain with Clondalkin, and the Oireachtas team’s Mairead Carty, club captain with Navan, were also notably getting stuck into their male counterparts. The game, which was free to attend, kicked off at 11.30am, and was ably overseen by referee Su Carty, the former player, coach and now IRFU representative to the World Rugby Council. Played over four quarters, there were a few other rule variations that allowed for team switches and for veterans to tog out and be a part of what was a day of fun and fundraising.
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Keith Mason with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.
The only scores of the closely contested game came when the Oireachtas XV managed to notch up a converted try by captain Senator Neale Richmond before the close of the first half, with the DFB team coming close to parity a few times but unable to break through themselves. After the game, a reception lunch took place in Old Wesley Clubhouse, with politicians, senior DFB officers and family members all coming together to raise awareness for mental health wellbeing and suicide prevention. DFB Rugby Team Chairman Keith Mason said: “It was a really enjoyable day. In the end, the score didn’t matter. What was important was to keep the charity in mind, raise money, and have some fun.
Sara Phelan of B Watch Tallaght and Clondalking RFC gets stuck in.
“We got to play a good game, got together as a team, and kept the social side of our club up, but the main focus was to raise money for this great charity.” The DFB Rugby Team would like to thank all who took part in this important fundraiser, including the Dáil and Seanad team, our own players, ref Su Carty, the fans, the DFB Sports and Social Club, sponsors on the day Sky Ireland, the High School Rathgar for supplying us with new Gilbert balls, Ken O’Dwyer of Flashpoint Medical Systems for supplying water bottles and cones, the fundraisers and volunteers from Suicide Or Survive.
If you wish to support Suicide or Survive you can do so by going to www.suicideorsurvive.ie/how-to-donate/
Bryan Tyrell of A Watch Tallaght breezes past Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.
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HALLOWEEN
NIGHT REVIEW Halloween is traditionally the busiest night of the year for Dublin Fire Brigade, and 2018 was no exception. In total, between 9am on 31 October and 6am on 1 November, a total of 904 calls were received at the 999/112 control centre.
S
ome 368 calls were related to Halloween fires (230 bonfires), there were 354 ambulance calls, and 181 rural fire calls in the Leinster/Cavan/Monaghan region. There were also two reported firework-related injuries.
Dublin Fire Brigade crews across the county were deployed to deal with the large number of call outs, which acting assistant chief fire officer Greg O’Dwyer described as “on par” with the past few years. Many of the call outs related to illegal bonfires and anti-social behaviour, with many incidents relating to wheelie bins being set on fire, though the amount of anti-social behaviour has declined in recent years. In one serious incident, a car was driven onto a bonfire in Dublin 12, and there were several call outs to cars set alight across the city. Most importantly, there were no injuries to crews this Halloween. A big thank you to all crew members for doing such a great job on what is always a busy night.
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St. Francis Hospice Who we are?
The staff and volunteers of St. Francis Hospice provide specialist palliative care to people of North Dublin City and County. Our services are delivered from our hospices in Raheny and Blanchardstown. Based on a Christian philosophy, each person is treated with dignity, respect and compassion irrespective of their cultural or religious background. Our services are at no charge to patients.
What we do?
We supported 1622 patients and their families in 2017. This care was provided by the multidisciplinary team of Doctors, Nurses, Social Workers, Chaplains, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Complementary/Lymphedema Therapists, Care Assistants, Household, Administration and Contract Staff. Specialist palliative care was provided to 1327 people in their homes. Patients attended our Hospice Day Care Centres in Raheny and Blanchardstown and patients also attended our Out-Patient Clinics in Raheny (Walmer Villa) and Blanchardstown Hospice. In addition, 284 patients were admitted to our In-Patient unit in Raheny and 329 to Blanchardstown for symptom management and end of life care. We helped families both during the person’s illness and afterwards, through support and counselling by the Medical Social Work Team.
It costs €15.2m per year to provide St. Francis Hospice’s services in North Dublin, of which €10.2m is funded by the Health Service Executive.
What we want to do.
• Currently we need to fundraise €4.5m per year to provide our high quality services which are free to the patients and families in our care.
As a Community it is so important that we care for each other.
Please help if you can. Thank you for your support and generosity. St Francis Hospice would like to take this opportunity to thank the men and women in Dublin Fire Brigade for their continued generosity and support.
St. Francis Hospice, Station Road, Raheny, Dublin 5 Tel: 01 832 7535 | www.stfrancishospice.ie St. Francis Hospice, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15 Tel: 01 829 4000 Advert template.indd 246047_1C_St Fancis 1Hospice_JM_FC 20.03_V5.indd 1
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CHRISTMAS PARTY
The Most Wonderful
TIME OF THE YEAR
T
he annual DFBSCC Christmas Party took place on Sunday, 16 December, at the Castleknock Hotel. The venue may have been new, but the traditional yuletide atmosphere was as good as ever, with a cosy grotto, sparkling lights and festive decorations encouraging more than 500 children and their families to eat, drink and be merry. Over the course of five hours, everybody enjoyed the usual fun, games and brilliant entertainment, with face painters, balloon models, dancers and magicians all proving very popular. Characters such as Olaf, Marshall from Paw Patrol, Fireman Sam and an Ice Queen on stilts also came along to join in the fun, with the day topped off by a visit from a certain man in red. We must say thank you to all the staff at the Castleknock Hotel, who were brilliant on the day, and all of the committee whose hard work beforehand and on the day was invaluable, because without them the day could not go ahead. And, of course, a big thank you to Santa himself for taking time out from his busy schedule to meet all of the children at the party.
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INTERNATIONAL PROFILE
SOUTHAMPTON FD, LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK
The Southampton FD truck on the beach at Southampton, Long Island.
Matt Shimkus of the Southampton Fire Department talks to Adam Hyland about life as a volunteer firefighter in this beautiful part of Long Island.
L
ast March, a group of firefighters from the village of Southampton on New York’s Long Island made what was for most of them their very first visit to Ireland to take part in the St Patrick’s Day Parade alongside the Dublin Fire Brigade. One member of this volunteer fire department was Matt Shimkus. “Last
year was awesome,” he tells me. “It’s a beautiful country, the hospitality was amazing, the welcome we got from the Dublin Fire Brigade was great. Everybody we met and talked to was interested in knowing where we were from and what we do.” What the 145 volunteer members of the Southampton FD do, is offer up their spare time to ensure this affluent area
of the Hamptons is expertly covered in the event of fires and other emergency situations. Established in 1881, the department’s four stations and 145 volunteers (with three chiefs and 15 officers) are made up of five companies – Agawam Engine, Agawam Hose, Southampton Hose, Fire Police and Hook & Ladder – and cover the village of Southampton and the outlying districts. A Rescue Squad, Water Rescue squad and Rapid Intervention team are also specialised entities within the department. Owned and funded by the village of Southampton, they respond to an average of 1,100 calls per year. When not firefighting, Matt is a teacher, but as he says, “we have a wide gamut of volunteers”. This includes police officers, plumbers, business owners, contractors and landscapers, among others, who all give up their time to respond to emergency calls at the drop of a hat. “Everybody has their own commitments and has different amounts of time to give, and others are more able to undertake ongoing training to develop different skills,” Matt says. Working within a volunteer department when everybody also has a day job to contend with means response protocol here is different to that in the DFB. “Every member has a pager, and when a call comes in through the normal 911 dispatch, whoever is able to go responds,” Matt tells me. “We have several members who have a lot of flexibility and are able
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to respond from their jobs, but if a call comes in and you are able to go, you go. “The response protocol is usually that we head to the station and respond from there, but we also all carry our equipment with us, so if we can’t make it to the station on time, or if we are in the area, we can also make our way to the scene. But the main aim is to get the truck out of the house and respond as a team.” The area covered by the department includes commercial and residential areas, and while many of these are of a regular size, there are also many large and valuable estates in this district, which Matt says “can present challenges in themselves”. The greatest challenge, however, comes in the summer months, when Southampton and the surrounding area sees a population explosion. “The response time for leaving work, getting to the fire house, getting the truck out and responding to the fire when the population has suddenly multiplied, can certainly be more challenging than at other times of the year,” Matt says, but the very location of Southampton also presents challenges that only increase in the summer. “Because of our location, we see more emergency calls related to the water in the summer, as we cover Shinnecock Bay, and respond to emergencies on the beaches, but then the warmer weather can also result in brush fires, so we cover those events too. “As a result, no two days are ever the same, but we do a lot of training and drills so that we are ready for whatever we encounter. We are aware of all the things that could happen in this area, so it’s just a matter of being prepared for any eventuality.” Successful responses to emergencies wouldn’t be possible without cooperation with other volunteer departments in the area. “Most of the time when we respond to a call, we will call in a neighbouring department to assist,” Matt says. “They may also go to our fire house while we are out at a fire, so that they can respond if there is another call out. There is a lot of teamwork and collaboration between us. We do the same for them, so we
Attending a house fire.
call them, they call us, and we all work well together.”
COMMUNITY One notable aspect of the Southampton Fire Department is their Juniors program, which involves local youths and helps to foster the spirit of volunteering. Back in 2003, Matt acted as Captain for the first year before the Juniors took on the mantle of running themselves. “In the Junior program, local children aged 12 to 18 can participate and take part in firefighting and emergency roles through drills and training,” Matt tells me. “They are structured just like one of our companies – they have their officers, they run their own meetings, and they have their drills similar to ours, using the same equipment. It’s obviously on a smaller scale, but they are still a very useful part of the community, and really learn what is needed for firefighting. Then hopefully when they turn 18, they might consider joining our department. There are about eight members of our department now who were Juniors.” That sense of community is what makes the Southampton FD so effective, and why so many locals volunteer to give their time to making the village safe. “It sounds cliched but we truly are family here,” Matt says. “Who you are, where you come from, what you do, doesn’t really matter, we are there for each other because we know we can’t do our job without the guys standing beside us. We are never satisfied with doing a good job, we are constantly asking how we can do it better, how we can do the best job possible for our community.
Matt with Dan Fynes at the St Patrick’s Day Parade 2018.
“We live in a great spot, and we work together well as a team to do what we do for the people we serve.” Given they were so happy to take part in the St Patrick’s Day Parade last year, it is no surprise to hear that there are half a dozen Irishmen in the department, some offering their time year-round while others are available seasonally. It is also no surprise that they will be accepting the DFB’s invitation to return this year. “We will be coming back for St Patrick’s Day again, with 15 to 20 volunteers coming over to be part of the parade,” Matt tells me. “We are looking forward to it. Dublin is a great city, everybody is so kind, and I am sure it will be awesome again.” That invitation, Matt is happy to tell me, will soon work both ways. “We have extended an invitation to DFB to come out to Southampton for our 4 July celebrations. I’m working closely with Dan Fynes to make that happen, and all of us at Southampton FD are working on the plans to welcome them over.” It may be busy, but the Hamptons on the fourth of July will certainly be an experience.
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OPERATION BARRACUDA
DFB TAKE PART IN SIMULATED TERROR ATTACK EXERCISE The DFB took part in a major simulated terror attack and mass casualty training exercise at DCU on November 16.
T
he inter-agency training exercise, Operation Barracuda, was led by An Garda Siochána and involved specialist response units, the Defence Forces, the National Ambulance Service, as well as recruits from the Dublin Fire Brigade. It was designed to test the capabilities of first responders in the event of a mass casualty incident or terror attack, with the focus on saving saveable lives. The assailants and victims were played by 50 recruits from the Garda college at Templemore. In the real-time tiered response, the simulated operation began when the Garda control centre received a 999 call at 7pm reporting a road traffic collision at DCU campus. Local Garda units responded first, and quickly determined that mass casualties were involved. Crews were mobilised from the OBI to attend, but within minutes it was elevated to a major emergency when a number of “assailants” primed their car with explosives before getting out and stabbing and shooting people on the campus. A second call for ERCC
Communications and Mass Casualty Units was then made. As gunfire erupted, the DFB and NAS crews were tasked with the rapid extrication of further casualties, and to take cover in safe areas. Blanchardstown Station Officer Mark Fay is also a recruit course trainer at the OBI. He was Initial Incident Commander at Operation
Barracuda, tasked with the role of liaising with the other agencies and coordinating the emergency response from the DFB. For him, the way the operation played out was realistic, and a useful training exercise for the DFB recruits.
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“When we arrived, we were told that there were still active shooters in the area, so we were prevented from going further into the campus by the Armed Response Unit and Garda officers, which is realistically what would happen. For us it’s about working in a safe area. We wouldn’t be sending a crew into an area that wasn’t cleared. “Some of the lads found it hard that we had to hold back,” he added, “but to make it as realistic as possible, we had to wait for the other agencies to make the area safe for us to do our job.” The recruits were given no advance warning of what they could expect from the exercise, but Mark was happy with how they handled it. “They did very well,” he said. “It was a bit daunting for some of them because it was the first time they had to work with another agency, but they triaged every casualty. “It was a good incident for the recruits to see what they could expect,” he added. “From what we saw, and regarding our role in it, it was a success.” As the exercise continued, one of the assailants was shot dead before the two remaining terrorists retreated into
a building and shot more casualties, taking a number of hostages. The Garda Armed Support Unit moved in, while a joint DFB/NAS team of paramedics established a Casualty Triage and Clearing Station in an adjacent building, where they could remove and treat casualties it was possible to save. As fire erupted in the main building, armed gardaí stormed the area, shot the assailants and retrieved the hostages, before DFB firefighters were allowed to enter to extinguish the fire and remove casualties to paramedics. As members of the Defence Forces Explosives Ordnance Disposal unit dealt with the booby-trapped car, DFB and NAS paramedics continued to triage, load and transport the “wounded” to hospital, and after an hour, the exercise was wound down. Although performed in real time, each agency had prepared for the training exercise individually, starting with desktop scenarios and building gradually to the operation itself. Greg O’Dwyer, Senior Fire and Emergency Management Officer, was involved with the operation from the start and acted as the DFB’s lead in its planning and preparation. “We started planning in February, and had a workshop that included a full scenario briefing,” he said. “After that we had monthly, then bi-monthly planning meetings and in the run up to the operation we had weekly meetings
to go over what was going to happen. In September, we had a tabletop exercise that went through the full inter-agency involvement, before it became a reality in November.” On the night itself, he and the Chief Fire Officer Dennis Keeley acted as narrators for VIPs and media present to witness the events unfold via security cameras and the various comms, and he was keen to see how inter-agency cooperation would work. “There were two key purposes behind the operation,” he said. The first is to test inter-agency communication and coordination. How we take the 999/112 call details and how we share that information with each other, ensuring that responding crews have the best information possible. Then ensuring that any further information coming from the first responders at the scene, is also shared to all responding agencies. “The second is to test each of the agencies’ individual preparedness for such an event, their procedures for dealing with it and the coordinated incident command system, ensuring a safe and efficient response and scene management.” Greg also thought the exercise went very well. “The real takeaway for the DFB was how well we worked together with the HSE’s National Ambulance Service. Obviously, we needed a lot of coordination and on the ground organisation between the two agencies,” he said. “In a mass casualty incident, your training is important, but so too is coordination in trying to get through all the casualties, and bring them to safe locations for treatment. If such an incident was to happen today, after that exercise I would be very confident we would work very well to get the best possible outcome. “Of course, we could have more personnel on hand, but with what we had on the night, and what we have to work with, I think we are very well-prepared.”
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COMMERCIAL FEATURE
FIRE PROTECTION EXPERTISE FROM PARKWEST Providing a clear and meticulous service in the planning and installation of fire protection in all building types.
T
he team at Parkwest Fire Protection are among the most knowledgeable and experienced professionals within the fire safety industry in Ireland. We are fully accredited members of the Association of Specialist Fire Protection in Ireland and part of FIRAS, operated by Warrington Certification, which provides stringent third-party certification and ensures we are among the leaders, not only in terms of fire protection installation and staffing but also in terms of internal office management. This is evident throughout our entire process, both on-site and in the office. Our teams work together to provide a service which is clear and meticulous, whether it be project planning, carrying out repairs in the field or working towards a tight deadline. It goes without saying that fire protection is an integral part of any build. Our team are experts in the planning and installation of passive fire protection in all types of buildings. This includes fire protection barriers which are essential in compartmentalising and stopping the spread of a fire, should it break out in a building. Failure to install these properly can prove fatal. All our operatives are trained in the installation of fire protection barriers by AFSP, and we offer full planning assistance and consultation before the start of construction. As an authority on fire safety, we provide fire inspections for all ranges of buildings, quickly identifying any issues with regard to fire protection.
While we thoroughly examine all areas of a building, we do so in a manner that causes least disruption to occupants and we present our findings in a concise report that is easy for all relevant parties to understand. In fact, said parties can follow our progress during the inspection, thanks to our app. Our fire protection services can also double as soundproofing thanks to our acoustic slabs and fire protection barriers. These barriers can absorb soundwaves, along with our sound baffle structures, which can dampen the transfer of noise. We have trained installers on hand, with expertise in the installation of all types of noise control barriers, to meet the needs of our clients. Parkwest Fire Protection are available to come on board at the
planning stage of any build to advise on fire safety. We provide building surveys, detailing areas that need attention and drawing up a bespoke plan for the installation of fire protection and acoustic solutions. Through diligent planning from the beginning, a top standard in fire safety is ensured, and thanks to our app service, key players are able to easily see what work needs to be done and what stages have been reached in the process.
For more information contact us on Telephone: (01) 620 4954 Fax: (01) 620 4955 E-mail: info@parkwestfireprotection.ie Web: www.parkwestfireprotection.ie Unit 15, Park West Enterprise Centre, Dublin 12. FIRECALL WINTER
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PIPE BAND
Marching from Parnell Square as part of the FESSEF celebrations.
FROM WITHIN THE CIRCLE Dublin Fire Brigade Pipe Band Major Mark Toner reviews the band’s recent activities.
Y
ou won’t be surprised to hear that your band has been extremely busy since the previous issue of Firecall, sliding into the year’s end and a well-deserved Christmas break after an extremely busy 2018. The band fi nished off the summer months with a number of high profi le engagements. A place at the fi nal of the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Drogheda saw the band once again in the competition circle, taking a solid second place against
a small number of similarly graded bands from County Down. Retired member Paul Shannon, one of the band’s earliest members and tenor drummers, accepted the prize on behalf of the band. A good base to draw on and continue to improve, and the experience only adds to future performances. Immediately after this the band were thrown head fi rst into preparations for the now annual FESSEF celebrations, and once again led the DFB contingent in the march from Parnell Square to Dublin Castle. Our involvement in FESSEF didn’t end there, as we were centre stage in the National Concert Hall for the Emergency Services concert, along with
our colleagues from the Irish Prison Service and the National Ambulance Service pipe bands, for what was a magnificent concert. As you know, the band is made up of volunteer members, however, this did not detract from the monumental amount of effort and practice required from the playing members, and of course support from our families and friends, in preparation for these high-profi le events. The long hours of preparation during the summer months for these events continued to pay dividends as once again the band were well received on the evening of DCC’s Culture Night in City Hall, where we played
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PIPE BAND
The Pipe Band on its way to City Hall.
to large gathering of locals and tourists alike. This was followed by a number of charity events the band were happy to be a part of. Elements from the band were also part of recent DFB sporting occasions when a piper and drummer led our GAA team onto the pitch in Croke Park in a friendly game against our NIFRS colleagues, and again when our rugby team recently played the Dáil Seanad team in Donnybrook stadium. Proud to help represent DFB on both occasions. Requests we try extremely hard to honour are those from our own members and representative organisations. None more so than the biennial DFB Sports and Social club retirees function, this year held in the Castleknock Hotel and Country Club. The band were proud to perform for DFB’s recently retired members at the reception on the evening, many of whom have been loyal supporters of the band over the years. Our own piping stalwart, Paul Byrne, was one of the recipients, and still managed to strike up a few tunes on the evening. Well done Paul, and we wish you a long and happy retirement from all in the band! We finished off the year with the bands’ AGM, whereupon the current executive of Chairman Paul
Tenor drummer Paul Shannon accepts the 2nd place prize at the Fleadh.
Keyes, Secretary John McNally and Treasurer Stephen Pender were voted back into place, and a new appointment of Alan Corcoran to leading drummer was made. So if you think you have what it takes to become a band member, why not come along to the OBI any Monday night from 1930hrs onwards and earn the right to wear the band’s crest on your shoulder! Beginners are very welcome – and don’t worry,
musical ability is not necessary, you’ll be thought and provided with eveything you need! Our door is never closed, so if you are a previous member and find yourself with a little more time than before, we’ll be glad to have you back. The band can be reached at any time through any band member or by email at dfbpbsec@gmail.com or via any of our social media pages. It’s your band!
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SPORT
Lyndsey Davey holds the Brendan Martin Cup aloft in front of cheering Dublin fans.
TEAM SPIRIT Firefighter and Dublin Ladies GAA star Lyndsey Davey talks about teamwork on and off the pitch.
I
t’s never easy to find a good work/life balance, but when you do, things can turn out pretty sweet. That’s certainly the case with Dublin Ladies Footballer Lyndsey Davey, who has managed to combine her role as a firefighter in the Airport Fire Service with her hugely successful career as a triple-All-Ireland-winning GAA star. Having previously worked in finance at Croke Park after
completing a business degree at DCU, Lyndsey jumped at the chance to join the fire service at the airport three years ago. “My dream job had always been to be in the fire service,” Lyndsey tells me. “I wanted to be a firefighter ever since I was very young. As a child, every time I saw a fire engine drive by, I was always drawn to it, but I have always wanted to be involved in helping people, and I always like
getting hands on to do that, so it was those things that drew me to the job. When I heard they were taking in recruits in the Airport Fire Service I thought I would apply and see what happens. I was fortunate enough to get the job, and I haven’t looked back since.” Success on and off the pitch is all about teamwork for Lyndsey, and she finds many similarities between the two. “I actually think that one of the key aspects that helped me get the job in the fire service in the first place was that I was heavily involved in the Dublin team,” she says. “I definitely think the fact that I was able to give examples of when I showed strong teamwork abilities was one of the reasons I got the job. “Teamwork is a massive part of being a firefighter, especially, for example, when you are wearing a
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BA, when teamwork, leadership and communication are so important. If you are going into a situation wearing the BA, you are in pairs and obviously depending on the situation, your visibility might be low, so you are relying on good communication, and I think that has a direct correlation with football.” Asked about the differences between her fire service and Dublin team roles, Lyndsey says: “I guess there is the unpredictability of the job. When you go out to play a match, you know pretty much what you are up against, but when you are called to an emergency incident or are called out to a fire, you tend to only have the bare minimum of details and don’t really know what you are going into. But that’s where you go back to your training and experience and rely on those to deal with the situation.” The similarities, however, are much more evident, Lyndsey says, and if anything, her job with the fire service has actually helped Lyndsey to thrive on the Gaelic pitch. Not only does her varied role – aviation and terminal emergencies, airfield safety, wildlife management, attending vehicle accidents and running inspections – keep her active every day, but the support of her colleagues and flexibility of her shift work mean she can usually find the time for training and matches whenever she needs to. “I’m very lucky to work with such a great bunch of lads and ladies,” Lyndsey says. “If it wasn’t for the crew, I wouldn’t be able to play football, because I can get shift cover from any of them and pay them back by covering their shift another time. If it wasn’t for them, I’d be lost. I’m also lucky in that I can sometimes work a shift in lieu and then have the time off to train or play a match, and there is such a supportive working environment full of camaraderie that enables me to do what I do, so I am very lucky where I am. “It’s great that in work we also have a fully-equipped gym so I can keep my fitness and strength levels
Lyndsey Davey with teammate Siobhan McGrath.
Above: Lyndsey Davey with members of the winning Dublin team. Right: At work with the Airport Fire Station.
up, and that is really beneficial to me and makes a difference because if I can’t get to a training session with the Dublin team, I can do my own session in work.” That gym work, Lyndsey believes, is one of the reasons behind her success, and that of the Dublin Ladies team. “Fitness has always been a big part of playing GAA, but I have seen a massive difference on the strength and conditioning side of things,” Lyndsey tells me. “When I first started with the Dublin panel 14 years ago, we wouldn’t have done any conditioning, it would all have been pitch sessions. But now we have a dedicated conditioning coach and we do gym sessions as well as pitch sessions every week. There’s a massive demand now for the proper conditioning. You can see the conditioning of players now, especially in our team, they all look so fit and strong, and that is down to
the work we do with the strength and conditioning coach.” That strength and fitness, not to mention an enormous amount of skill and dedication, has seen the Dublin Ladies team and Lyndsey enjoy a lengthy run of success. This year’s All-Ireland final victory over Cork was their second in a row, and while Carla Rowe, the daughter of a DFB member scored two goals, it was half-forward Lyndsey who gave a Player of the Match performance. “There is definitely nothing sweeter than putting in such hard work all year, training hard for nine months in the gym and on the pitch, and when you get to an All-Ireland putting in a really good performance. It’s very satisfying, especially when you are playing in front of such a big crowd, it’s the biggest day of the year. Everyone wants to play well, but sometimes nerves get the better of you, and sometimes games just don’t
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go your way. But when you walk off the pitch a winner and you know you have put in such a good effort, you know yourself that you played well, it’s very satisfying that all your hard work has paid off.” That win adds to a long list of Leinster and Division 1 titles in Lyndsey’s career, but All-Ireland final success is something every GAA player finds extra special. “We lost three finals in a row to Cork, and then we won the last two All-Irelands. I wouldn’t say winning three makes up for the five losses I was involved in,” Lyndsey tells me. “You always look back at those losses with regret and wonder where you might have changed things, and where things went wrong, especially the first year when we were ten points up against Cork. I look back on that one and think, if only we had done this or that, but those losses definitely made the wins more special, because when you have been on the receiving end, you definitely appreciate the wins a lot more. Especially after we lost the three in a row, winning last year was unbelievable, and beating Cork in this year’s final made that a little bit more special too, because we had been on the receiving end of losses to them in the past.” Lyndsey adds: “It made it that little bit sweeter.” On a personal level, Lyndsey has now won her fourth All-Star nomination and this year was shortlisted for the Player’s Player of the Year Award, but like a true team player, she hoped her team-mate and captain Sinead Aherne would win out (which she did). “It’s a really special nomination to get, because it is voted on by the players you have been playing against all season, and I think it’s great for Dublin as well that there are two of us up for the award – to have two of us nominated is really special,” says Lyndsey. “I think this is Sinead’s third year in a row to be nominated. She is a fantastic captain to all the girls, on and off the pitch, so I think it
Lyndsey Davey with Noelle Healy.
would be lovely to see her get it. She deserves the acknowledgement.” Recent rumours have suggested that 28-year-old Lyndsey is thinking of retiring from the Dublin panel she has been a part of for half her life, but she tells me she is still “in two minds about it”. “It’s one of those things where after having won the All-Ireland for the second year in a row and having had such a good year that it wouldn’t be easy to walk away, but I also have to weigh up the amount of commitment involved, the number of injuries picked up every year,” she tells me. “But then there is the temptation of going for three in a row. It’s also a lot easier to say you are walking away than it actually is to walk away, so I will have some big conversations with (manager) Mick Bohan over the next couple of months I’m sure. That will probably happen after Christmas but
for now I am just trying to enjoy the downtime and put that to the back of my mind for a while.” Whatever Lyndsey decides to do, she will be busy in the future. She will continue to play with her club side Skerries Harps, and one day would like to take part in a triathlon, though with a more relaxed approach than she is used to. Before that, though, there will be some more hard work. “At the moment I am next on the list to do the paramedics course. I’m really hoping that comes up shortly. We do all our training with the DFB paramedics. It takes two years to complete the course, so that will definitely keep me busy because there is a lot of study involved that will keep me occupied.” Given her career to date, it’s safe to say Lyndsey will only continue to become an even more valuable member of her team.
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CALENDAR
A proud winner shows off his artwork.
The 2019 Primary School Fire Safety Week Art Competition Calendar.
Dublin Mayor Nial Ring and Acting Chief Fire Officer Dennis Keeley with one of the winners.
Date for
THE CALENDAR Young artists win a place in our 2019 Fire Safety Calendar.
O
ur Primary School Fire Safety Week Art Competition Calendar 2019 was launched on 3 December with a prizegiving ceremony for the winning young artists whose work will be included in the calendar held at the Mansion House. The annual competition began in October with a call out to all
primary schools in Dublin to combine the promotion of fire safety among children with their love of art, to “help us help families to stay safe”. The high standard of the huge number of excellent works submitted meant the judging panel had some difficult choices to make when deciding on the winners in each age category. One winner and three runners up were announced for each age group, with each invited to the launch to see their pictures featured in 2019’s Dublin Fire Brigade Community Fire Safety Calendar.
The school of each category winner also received a prize of €500. Acting Chief Fire Officer Dennis Keeley was joined by Dublin Lord Mayor Nial Ring to present the prizes to the artists of tomorrow, and to present the new calendar. Congratulations and many thanks to all the winners, their families and schools for coming along to what we hope was an enjoyable morning for all. We hope that the calendar hangs proudly in classrooms and homes across the city and country.
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FAMILY FUN DAY
Fun in THE SUN Dan Fynes reflects on a great day of family fun this summer.
O
n 2 Sep, our Summer Fun Day and BBQ was once again held at the DFB Training Centre and was attended by more than 400 people. The food was prepared by Lisa in the OBI, and finished and served by Keith Tallon. This proved to be very successful, and I would like to thank them both for their hard work on the day. Thankfully, the weather was great and the day was very successful, made better (for most) by the background roars coming from nearby Croke park as the Dublin football team lifted Sam for the fourth year in a row. This event would not be possible without the hard work of the committee on the day, and cooperation of the staff of the DFB Training Centre. I would like to thank T/O Brendan Carroll and all of the Training Centre Staff for their permission and assistance in granting the use of the training centre facilities for this event. I would also like to thank the Dublin Civil Defence for allowing us to use their tents, and their staff who look after this for us, as well as all our vendors and entertainers who helped make the day so successful. Thanks
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too, to all our members (both serving and retired) for their attendance on the day. If you have any suggestions as to how we might improve the day, please feel free to relay it to a member of the committee, through our website dfbssc.ie or via our social media pages.
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FAMILY FUN DAY
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Multi Trauma Rescue Manikin
This manikin also has anatomically correct weight distribution . A Polypropylene, plastic sleeve allows the introduction of an impalement – scaffold poles, concrete reinforcing bars and fence posts can all be used for this purpose. The right arm and leg can be completely or partially detached to provide real interest to your training exercises.
Bariatric evacuation mat
Bariatric Training Manikin
Obesity is a very real problem in Ireland and across the world and this problem is rapidly getting worse. The need for heavy weight manikins has never been greater.
The Bariatric Evacuation Mat is a wall mounted wipe clean flexible stretcher with full CE Certification that can be used to evacuate bariatric patient, resident or people.
Fire House Training Manikin
The manikin’s anatomically correct weight distribution gives the ‘feel’ of an unconscious casualty. It is strong enough to be buried under concrete or steel lintel. These manikins can still be used for general training exercises.
Elite Emergency Evacuation Chair
This instantly deploys into a 4-wheel evacuation chair. This feature removes the risks associated with operating a ram supported guide wheel. Most importantly it provides an easy transfer between a wheelchair users chair and the evacuation chair.
Zoll AED 3
When sudden cardiac arrest strikes, a victim’s best chance for survival is immediate CPR and a rescuer with an automated external defibrillator (AED). The ZOLL AED 3 automated external defibrillator leads the way with Real CPR Help technology that provides real-time feedback to guide rescuers in delivering high-quality CPR, to help safe a life.
Tel: +353 (0)43 334 9611 • Email: info@phoenixsts.ie • Web: www.phoenixsts.ie Phoenix STS Ltd, Suite 20, Redleaf House Townspark, Longford, N39 YW68
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CYCLING CLUB
THE CYCLE CONTINUES Brendan Lodola looks forward to an exciting year for the DFB Cycling Club.
B/C Watch 20/21 March (B Watch coming off Monday/Tuesday night, C Watch back in work Friday)
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DFBCC STAYING IN THE SADDLE FOR PROSTATE CANCER CHARITY EVENT; 12 MAY
NEW DFBCC CYCLING GEAR LAUNCH: JANUARY 2019 We are currently getting orders in for our 2019 DFBCC new cycling gear, designed by Dave O’Toole. We hope to launch this in late January, early February.
CLUB OVERNIGHT IRELAND CYCLE EVENTS: MARCH We will have our first overnight in March, 2019, catering for all levels. There will be two separate overnights: one for A and D watch, and one for B and C watch: A/D Watch 6/7 March (D Watch coming off Monday/Tuesday night, A Watch back in work Friday)
Hopefully a well-supported event, this sets out to be a “Dublin Fire Brigade Sportive” which will for the first time be part of the Cycling Ireland calendar each year. We will have a nominated charity every year, starting with fundraising and awareness of prostate cancer in 2019. To create interest in registration, we will have goodie bags for every participant, filled with DFB branded attire amongst other sponsored gear. We hope to give the first 50 registrations a free “DFBCC SPORTIVE” Jersey.
CLUB LEAGUE: JUNE/ JULY/ AUGUST
CLUB EVENT ABROAD: FRENCH ALPS: SEPTEMBER The DFBCC Committee have decided on the French Alps for our cycle trip abroad in 2019, provisionally planned for departure on 24 September, returning 29 September. There will be more information to follow.
BIKE FIT SPECIAL OFFER: Aidan Hammond of Bike Fit Ireland has offered bike fitting services to the DFBCC. He needs at least 14 people with bikes for each visit, charging €70 per bike with an additional charge if you have other bikes you wish to be fitted. Anyone interested should contact a station rep or Committee member.
The club league will be taking place again with TT, Hill Climb and Track Race.
RING OF KERRY 3-DAY EVENT: JUNE DFBCC plan to complete the Ring of Kerry, travelling on 19 and returning on 21 June. This will be a two-night stay, depending on the distance covered. Again, this will be for all levels. Transport will be organised, with bikes transported separately. More information to follow on this.
SPORTIVES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR OF 2019 We also will be encouraging and
CONTACT US
he DFB Cycling Club AGM on 30 November at RUIN Bar was a great success, with the highest turnout to date. Spot prize winners are as follows: Paul O’Brien, John Walsh, Martin McCabe, Stephen Williams and Dave O’Toole all won €50 vouchers for Chain Reaction Cycles, Mick Whelan won a Spin 11 jersey, Joe Kieran won a meal for two at Red Torch Ginger, and Dave Doyle won a voucher worth €250 from ED Lifestyle Financial Planning. The AGM may be over, but we have a full schedule of great events planned for 2019, including:
supporting our members to take part in sportives throughout the year. This may include: (a) 3Peaks Challenge 100k, 70k (Shay Elliott, Slieve Mahon included): April 3 (b) Tour the Foothills: April 15 (c) Wicklow 100k/ 200k: 9 June (d) Leinster Loop Sportive 145km, 100km and 55km route events, Sunday, 30 June. The family 12km and 25km cycles will take place on the Saturday evening. (e) Great Dublin Bike Ride, 65k / 105k: September
For more information or to join the DFB Cycling Club, email dfbcyclingclub@ gmail.com or call: Brendan Lodola: 087 299 6572 Michael Whelan: 087 685 0360 Liz O’Connor: 086 316 5006 Ciaran McConnell: 086 330 7042 Dave O’Toole: 086 246 8658
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Kildare Fire Service Central Fire Station, Newbridge, Co. Kildare Tel: 045 431370 Email: cfo@kildarecoco.ie
www.kildare.ie/countycouncil/fireservices Follow us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/kildarefireservice
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STATION PROFILE
STATION PROFILE C WATCH PHIBSBORO
C Watch members Jonathan Forbes, Terry Crosbie, SO Kevin Sheehan, Mick Ennis, Ger Corcoran, James Courage and Daniel Simpson.
ON A COLD DECEMBER DAY, C WATCH IN PHIBSBORO SHOW ADAM HYLAND AROUND.
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he day was dull when I went to visit Phibsboro Fire Station recently, but the same could not be said of life for the crew of C Watch here. As part of Charlie District, Phibsboro station is tasked with handling calls from the north inner city to north west Dublin, providing support for both the Blanchardstown and Finglas stations, so they can expect to be faced with a range of incidents and challenges. “A normal day isn’t really a normal day, because no two days are the same,” Station Officer Kevin Sheehan tells me. “Some days you can see
RTC after RTC, depending on the weather, but we can also see days where we get a lot of calls to the local homeless hostels, where we see the effects of the major drugs issue in the north inner city. We can be extremely busy with overdoses, dealing with unresponsive patients who are still breathing and require a paramedic response. We can do five or six of those calls in a day.” Because of its location, Phibsboro Station can also respond to river rescue call outs as part of a normal Pre-Determined Attendance from HQ, but the number of specialists in C Watch also means they are in high demand for other incidents.
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SPECIAL SKILLSETS Kevin, who moved to the Phibsboro Station from the OBI in September, and Johnny Eastwood, are both advanced paramedics, and this results in the crews being called out frequently to serious incidents. “With both of us here there is an extra workload, because paramedic ambulance crews can and do call for an advanced paramedic back-up, and if that’s the case then the truck gets called out. One or the other of us will be called out, because of the skillsets we bring to the incident.” The Phibsboro crew also includes the DFB’s high line rescue specialists, which again means C Watch are in high demand. “The rescue truck has all of the high line gear for rescues from height – cranes, towers, etc – but we have the only lads here who are trained in this,” Kevin tells me. “Those calls aren’t that common – usually protesters who have climbed on to a building, or people threatening to jump from buildings – but it is great to have the resources at our fingertips.” Although the station has been around for a long time and hasn’t seen much in the way of renovation (apart from new gates), it serves the crew well, with the large yard perfect for drills, and the rec room and mess are both cosy and relaxing places for C Watch to unwind. A walk through shows that when able, the crew are relaxed, happy to talk and joke. A welcoming and laughing Mark Keogh takes a moment away from making a cup of tea to pose beside the many badges from other fire departments on display, then the newly-erected Christmas tree. One unique feature at Phibsboro is the Garden of Reflection, which is also used as a place to unwind. Built by the crews here, it honours DFB members lost over the years, and is always immaculately maintained. “It’s a nice place to go, especially in the summer, and just sit and gather your thoughts after a busy day,” Kevin notes. “In a very built up part of the city, it’s nice
They can’t promise Chewbacca will be there, but C Watch always welcome visitors.
to have a secluded and quiet area with a nice water fountain, a few fish, where you can sit and enjoy the peace.” There is rarely much peace and quiet though, as Kevin tells me. “Your day is normally set out for you, punctuated by call outs. Mornings see daily checks on equipment that can go on until 11am, then you have duties throughout the day. The afternoons are usually spent doing exercises or drills, or familiarisation, because there are so many new builds going up. For instance, the student accommodation in Phibsboro, and then Grangegorman is huge as well. Just getting familiar with that, even just driving around to learn the layout and access to hydrants.” This rising population in this area also adds to the workload for C Watch. “The high density of the area increases risk factor - Grangegorman has 6,000 people there now, for example - so you have the added risk of high-occupancy apartments. You have to be very careful when you go into those places,” Kevin says. Despite being so busy, all of the crew seem in good spirits and enjoy a lot of banter that shows how well they obviously get on. That becomes immediately evident when members
The Garden of Reflection at Phibsboro Station.
Mark Keogh grins and bears it.
of the crew return from a call out to find me taking pictures of Kevin, James Courage and Ger Corcoran as they check equipment, and are only too happy to get in on the act and joke about the worthiness of each other. High line operators Alan Brady, Keith Wilson and Dermot O’Reilly are also keen to provide some pictures, and go back up the training tower to, literally, show me the ropes, while Richie O’Sullivan is “busy hiding” from the camera.
A GREAT TEAM SPIRIT On any given day, there are usually 13 crew members, as well as the DO and Kevin, and they range in age and years of service. “Paddy Dunne is here a long time,” Kevin tells me, “and he is due to retire in March 2019. We also have to give
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STATION PROFILE
The camaraderie here is fantastic, and the entire crew are genuinely great. Nothing is ever a problem to them. a hat tip to Gerry Sweeney, who is unfortunately out sick for a long time. He is sorely missed in the station because he really is the life and soul of it. He’s a great guy. He is due to retire soon too. Mark Keogh is probably in 25 years now, so he has given great service too. “Then we go all the way down to lads who are only here a couple of years. We have two young lads in their 20s – James Courage and Daniel Simpson – both good guys. Even though they are no longer recruits, we still call them that, and will keep doing that until someone newer arrives.” Despite their varied experience, C Watch get on very well with each other, and work together exceptionally well too, as Kevin tells me. “The camaraderie here is fantastic, and the entire crew are genuinely great. Nothing is ever a problem to them. The Open Day we ran in November, for example, was done just among the on-duty staff at the station, and they were all happy to do it. Anything you ask to be done gets done without any issue. “They keep the place well, nice and tidy, but particularly on scene, on the fire ground, nothing is an issue. You ask for anything to be done, or for a piece of equipment to be retrieved, there is never a question, it is just done.” That work ethic and camaraderie remains strong, despite the fact there has been a lot of changes in personnel over the last few years. “In the last year alone, we have had three lads come in from other stations, as well as two recruits, to replace lads who were promoted from here, and we have a new recruit joining us for his
C Watch Phibsboro High Line Rescue specialists Alan Brady, Keith Wilson and Dermot O’Reilly
Jonathan Forbes demonstrates the danger of chip pan fires at the Open Day in November.
first shift on Christmas Eve night, so welcome to the Fire Brigade! But the camaraderie has always stayed strong, and everybody gets on really well.” The Open Day Kevin mentions was organised to raise money for the Movember charity campaign for men’s health, and C Watch in Phibsboro is very much the HQ of the Frontline Mo Bros, the group set up and captained by firefighter Jonathan Forbes to help raise funds and awareness for male cancer and mental health issues. “Johnny does get help from a few regulars, but he almost singlehandedly set that up and runs the show, and he does an amazing job of it,” Kevin tells me. Many of the C Watch crew were sporting impressive moustaches on the day, grown out over the course of the month of November, and to see them freshly shaved required a second look to recognise some faces I had previously met. Hundreds of people showed up for the Open Day, and for
Ger Corcoran checks the HIAB crane.
C Watch, being part of the community is very important. “The door here is always open and visitors are always welcome,” Kevin says. “Obviously it depends on our schedule, but if someone passes by with their child and they want to have a look, if they want a picture taken or anything, we would never turn them away.” I’m delighted to say that spirit included my visit, so thanks to all at C Watch Phibsboro for showing me around.
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CÚPLA FOCAL
Mahogany
STANDPIPE Mark Toner shares his enthusiasm for our use of the Irish language.
Hi folks, we’re back again and it’s a little while since we last put pen to paper. The last time we told you about some of the projects underway with Conradh na Gaeilge for Bliain na Gaeilge 2018. Did anybody come across any activities connected with it? More importantly, what have you done to improve your own Irish skills? – Better late than never! We have another mini quiz this time around to help you test your own Irish, including a small competition with some small prizes donated by Conradh na Gaeilge. Amongst some of the opportunities that I came across since last here were the welcome addition of a POP-UP Gaeltacht at EP. Also, a new online dictionary, “An Foclóir Aiteach” with unique terms in Irish that relate to the LGBTQ community. An important positive development that shows that the language is not only alive but is growing with the wider community!Amongst other opportunities that showed the versatility of the language and how easy it can be combined into everyday usage were bilingual signage, showing tourists and locals alike that there is more than one language central to life in Ireland, and a clever experiment on DoneDeal that allowed for a seamless transaction regardless of the medium of Irish being used.It’s not too late to make small steps to improve your own Irish. Social media again plays a central role, with Instagram accounts such as Téarma. ie providing daily useful and quirky terms to help improve your Irish vocabulary! And although an end is coming to Bliain na Gaeilge, that doesn’t mean that you have to ease off your efforts to improve, as the President said, it was never more an appropriate time to encourage the use of our language as proudly and as widely as possible. Bain trial as!
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r ais arís! Conas ar éirigh libh leis an eagrán deiridh? Ar léigh duine ar bith é? Bhí cur síos déanta agam faoi Bhliain na Gaeilge 2018, an tionscadal ó Chonradh na Gaeilge maidir le cur chun cinn na Gaeilge i rith na bliana. Ar tháinig tú ar aon ghníomhaireachtaí ag baint leis? Níos tábhachtaí, an ndearna tú rud ar bith chun do chuid Gaeilge féin a fheabhsú? Ná bíodh aon imní ort – ní bhíonn sé riamh ródhéanach tabhairt aoi rud úr – is fearr go deireanach ná go brách, mar a deirtear! Tá tráth na gceist eile againne san eagrán seo agus mar a bhí ráite agam tá comórtas beag ag deireadh an ailt freisin. Lán buíochas le Orlaith ó Chonradh na Gaeilge do na duaiseanna. Níor tháinig mé riamh ar an méid deiseanna chun an Ghaeilge a úsáid is a bhí ar fáil le míonna anuas. Bhí neart tionscadal nua ann, mar shampla an “Pop-up” Gaeltacht a bhí san Electric Picnic an bhliain seo. Ag deireadh an Earraigh seo caite, foilsíodh foclóir téarmaíochta Béarla-Gaeilge nua. “An Foclóir Aiteach” a thugtar air agus baineann sé le cúrsaí LGBTQ nó LADTA. An chéad foclóir riamh le téarmaíocht ar nós trasinscneach agus neamh-dhénártha. Is rud tábhachtach é seo, i mo thuairimse, mar léiríonn sé ní amháin, go bhfuil an Ghaeilge fós beo ach go bhfuil sí ag fás agus ag forbairt leis an bpobal i gcoitinne. Rud dearfach nach é? Níor chur mé peann le pár ón Earrach seo caite agus bhí Samhradh den scoth againn ó shin. I measc na ndeiseanna atá luaite agam thuas, tháinig mé ar seans eile agus mé ar cuairt go dtí an trá. Tháinig mé ar fhógra dátheangach a bhí ag spreagadh daoine chun an trá a choinneáil ghlan. Ceapaim gur smaoineamh iontach é seo, go h-áirithe ó thaobh cur chun cinn na Gaeilge. Smaoinigh ar na céadta turasóirí a chonaic
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CÚPLA FOCAL TIONSCADAL = Project GNÍOMHAIREACHTAÍ = Activities RÓDHÉANACH = Too Late IS FEARR GO DEIREANACH NÁ GO BRÁCH = Better Late than never. RÁITE = Said COMÓRTAS = Competition
Ár dTeanga, Do Rogha! Slán Tamaill
TRÁTH NA GCEIST (QUIZ) Send your answers to me at marktoner@eircom.net 1. Geimhreadh.
6. Griandó.
2. Thar Lear.
7. Oíche Shamhna.
3. Tonn Teasa.
8. Athbhliain.
4. Séasúr.
9. Bronntanas.
5. Laethanta Saoire.
10. Drochaimsir.
DUAISEANNA = Prizes DEISEANNA = Opportunities IONAD = Site ÁFACH = However EARRACH = Spring TÉARMAÍOCHTA = Terms TRANSINSCNEACH = Transgender NEAMH-DHÉNÁRTHA = Non-Binary TUAIRIM = Opinion DEARFACH = Positive CUAIRT = Visit FÓGRA = Advertisement/ Notice DÁTHEANGACH = Bilingual SPREAGADH = Encourage COINNIGH = To Keep TURASÓIRÍ = Tourists SEACHAS = Besides LUAITHE = Earlier GLUAISROTHAR = Motorbike
FOCLÓIRÍN (GLOSSARY)
an fógra seo agus léiríonn sé dóibh go bhfuil teanga eile tábhachtach sa tír seo seachas an Béarla. Ní amháin d’fhógraí oifigiúla atá an Ghaeilge. Léigh mé níos luaithe sa bhliain, ar Tuairisc.ie faoi fhear a chur a ghluaisrothar Kawasaki ar dhíol ar DoneDeal.ie le fógra i nGaeilge. Fuair sé go leor freagraí faoin ghluaisrothar agus laistigh de 48 uair an chloig ó sheol sé an fógra, bhí sé díolta aige. Turgnamh greannmhar is cliste a bhí ann ach léiríonn sé go mb’fhéidir go bhfuil sé níos éasca ná mar a cheaptar chun gnó laethúil a dhéanamh trí mheán na Gaeilge. Níl sé ródhéanach go deo chun céimeanna beaga a ghlacadh chun do Ghaeilge a fheabhsú. Má tá cuntas Instagram agat, cuir cuairt ar Téarma.ie. Bíonn “téarma an lae” acu gach uile lá agus is bealach furasta é chun cur le do stór focal. Is fearr Gaeilge bhríste ná Béarla cliste. Mar a bhí geallta agam, tá comórtas beag againn, agus duaiseanna beaga le fáil. Beidh duais don chéad duine gur féidir leo an cheist a leanas a fhreagairt – Tar éis d’fhoireann rugbaí na hÉireann an Grand Slam a ghnóthú, b’é Bundee Aki a bhí chun tosaigh ag ceiliúradh i nGaeilge i lár na páirce. Cén fhoireann a fuair siad an lámh in uachtar ar? Cé go bhfuil deireadh ag teacht le Bliain na Gaeilge, ní chiallaíonn sé sin go gcaithfidh tú srian a chur le d’iarrachtaí. Is fearr atá sé ráite ag an Uachtarán – “Tá muid réidh anois…..úsáid na Gaeilge a spreagadh……..go bródúil agus go forleathan”. Sin deireadh an scéil don eagrán seo, más maith leat ábhar ar bith a phlé, déan teagmháil liom tríd an r-phost ; marktoner@eircom.net nó go díreach sa stáisiúin.
LAISTIGH = Inside of TURGNAMH = Experiment CLISTE = Smart GNÓ = Business MEÁN = Medium CÉIMEANNA = Steps CUNTAS = Account STÓR FOCAL = Vocabulary GEALL = Promise IARRACHTAÍ = Efforts UACHTARÁN = President FORLEATHAN = Widespread BRÓDÚIL =With Pride ÁR DTEANGA, DO ROGHA = Our language, your choice.
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WINTER WEATHER
ADVERSE WEATHER PREPARATION Acting Assistant Chief Fire Officer Greg O’Dwyer talks to Adam Hyland about preparation for snow, ice and other weather extremes.
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n Ireland we are fortunate that we don’t face the type of extreme freezing temperatures common in other countries in winter. However, we are not completely immune to dangerous adverse weather conditions, and in the winter months ice, snow and flooding can make the job of the DFB even harder. It is important, therefore, for the DFB to have not just the right equipment, but the right preparation, in place, in order to be able to respond to emergency calls, no matter what challenges the weather brings. That preparation, as Acting Assistant Chief Fire Officer Greg O’Dwyer tells me, is vital. “One of the challenges we have with adverse weather such as snow, ice or flooding, is not the hazardous road conditions, but actually getting the personnel into their stations so that we can operate as normal. “We have developed a DFB adverse weather preparedness plan, whereby we have arrangements in place to provide transport for our fire and ambulance crews where needed. We also make plans and provisions for people to be able to stay back in the station overnight if it is unsafe or difficult to get home.” Once in the station, crews also need to adhere to the preparedness plan in order to ensure that each
Snow and ice make the job of the DFB even harder.
unit and vehicle is capable of safely reaching a call out. “With the adverse weather plan we also make sure everybody has tasks they have to tick off to keep each station and each vehicle ready for a call out,” Greg says. “In snow or ice, for instance, that would include keeping the entrance and exits clear at all times for vehicles, and ensuring the right adverse weather equipment is on each engine or vehicle, and paying close attention to the maintenance of vehicles and equipment.”
The new DFB 4X4 vehicles.
To prepare properly, each appliance’s heating system and valves should be checked and tested to ensure they will function properly in winter, and further checks should be done regularly to ensure extreme cold has not adversely affected them.
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The vehicles themselves see adaptations that make it easier to manage adverse weather. In order to handle snow and ice, for example, the right weather tyres are put on vehicles, snow chains go on to appliances, ambulances are fitted with snow socks, and snow shoes go out to all stations. “Our engines are heavy enough to get a good grip,” Greg tells me, “but we also have 4-wheel drive where possible, plus we have snow chains, so we have good traction. As a result, it is rare for an engine to get stuck. There can be a few instances where the ambulances, despite the snow socks, can get stuck, but not that often.” Ambulance personnel will be given extra overgarments during adverse weather, as well as extra grips or cleats to go over their shoes. Though the DFB vehicles are well prepared, as Greg says, the introduction of additional 4x4 transport that came on board in September will no doubt prove invaluable, should we see severe, snow or flooding. “The new 4x4 vehicles are stationed at Tara Street, the OBI and the workshop on Stanley Street, and will be ready to be called into operation as required,” Greg says. “If we do have an adverse weather forecast this winter, we can prepare by getting those vehicles and any extra equipment needed in and centrally locate it before sending it out to areas where it is needed most. “Those new 4x4s will of course not only be useful in snow and ice, but in flooding, because they can get through deeper water, as they are fitted with snorkels,” Greg adds. Having the right equipment, preparation and support vehicles in place is essential as adverse weather arrives, because inevitably there will be an increase in calls, due not only to collisions on the roads, but because the DFB become the only point of contact in an emergency situation.
A unit from Skerries clears a road to get to a call out .
“Once bad snow comes,” Greg tells me, “there will always be an increase in calls as people dial 999 as soon as anything goes wrong or fails, because nobody else is able to answer or come to their aid. Obviously with the ambulances there are a lot of extra calls as people suffer slips and falls, but other crews see a lot of call outs to people trapped or snowed in especially the elderly or vulnerable, or simply because they can’t get in touch with other services.” Of course, in extreme snow and ice it can be more difficult to get to a call out, but because it is so important that the DFB does get there, it is simply necessary to exercise extra caution to arrive on the scene safely. If you don’t arrive, you can’t help anybody. That caution – slowing down, anticipating increased stopping distances and unexpected actions by other road users – is something all DFB crews can ensure, but there are other factors that can’t
be helped. One such factor is other road users who may not have the necessary equipment to deal with hazardous conditions. “The problem is that while your vehicle may be able to progress, those around you can’t, so you can get stuck behind a long line of traffic,” Greg tells me. “With heavy ice, you often see vehicles on slipways on dual carriageways that have come off the road or jack-knife, and these can cause big tailbacks that block the entire way through, so it can be difficult to progress. “But as emergency vehicles, we need to get there, and that can sometimes mean having to go slowly and carefully, because it is so important in the end that we do get there.” Cold weather can definitely take a toll on firefighters and equipment, but with proper preparation, maintenance and awareness, the job of the DFB crews can be made a lot less difficult.
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CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES
WIDESPREAD DEVASTATION IN CALIFORNIA Firefighters in the US state faced unprecedented wildfire activity this year.
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ovember saw unprecedented wildfire activity in California as three major fires swept across the state, with firefighters facing a prolonged battle to contain them.
A total of 88 people died in the Camp, Woolsey and Hill fires, with a quarter of a million forced to flee their homes, 11 still missing, and damage estimated at more than $2.975 billion. Although wildfires are common in California, a combination of rising temperatures, low humidity, drought and strong winds meant November’s fires spread quickly and left emergency services overwhelmed. The Camp Fire in the north of the state began on 8 November and
within days had claimed the lives of 31 people, with 200 more reported missing, making it the deadliest on record in California, but the wildfire would continue to spread for several weeks, causing untold damage. The town of Paradise bore the brunt of the inferno, with almost 7,000 homes destroyed, at least 90 of them belonging to firefighters and other emergency responders. More than 5,590 firefighters were assigned to the blaze, including 622
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fire engines, 75 water tenders, 24 helicopters, 101 hand crews and 103 bulldozers. Firefighters from as far as the states of Washington and Texas joined in to help, while an additional 100 National Guard troops assisted in looking for human remains. CAL FIRE said that the strain on resources had been enormous since so much of the state was under siege by flames and wind. The entire city of Malibu was ordered to evacuate as the Woolsey Fire roared toward the beachside community. The Camp Fire death toll, meanwhile, continued to climb as 100km/hr winds fanned the flames.
By 14 November, the death toll had reached 50, with firefighters attempting to tackle a fire that was still only 35% contained. The sheer magnitude of the fires meant there was inevitable confusion regarding the number of people unaccounted for, jumping from 200 to 631 in one day as investigators reviewed emergency calls made when the Camp Fire erupted. Days later, that figure stood at 1,276. The Woolsey Fire was 91% contained by mid-November, after burning 96,949 acres and killing three people, but the death toll in the Camp Fire increased further.
Towards the third week of November, much-needed rain helped firefighters battle the blaze, but authorities estimated it would take two more weeks to fully contain the Camp Fire, which was growing at a rate of 1,000 acres per day. That rain, however, complicated the efforts of dozens of teams sifting through ash and debris, looking for human remains. The severity of the fire was so great that authorities had to call in a DNA lab and teams of anthropologists to help identify victims. The Hill Fire that destroyed 4,500 acres west of Los Angeles was declared fully contained by 19 November, with the Woolsey Fire 69% contained, but the death toll increased to 79 in the Camp Fire, then 83 by 22 November. The list of those believed to be unaccounted for, meanwhile, dropped by several hundred. Progress was made in the next few days as by 23 November, The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said the 153,336acre fire was 95% contained. Despite the inclement weather, more than 800 volunteers searched for remains on Thanksgiving Day, with more than 500 people still unaccounted for and the death toll rising to 84. By 2 December, the Camp Fire was fully contained, but had killed 88 people. Following campaigns urging affected families to contact relatives and friends, the number of those missing dropped significantly to 11. Five firefighters had suffered injuries, and overall the firefighting effort had cost $432 million. Containing such an enormous wildfire was a monumental effort, during which firefighters showed immense bravery and dedication to duty, but the overwhelming fear amongst authorities is that due to climate change, such devastating fires are becoming, as California’s governor Jerry Brown said, “not the new normal... but the new abnormal”.
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RETIRED MEMBERS
RETIRED MEMBER PROFILE Dougie Doyle Adam Hyland catches up with retired firefighter Dougie Doyle, who first joined the brigade in 1964.
H
aving spent most of his career in the Dublin Fire Brigade as a driver on “every machine they had”, it seems appropriate that Dougie Doyle’s career path took a few turns before he joined up. He had qualified as a butcher but “hated every minute of it”, and so decided to move to England to make his fortune, only to return home a week later. Dougie remembers his father saying to him: “What did you go to England for? To get the right time?” and knew he had to find a new job soon. “I started driving a taxi, but then the opportunity came up to join the Fire Brigade. My brother had already joined, and I was in the FCA (now Army Reserves), so I thought that would stand to me because they were looking for people with discipline.” Dougie joined up on 19 May, 1964, along with Willie Bermingham and 62 other recruits, and though he fondly remembers them as “a great bunch of fellas,” he had to be persuaded to stick it out by his father. “I was earning less than before, and I told my Da I might quit, but he advised me that it was a good, pensionable job,” says Dougie. “To a young fella like me, a pension seemed light years away, but I listened to his advice, thankfully. I enjoyed every minute in the job.”
BEHIND THE WHEEL Dougie spent his first three years in Tara Street, and within months was driving the engine, thanks to his knowledge of the city streets as a former taxi driver. He says he was inspired by the senior members of his crew. “I got great inspiration from the more senior members when I first joined. They were fabulous guys, real firefighters, and I felt it was an honour to work with them. These guys were the crème de la crème.” He then transferred to Buckingham Street, where he worked for 14 years, and recalls the great camaraderie he shared with his crew. “I used to hate going on holidays becauseI knew I would be missing all the craic in the station,” he says. However, he recalls that Buckingham Street wasn’t an easy station to work out of. Apart from an ongoing problem with children from the local flats ringing in bogus calls so they could jump on to the ladders, the job meant many difficult call outs. Dougie tells me that the thing he found hardest was picking up children on the ambulance. “One time we were called out to attend an incident involving a child and a bus,” he recalls. “My own son was only a baby at the time. We treated the child, and as I was looking at him, all I could see was my
own child. It broke my heart. I hated having to attend accidents involving children.” On the flip side, Dougie tells me, is that one of the most rewarding aspects of his job was when you saved a child, such as when his actions saved a baby suffering a seizure disorder. Dougie was involved in many other memorable rescues too. “One morning we took 12 people off a building on North Circular Road. It was a great rescue. The people were hanging out of windows, frightened, but we got them all on to the ladders and to safety. One thing I am thankful for is that I was never scared of heights.” That also went for small spaces. Dougie recalls once rescuing a man who had fallen down a manhole that was too narrow to lower another man into to haul up the victim. He had to crawl through a two-feet wide tunnel that ran under a street from a nearby river to get to him. “That was a good rescue,” Dougie tells me. “It was a hairy experience, but a great feeling.” As well as saving lives, he also brought far more than his fair share into the world too, having delivered 13 babies in his time.
NORTH STRAND When North Strand opened, Dougie moved there until he retired in 1996. It was his D Watch that was called to
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RETIRED MEMBERS
Retired Firefighter Dougie Doyle.
the Stardust fire in Artane in 1981, but Dougie was on leave at the time. He does, however, recall the effect the tragedy had on his team. “It was horrendous. Nobody came in to counsel them either, and that’s something that has improved a lot. There is a lot more counselling on offer for firefighters.” Other improvements Dougie has seen include the establishment of the training centre. “The training is firstclass now. They also started promoting very intelligent people, some of them were brilliant officers, great firefighters who always made the right calls.” Just as Dougie learned from the senior members of his crew when he first joined, at North Strand he found himself passing on his own experience to new recruits. He recalls how early in his career he had been puzzled that his crew could return to their dinner after a
gruesome call out, but had learned that you had to get on with things. “Things happened, it’s real life, I realised, and you can’t dwell on things. That was part of the learning curve. “Many years later, I was called out to Sutton Cross. Someone had fallen under a DART. The scene was horrible. We arrived before the ambulance, but when it came, I tried to discourage the young recruit on board from going to survey the scene. He said he wanted to, but as soon as he did, you could see he realised he shouldn’t have. I thought to myself, I was that young fella 30 years ago. The wheel of time had come full circle. I’m sure that young fella learned from his experience.”
RETIREMENT The time came when Dougie felt retirement was right. “I retired in 1996, and I never regretted it. I enjoyed every
minute, but there came a time when I realised it was a young person’s job. It was time to hand the baton over. There are still times when I see an engine drive by and I picture myself driving it, and remember the times I had, but it was time to leave.” Having played golf until recently, Dougie now focuses on enjoying life and “taking it easy”. A regular walker, he is also still active in the 7th Battalion Association, of which he was chairman for many years, but a health scare in 2015 means he “certainly appreciates my senior years a whole lot more”. At 77, he is enjoying those “extra years” as he calls them. “You have to enjoy what you get out of life,” he tells me, “and I have to say the fire brigade was very good to me in that it gave me a good living. I’m taking it easy now, enjoying my life. Life is good.”
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PARAMEDICS
OLYMPIAN EFFORTS The remarkable story of Tallaght paramedics and Olympian Kenneth Egan’s father.
C
rew members at Tallaght Fire Station received a surprise visit from former Olympic boxer and current Clondalkin Fine Gael councillor Kenneth Egan at the end of June. The 2008 Olympic silver medallist called in to thank the DFB team of paramedics who tended to his father, Paul, and helped save his life, after he suffered a cardia arrest at a bar in Clondalkin. Within three minutes of the emergency call, an ambulance and a team of advanced paramedics from Dublin Fire Brigade who were already in the area were at the scene. In what was a moment of extreme good fortune for Paul, the advanced paramedic team included a trainee advanced paramedic, two fullyqualified advanced paramedics and Professor Gerard Bury from the UCD School of Medicine, who was assisting the trainee. The team worked on Mr Egan for three quarters of an hour by administering CPR and using a defibrillator to give more than ten shocks, before strengthening his heartbeat and transporting him to Tallaght Hospital, where he woke up three days later. Paul, Kenneth and his daughter Kate visited Tallaght Fire Station on 25 June to meet with members of the DFB team and to thank them for the great work of the paramedics. Unfortunately, the crew had been called out to a serious incident – the motor accident at a funeral in Clondalkin in which several people
The Egan family says thanks to the Tallaght crew after paramedics saved his father Paul following a cardiac arrest.
were injured – but the Egan family stayed until their return. “I can’t thank you all enough,” Kenneth told the crew. “The care and attention received from the whole team that night was second to none. Without you lads there, as quickly as you were, Paul wouldn’t be here today, and I think there’s a debt of gratitude from myself, my Mam, and the rest of my brothers who were there that night.” He continued: “You’re amazing people. You do fantastic work day in, day out, and you need recognition – thanks a million. It’s a miracle for my dad to be standing here today.” District Officer Peter Navan said of the incident: “I’m 33 years in the job, and it’s seldom that you get cases where everything clicks and falls into line. Within three minutes there was an ambulance on the scene – for that to happen is remarkable. “The situation couldn’t have been any better, bar happening in an actual ambulance. The amount of time the paramedics spent on the ground with Paul was extraordinary. He had something like 10 shocks, and when you think that there are two minutes of CPR in
Paul, Kate and Kenneth Egan with Fine Gael local representative Anna Grainger at Tallaght Fire Station.
between every shock, you understand just how long they worked on him. “Everything fell into line that night, the stars aligned,” he added. “I remember saying to Kenneth that if there was a European gold medal for turn outs and assisting people, that was it.” Peter added: “It’s fantastic that we are now having so many success stories like this. But it is because of the availability of advanced paramedics, the fact that we can turn out the nearest fire engine if an ambulance is not available, because everybody is trained to a very high standard. “In the past we might have gotten the odd card through the post, sometimes unfortunately sent by the family. But these days we are having families walking in, with the patient, and that gives you a great boost.”
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MAURICE MCCONNELL AWARD
Tallaght’s Youth
RECOGNISED BY DFB The Tallaght Person of the Year Awards took place on November 16, and the DFB were proud to sponsor the Maurice McConnell Youth Award at the event.
B
orn and raised in Drimnagh, Maurice McConnell joined the Dublin Fire Brigade in 1965 and served for 34 years. Upon moving to Tallaght, he set up the Old Bawn Residents Association in 1979 and helped establish the Tallaght Community Council. He was heavily involved in the establishment of other community organisations and amenities including the Old Bawn Youth Club. Three of his sons and his nephew Derek Riordan are also firefighters, so the DFB were eager to honour Maurice’s memory by sponsoring the award for outstanding contributions to youth projects in the area. Maurice’s family were represented by his children Aoife and Padraig McConnell, as well as his sister Evelyn Riordan, at the awards. Evelyn Riordan, Maurice’s sister and the mother of Maurice’s firefighting nephew Derek was presenting the award, having taken over Maurice’s seat on the council, and asked Derek to approach the DFB for sponsorship, which we were only too happy to provide. While the overall Tallaght Person of the Year 2018 winner was Gar Tyrrell, a Tallaght Environmentalist
Maurice McConnell.
Merit Award winner Luke Henderson with District Officer Peter Navan and Station Officer Justin Burns.
and volunteer, there were two awards given out as part of the Maurice McConnell Youth Award. From 20 nominees, the overall winner was teenage sprinting sensation Rhasidat Adeleke, who at the age of just 15, won a gold medal in the 200m event at the Under 18 European Athletics Championships in July, and was part of the Irish silver-medal 4x100m relay team at the Under 20 World Championships. She was honoured for her success and for her work ethic that provides inspiration to the youth of Tallaght. A special Merit Award went to a young man named Luke Henderson, whose quick thinking and courage helped save a man’s life. Luke was getting off the bus when he saw a man attempting to take his own life by hanging from the goalposts in a local park. Rushing to the scene, he took the man’s weight
Sprinter Rhasidat Adeleke with District Officer Peter Navan after winning the Maurice McConnell Youth Award at the Tallaght Person of the Year ceremony.
and managed to hold him up while he called the emergency services. Luke managed to hold the man up for ten minutes until a crew from Tallaght could arrive. District Officer Peter Navan said of Luke’s actions: “He had to hold on to him until we got there. He couldn’t let go of him or cut him down, so he did really well.” Luke, a pharmaceutical science student at IT Tallaght, can now add the Merit Award to the DFB Good Samaritan coin he was awarded earlier this year at Tallaght Fire Station. As well as sponsoring the Maurice McConnell Award, the DFB were honoured to have the DFB Pipe Band play at the awards this year in tribute to Maurice.
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DFB GOLF SOCIETY
Captain Noel Jackson presenting the Captains trophy to Adam Stanley. Noel Keegan Jim King being presented with the DFB v Dublin Bus annual trophy from Alan Silver Dublin Bus.
IN THE
District Officer David Kavanagh reviews the DFB Golf Society’s year.
T
he Dublin Fire Brigade Golf Society continues to go from strength to strength, with more new members joining in 2018. This is a welcome trend that we hope continues and strengthens our Society. Highlights of the year to date have been:
PRESIDENT’S PRIZE: Society President Pascal Heary hosted his President’s prize at his Club, Slade Valley on Friday, 3 August. A testing course was made all the more difficult by the tropical weather conditions that prevailed over the entire summer. However, the scoring was extremely high, with the results listed below:
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RUNNER UP David Kavanagh (11)
39
CLASS 1 1st John Phelan (14) 38 2nd Andy Young (14) 37 3rd Paul Matthews (14) 36 (B3)
PRESIDENT’S PRIZE
Swing
OVERALL Paddy Cahill (23)
CLASS 2 1st Danny Colgan (16) 2nd Martin Alwell (16) 3rd Kevin Moran (16)
CLASS 3 1st Lar Sweetman (23) 38 2nd Pascal Heary (19) 37 3rd Peter Gorman (22) 36 (B9) FRONT 9 Martin Gallagher (33)
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BACK 9 Sean Devaney (15)
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NEAREST THE PINS Mark Wilson & Damien Nolan FIRECALL WINTER
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President Pascal Heary with Captain Noel Jackson.
Adam Stanley, Sean Foley and David Doran.
CAPTAIN’S PRIZE: Captain Noel Jackson hosted his Captain’s day at Saint Margaret’s Golf Club on Friday, 24 August. The weather continued to amaze and huge numbers turned out to play in the prestige event of the season. Scoring was again remarkable, with some fantastic numbers being returned. The post-game dinner and presentation was very well attended, and Noel thanked the Golf Club, the caterers, green keepers and most importantly the main sponsors, DFB Sports & Social Club and Dubco Credit Union, who helped ensure a very successful day. The season drew to a fitting close with all attention switching to the annual Dublin Fire Brigade versus Dublin Bus match. This event has become ever more competitive in the past few years, with Dublin Bus winning the trophy in 2017 at a rain-battered Corrstown Golf Club. Based on the scoring in the President’s and Captain’s Prize outings, DFB Team Captain David Kavanagh was able to select a very strong team to regain the trophy this year.
The match took place on Thursday, 18 October, at Beech Park Golf Club in Rathcoole. The course was in excellent condition with very fast greens, giving rise to a very hard-fought match. DFB won out on the day, with some great scores, gaining 451 points against a total of 439 for Dublin Bus. The overall team winners for DFB were the combined efforts of Noel Keegan and Jim King. The game was followed by a meal in the club house and the presentation of prizes. Congratulations to our worthy winners, and many thanks to our sponsors, DFB Sports and Social Club! The golfing year came to an end at our AGM on 5 December at Corrstown Golf Club. We played nine holes (teeing off at 10.30am) before sitting down for the meeting at 1pm, so all members were encouraged to come along and take part in one final outing before the season drew to a close. Thanks to all members for a great year, and here’s to another good one in 2019.
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RUNNER UP Vincent Conroy (7)
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3RD PLACE John Phelan (13)
39 (B6)
4TH PLACE Liam Hyland (22)
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CLASS 1 1st Joe Nolan (14) 2nd Craig Wilson (7) 3rd Ken Walsh (12) 4th Paul Synnott (8)
36 (B9) 36 36 34
CLASS 2 1st Alan Moore (16) 2nd Mark Wilson (18) 3rd Kevin Conroy (17) 4th Pascal Heary (18)
38 36 35 34 (B9)
CLASS 3 1st Robbie Connolly (25) 38 2nd Eddie Stewart (21) 36 3rd Siobhan Talbot (27) 35 (B9) 4th Karl Finley (28) 35 FRONT 9 Lar Sweetman
CAPTAIN’S PRIZE
Treasure Adrian Kelly presenting Captain Noel Jackson with a piece of DFB crystal.
General crowd of DFB and Dublin Bus at the prize and dinner presentation.
OVERALL Adam Stanley (19)
BACK 9 Noel Jackson NEAREST THE PINS Conor Davis & David Sheridan PAST CAPTAIN John Phelan (13)
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RETIRED MEMBER Liam Hyland (22)
39
VISITOR David Sheridan
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RETIRED MEMBERS
883 YEARS OF SERVICE HONOURED Dan Fynes talks about the Retired Members Gala Night when their amazing service was honoured.
A
staggering total of 883 years! That’s the combined years of service given by the recently retired members of the DFB Sports and Social club who were honoured at our Retired Member’s Gala Night on 23 November. All members of the DFB Sports and Social Club who recently retired were cordially invited with their family to the Castleknock Hotel on the night to enjoy an evening of dining and entertainment, but each was also presented with a specially commissioned statuette to honour their many years of service to the Dublin Fire Brigade. The bronze statuette featuring a turn of the century Dublin firefighter in action was presented to each of the 28 retired members, or their families,
by acting Chief Fire Officer Dennis Keeley. Our sincere thanks to A/C/F/O Keeley for doing the honours. We must also thank the DFB Pipe Band, who attended on the night and as always gave us a proud performance befitting the occasion. This was a special night for all retired members and their families, who enjoyed the luxurious surroundings and the chance to catch up with past friends and colleagues, and I would like to thank everybody who attended on the night for making it such a success. Despite our best efforts, not every retired member of the Sports and Social Club is aware that we hold this gala event, so I would encourage you all to spread the word about it. You can find out more by getting in touch with your station representative or a member of the committee. Thanks to the management and staff of the Castleknock Hotel for all their hard work on the night and also to the members of the DFBSSC Committee who made it all happen.
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RETIRED MEMBERS
883 YEARS!!!!!
List of retirees presented on the night, total service amounts to a staggering 883 years! Richie Barden Family of James Byrne (RIP) Las Fallon Dermot Murray Laurence Skelly Tom O’Rourke Martin Gallagher Terry Gough Damien Guilfoyle John Harmon Gerry Harris Joe Kelly Denis Lucey Kieron Lynch Cathal Mc Cobb Family of RayMc Cooey (RIP) Dominick Mc Nabb Jim O Brien John J O’Callaghan Frank O’Keefe Charlie Redmond Glenn Sexton Dave Sherwin Mark Kiernan Donal Reynolds Paul Byrne Tony Devoy Brian Sterio
1982- 2018 1987- 2018 1985-2017 1986-2018 1988-2018 1985-2018 1976-2018 1981-2018 1985-2018 1994-2018 1986-2017 1983-2018 1986-2018 1983-2017 2002-2017 2002-2017 1980-2017 1986-2017 1986-2018 1986-2018 1986-2017 1988-2018 1982-2017 1986-2018 1982-2017 1982-2016 1985-2016 1985-2016
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CENTENARY
100 YEARS OF THE FIRE BRIGADES UNION Dublin Fire Brigade historian and retired FF/P Las Fallon reflects on events marking the centenary of the Fire Brigades Union in London in October.
I
The National Memorial outside St Paul’s.
n the last issue of Firecall, I wrote an account of the May Day events in Belfast hosted by the Fire Brigades Union. Dublin Fire Brigade members played an important role in the events of that weekend, with then Chief Officer Pat Fleming laying one of the wreaths at the fi refighter’s memorial to mark International Firefighters Day on 4 May, and again being an honoured guest at the unveiling of a plaque to fallen fi refighters in Belfast on 5 May. The DFB Pipe Band played at the events on 5 May and then led FBU Region 2 (Northern Ireland) and trade unionists from all over Ireland in the annual Belfast May Day parade. The Fire Brigades Union was founded in October 1918 and to mark the occasion a special event was organised in London on 13 October 2018. I was invited to attend, and delighted to travel to London on the Friday to link up with friends from Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue for an evening of conviviality and comradeship. Representatives from every fi re service in the UK were to attend, along with members of the FBU Executive Committee, in what would be the largest ever ceremonial event for those fi refighters who fell in the
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CENTENARY
The Northern Ireland FBU banner.
Banners are laid out in preparation for the ceremony
line of duty over the past 100 years. To mark their loss and to remember 100 years of the Fire Brigades Union, the event would consist of a wreath laying by every UK fire service at the UK National Firefighters Memorial at the historic St Paul’s Cathedral, followed by a march across the new footbridge linking St Paul’s to Southwark, and on to Southwark Cathedral itself. At Southwark Cathedral, an event made up of readings, poetry, storytelling and music would remember and celebrate union members past and present. On Saturday morning there was a blur of activity at the hotel as members of Brigades from all over the UK readied themselves for the ceremonies ahead. The contingent from Northern Ireland presented a very impressive sight in their dress uniforms. Many UK brigades have gone away from the issue of a dress uniform, and it is noticeable at occasions like this. It struck me how well our own DFB members always look on formal occasions at home.
Las Fallon at the Fire Brigades Union event outside St Paul’s Cathedral.
When we arrived at St Paul’s we got the first close up view of the very impressive National Memorial. Originally intended as a memorial to firefighters killed in the Blitz, it now carries the names of more than 2,500 firefighters who died protecting and serving their communities. The area was alive with activity as banners from each FBU region were prepared for the ceremony, and to my delight, a number of vintage fire engines were on display. The wreath laying ceremony was very dignified but emotional. After a walk to Southwark, which was applauded and cheered on by onlookers on a beautiful London day, we arrived to the cathedral. The FBU banners were laid out along each side of the aisle and the ceremony itself soon began. A mixture of readings and stories told by FBU members and families was accompanied by music from the London Gospel Choir. Some of the readings were deeply moving, as members told the personal stories of
firefighters during the London Blitz, the troubles in Northern Ireland, and more recent events such as the fire at Grenfell Tower. After the ceremony, we moved to a venue for food and drinks and to continue the social aspect of the events. Speeches by Matt Wrack and Jeremy Corbyn were warmly received, and events ended with music and song. A personal highlight of the trip for me was being presented with a signed copy of a poster I helped to design for the Firefighters 100 charity. Showing the development of the fire helmet over the past 100 years, the poster was presented to me by Matt Wrack and Ian Murray, chairman and president of the FBU respectively. The event was described by Matt Wrack of the FBU as a “once in a generation” occasion. For myself to be part of it, and to witness it up close, was indeed a once in a lifetime event. My deepest thanks to Matt Wrack, Jim Quinn, Steve Boyd and all at the FBU for their friendship, comradeship and hospitality.
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Mo Bros unite: (From left) F/F Terry Crosbie, Garda Superintendent Sé McCormack, S/O Kevin Sheehan, Barber Sam Donnelly (Sam’s Barbers), F/F Jonathon Forbes, F/F Ken Devine, F/F Ger Corcoran.
CHANGING THE FACE OF MEN’S HEALTH The Frontline Mo Bros are fighting to make a difference for male cancers, mental health issues and suicide prevention.
T
here were many things that caught the eye at the annual Open Day at Phibsboro Fire Station on 25 November. Apart from the displays and exhibits from all of the emergency services, one of those things was the amount of frontline men sporting impressive moustaches. The reason was of course Movember, the charity aiming to raise funds for and awareness of men’s health, particularly prostate and testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention, and the day itself was the
“big finale” of the fundraising year, as C Watch’s Jonathan Forbes told me. There are currently 71 members of what is known as the Frontline Mo Bros, a group consisting of firefighters, paramedics, Gardaí, Army and Civil Defence, with six of the Phibsboro crew, including Jonathan, Ger Corcoran, Daniel Simpson, Terry Crosbie, Kevin Sheehan and Ken Devine risking ridicule to grow out an eye-catching moustache over the course of the month. Jonathan has been involved with the Movember cause for many years, and
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with a couple of other crew members it was he who first got the DFB involved. “I’ve been working with Movember for nine or ten years at this stage,” he tells me. “When it came into Ireland it was sort of seen as the bad boy of charity groups, because it didn’t really go along with the norms of what a charity should be. Traditional charities all seemed very wholesome, but this was all about growing a moustache, going against the norm, and it raised conversations amongst groups of men. It was something that interested me. I read an article about it and it resonated with me, because like almost everyone, I have had family members who had cancer and I felt it was something I’d like to get involved with. There weren’t that many charities out there that spoke directly to men about men’s health,” he says. Over the course of a few years the Movember project got bigger across Europe and in Ireland, and eventually Jonathan thought the DFB could do something officially about it. He went to the Chief, who gave his blessing, so he created the Dublin Fire Brigade Movember team. For a few years, individual teams from the emergency services shared a close rivalry, always seeing who could raise the most cash, until on a night out with other groups, the idea was raised of uniting each into a single fundraising team called the Frontline Mo Bros. “We decided to use the expertise and experience in fundraising that we had individually gained as single groups to try to generate as much cash as possible,” Jonathan says. “That’s how it was born, and the first year we tried it, we made €21,000. The second year we raised €23,000 and over the last few years it has been gradually increasing.” Several people got on board from the very start, including firefighters Ger Corcoran, Keith Wilson and Ken Devine, as well as Sé McCormack and Peter Hayde from An Garda Síochána, and Sam Donnelly from Sam’s Barbers, who has supported the team from the very start. Together they have been involved every year without fail and
Superintendent Sé McCormack from An Garda Síochána.
Ger Corcoran.
Daniel Simpson.
have helped in the organising of each and every event the DFB has taken part in for Movember. November 2015 was when things really kicked off. Jonathan recalls: “I got a phonecall from one of the managers of Movember Ireland, basically telling me to expect a call from Australia, and then one of the founding members of Movember rang me and told me that the founding members had voted me International Man of Movember. There have only ever been ten people who got that award. “The next year, the Frontline Mo Bros group were voted International Team of Movember - an award that has never been given to any other group - in recognition of the amount of awareness we created, bringing together so many different entities and agencies. That in itself is an accomplishment. “So, we have within our group the two biggest awards you can get from the Movember organisation, and that
Civil Defence 2nd Officer Philip Dunne and volunteer Fionn Condran.
is a credit to all the lads involved, and what they do.” One reason why the Frontline Mo Bros group has seen such success is that the fight against cancer and mental health issues is prevalent, given the nature of the job. “Movember is not only about fighting cancer, but also about men’s mental health, and we are seeing that suicide rates across all areas is on the increase,” Jonathan tells me. “The likes of ourselves, the Gardaí, the Army, it’s prevalent – any of the services that have to deal with day to day tragedies. There is a big emphasis on the fact that everybody knows somebody who has died from or suffered from cancer or mental health issues at some stage. “In the fire service alone, the risk of cancer that has been there should be enough in itself for people to get involved,” Jonathan adds. “There are too many lads who have retired on FIRECALL WINTER
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MOVEMBER
medical grounds over the years because they have picked up a cancer, and too many lads who have retired but had that retirement cut short and passed away from cancer. It’s an occupational hazard, and you can never fully negate that danger. So, if we can help the fight against cancer in any way, or at least be able to make it easier for these cancers to be screened and identified early, that in itself is enough.” The same goes for raising awareness of mental health issues. “That whole bravado of being a big macho firefighter, of thinking that you have seen it all and nothing affects you, to think like that is to walk down a very dangerous path. No matter who you are, you are always going to get that one call that will resonate with you, will go over and over in your mind, cause flashbacks, and it is important to know that it is ok to talk. Movember is one of the charities that advocates that – that you have to talk it out, you have to have those conversations. If you are not feeling alright, talk to your friends, your peers, your family.” Growing a moustache is relatively easy, but the fundraising aspect means some members can’t take part every year. “We don’t want to oversaturate friends and family members with requests for donations, especially given the time of year coming up to Christmas,” Jonathan says, but when frontline staff do take part, they find it very worthwhile, not only because of the money and awareness they raise, but because of the special camaraderie that comes with the effort. “The community feel of it is a big thing,” Jonathan agrees. “Once you join up, you are a MoBro, part of a family-run event. When you see someone walking down the street with a moustache during the month of November, you know you are both part of the same family, the same group. “There’s a lot of brutal-looking moustaches out there during the month, but that is part and parcel of it. It’s about people making the effort, willing to have the piss ripped out of them, all for a good cause. It’s
Frontline Mo Bros Captain Jonathan Forbes.
a case of if you don’t get slagged for your moustache, there’s something wrong, if it looks too good on you. That’s why a lot of the lads go for a bigger moustache, handlebars, etc, to do something outside of the norm, in order to raise the conversation. “If someone comments on your moustache and asks you why you are doing it, you can explain what it is for, and people learn to realise why you are doing it, and that raises awareness and also brings in donations.” There are too many members of the Frontline Mo Bros spread across the country and different agencies that having everybody meet up is almost impossible, but every member does receive a prize pack at the end of the month, so everybody gets something for taking part, as a thank you. “What it’s all about at the end of the day, though,” Jonathan says, “is raising money for this great cause.” Apart from the Open Day, fundraising efforts this year included a car wash at Phibsboro station, and with online donations added, the group has managed to raise €34,000 for the charity by the end of the campaign. Over the years the DFB members of the Frontline Mo Bros have always tried to come up with something different when it comes to fundraising. “The target grows every year, and trying to keep up the momentum is one of the most difficult things,” Jonathan says.
“Some charities can run their course and people get bored of doing it or donating to it, but that is why we try to do something different every year.” Last year, for instance, they set up a turntable ladder on Henry Street and together climbed the equivalent of going up Everest. “Unfortunately for us, it was right in the middle of Storm Ophelia,” Jonathan recalls, “so not only did we climb the equivalent of Everest, we got the same weather conditions as well. That was a wet and stormy day, but it was a great day because donations came up to about €5,000.” This year’s car wash brought in €1,500 within a couple of hours, and the “big push” of the Open Day raised €5,000 over four hours. “At the Open Day there is something for everybody and everyone has a really good time,” Jonathan says. “It’s a big draw for children and their families. The fundraising showed that. We are on target to match previous years. To raise so much on that day alone, over just four hours, is colossal, and a credit to all involved, not just from Phibsboro but from across all agencies who joined in and helped out on this day and all others across the year.” Next up for the Frontline Mo Bros is a well-deserved shave, before planning begins for 2019’s campaign.
Find out more here https://ie.movember.com/team/2234417
WINTER 58 FIRECALL
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FIRE SAFETY
STAYING SAFE THIS WINTER National Fire Safety Week was officially launched on Monday, October 1 at the Dublin Fire Brigade’s O’Brien Institute. Running until October 8, the annual initiative jointly run with the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service was this year launched by Minister of State John Phelan, aiming to enhance fire safety, particularly in the home. This year’s theme was “STOP Fire – Working Smoke Alarms Save Lives.
T
he campaign targeted households who do not have smoke alarms fitted and encouraged everyone to ensure that all smoke alarms are in good working order. Accompanied at the launch by Dublin Fire Brigade Acting Chief Officer Dennis Keeley and Alan Walmsley, Assistant Chief Fire Officer with Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, Minister Phelan said: “Smoke alarm ownership is becoming the norm but we need to push the message further and ask the questions: Do you have at least two working smoke alarms in your accommodation? Do you test and maintain them regularly? Do you know that smoke alarms only work effectively for ten years?” On average, 36 people die in Ireland every year as a result of fires, with the vast majority of fatalities caused by house fires and the elderly and very young are most at risk. Minister Phelan also touched on this issue. “Most people who die in fires die from smoke inhalation, not from burns, and it can take as little as
three minutes to die from smoke inhalation.” Of course, National Fire Safety Week is only the beginning of a campaign to raise awareness of fire safety and in particular having working smoke alarms at home, and an advertising campaign will run until spring of 2019. Tips on smoke alarm use and fire prevention in the home encouraged through National Fire Safety Week include: • Remember that smoke alarms are an essential safety feature. Your sense of smell does not work when you are asleep, and smoke can put you in a deeper sleep, so you need an early warning system in place. • Smoke alarms using strobe lights or vibrating pads should be fitted in homes where a person with impaired hearing lives. • Test your smoke alarm regularly by pressing the test button with the handle tip of a brush. • Always replace batteries if they are not working, and once a year in standard alarms, or as soon as you hear a warning beep.
• Replace your smoke alarm at least every ten years. • Get at least one smoke alarm for every floor in your home, and fit them between the sleeping areas and the kitchen and living rooms, in the hallway on the ground floor, and on the landing on every floor level. • Position smoke alarms at ceiling level in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. • Vacuum your smoke alarms regularly and wipe dust from the cover.
For more information on smoke alarms and fire safety at home, see www.firesfateyweek.ie
STAY SAFE THIS WINTER This time of year always means there are more fire hazards in the home than usual. With fires being lit, a surge in electricity usage and other potential risks such as candles and Christmas decorations, the chance of a fire is greatly increased, but there are steps you can take to ensure the safety of your loved ones
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during the festive season and into the colder months. Entertaining during the holiday season means that cooking is frequent, but it can also lead to distractions. Make sure you set a timer to remind yourself that something is on the cooker or in the oven. Keep oven mitts and kitchen cloths away from cookers. In the event of a fire, use a fire blanket to smother flames rather than water. Although the tradition of hanging real candles on Christmas trees has thankfully passed, there is still an added risk of fire. Make sure that you keep your tree at least three feet away from any heat source. On decorative lights, make sure bulbs, strings, and connections are not broken or damaged in any way. And always turn the tree lights off when you go to bed or leave the house. Never leave candles unattended, make sure they fit properly into candleholders and keep them away from anything flammable. Always extinguish them when you leave a room, go to bed, or leave the house. Also consider using LED tea lights instead Avoid overloading outlets, extension cords and lights, and only use one socket extension lead per socket. Never plug an extension lead into
another extension lead. Check the rating of your extension leads before use, most will be 13A which means it cannot handle more than 13 amps or 3000 watts of power. Remember to plug out lamps and electrical appliances before bed, and turn off electric blankets before you go to sleep, unless it has thermostatic controls for safe all-night use. Also, never leave your mobile phone, laptop or other electrical equipment charging overnight or when you leave the house. Keep lighters and matches out of the reach of children, and teach them about fire safety. Also, with cigarettes the cause of up to a quarter of house fires in Ireland, make sure that all butts are fully extinguished (consider keeping a film of water in each ashtray), or go outside to smoke. Never smoke in bed. Chimney fires are also very common at this time of year as people light fires for the first time in months. The DFB attended on average 10 chimney fires per week in November. Make sure your fireplace and chimney are clear and clean, and if they are not, get somebody to clean them. Finally, always have a smoke alarm on each floor of your home, and check them regularly.
GAS LEAKS
FIRE SAFETY
This time of year also brings an increased use of gas as we cook for friends and family and turn up the heating. It is therefore extremely important to know what to do if you detect a gas leak or smell gas in your home. • Ensure gas appliances are turned off and have not been left on and/or unlit • Open windows and doors • If the smell persists, turn off the gas at the meter • Call Gas Networks Ireland (no matter who your gas supplier is). If you can’t get through, dial 999. Don’t use a phone in the immediate vicinity of the suspected leak. Instead, call from outside the home or call from a neighbour’s house. • Don’t smoke or use a naked flame • Don’t unplug or switch anything electrical on or off If you are planning to be away from home for extended periods over the festive season as you visit family and friends or take a trip away, make sure you turn off all gas appliances. If the weather is exceptionally cold, you should leave your central heating on a very low level to help prevent the water pipes from freezing.
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Welcome to those in need Bro. Kevin would like to thank those who have donated to the Capuchin Day Centre, enabling us to provide 850 meals a day and 1,700 food parcels a week for the people who attend the centre. We have a doctor’s clinic, dental clinic and chiropodist on-site and showers are provided every day.
Please send a donation, no matter how small to:
Bro. Kevin Crowley ofm cap. Capuchin Day Centre, 29, Bow Street, Dublin 7. Telephone: 01-8720770
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TRAVEL OSLO
Walking in a Holmenkollen Ski Jump above Oslo.
Oslo is not always the first destination to come to mind when thinking of a winter city break, but it should be, writes Adam Hyland.
S
tanding in the middle of a path almost a kilometre long, flanked by more than 200 eye-catching sculptures of the human form in all its guises, and looking up at a huge 55-foot monolith of granitecarved bodies climbing over each other in an attempt to touch the sky,
you begin to understand just why Oslo is one of the most awe-inspiring, beautiful and rewarding places to visit in winter. I have been to Oslo, and its iconic Vigeland Sculpture Park many times, but it never ceases to amaze me, and take my breath away as easily as the brisk, snapping cold that winter brings
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TRAVEL OSLO
Spikersuppa Christmas Market.
The sun setting from Frognerseteren.
the Akershus fortress, and onto the snow-covered mountains that form the backdrop to this magical scene. There’s plenty of indoor attractions to visit too. Oslo has an array of great galleries and museums that are well worth checking out, most notably the National Museum and Munch Museum, which both contain large collections of works by Edvard Munch, the man most famous for his iconic The Scream. If you fancy a bit of a busman’s holiday, you can also visit the Fire Museum and the Police Museum, both of which are located in the centre of the city. For me, though, the best museums are a quick ferry ride away. No matter how cold it gets (winter temperatures in Oslo range from 0 to -5 but humidity is extremely low so it rarely feels that cold), the water in the
The monolith at Vigeland Park.
0
€25
Both SAS and Norwegian offer direct flights to Oslo. Fares are usually around €250 return, depending on how far in advance you book.
THE BASICS
to the city. That cold, however, is a small price to pay to enjoy the treats for the senses the capital of Norway always brings. It is a winter wonderland that we in Ireland, as relatively close neighbours, often, strangely, overlook, but it shouldn’t be. It’s a mere two hours away from Dublin by plane, and it is the perfect place for a short winter getaway, a place that oozes festive spirit, offers dazzling views and great activities everywhere you go, and includes many surprising features that will leave you wondering how you have never heard of them before. The city itself is around the same size as Dublin, so it’s easy to get around on foot, or by the many types of reliable public transport, even when it snows, and it really is worth braving the freezing winter temperatures to get out and about. The sights, sounds and smells of this beautiful city are guaranteed to warm your heart. Oslo is a great city in the summer, but during winter, it becomes so beautiful it is otherworldly. You can keep out the cold by staying well-fed, and a short walk from the centre is the bustling Mathallen food hall, where you can take a leisurely stroll around the more than 30 eateries and sample both traditional Norwegian fare and dishes from across the world. You really should try a reindeer burger, or the mouthwatering waffles with brunost, a traditional brown cheese with a delicious caramel flavour. The most beautiful part of the city centre in winter, however, is beside the harbour, where the imposing art deco town hall leads onto a square full of eye-catching statues that stand bravely under blankets of snow. Close by is the beautiful Aker Brygge, a wooden walkway that stretches out into Oslo fjord. It’s full of eateries and bars, and the atmosphere is always one of fun and wonder, especially in the sparkling winter light. Try to time your stroll here as the winter sun begins to set, casting an orange glow over the sea,
The Norwegian currency is the Krone: €1 = 10NK
€1 10 KR
Although Norwegian is spoken in everyday life, almost all Norwegians speak excellent English.
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Heart Children Ireland is a nationwide organisation offering support to all those born with Congenital Heart Defects. We support parents and children, adolescents and adults. Congenital Heart Defects (CHD) are the most common of all birth defects affecting one in every one hundred children born. Heart Children Ireland offers support to families in many ways. 1. We hold information days for families around the country focusing on cardiac topics of interest. 2. We provide a Family Psychology Support Service free to all members. 3. We hold an annual conference with keynote speakers from the world of congenital cardiology. 4. We have purchased equipment for both the Children's Heart Centre at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital and the Adult Congenital Unit at The Mater Hospital. For example, we purchased the first ECMO machine for the Intensive Care Unit at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital. This machine is saving lives on a daily basis.
HOW YOU CAN HELP HEART CHILDREN IRELAND? ° Make us your Charity of the Year ° Sponsor one of our many projects ° Volunteer for our Annual Fundraising Event ° Organise fun events Telephone: 01 874 0990 Lo-call: 1850 217 017 Website: www.heartchildren.ie Email: heartchildren@eircom.net
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TRAVEL OSLO
Aker Brygge.
Eat
• Contrary to popular belief, Oslo is no more expensive than Dublin. Though meals at touristy restaurants will make your eyes water, ethnic restaurants offer great value. Alcohol is expensive, with a beer or glass of wine averaging €8, but as Norway is not in the EU, you can bring duty free. • Der Pepper Gror is a delicious Indian restaurant serving authentic cuisine. Try the Chicken 65.
The Polarship Fram.
• Den Glade Gris (The Happy Pig) is a tasty restaurant specialising in pork dishes that will leave you in Hog Heaven. • Rice Bowl is a cosy Thai café that could be the best value eatery in Oslo.
Sognsvann’s frozen lake.
as polar exploration artefacts, but admission also includes a ticket to the observation deck on top of the jump tower. You can get part of the way up in a lift, but the last gruelling 114 steps must be tackled on foot. However, its panoramic views of the city are unparalleled, and make the effort well worth it. It is from up here that you can really get a sense of just how beautiful this city is at this time of year, and if you are like me, you will start to make plans to see how a visit in summer compares.
TRAVEL TIPS
Oslo fjord won’t freeze over, so you can take a five-minute ferry ride across to Bygdoy. There, you can visit the impressive Viking Ship Museum that contains the world’s best-preserved Viking ships, and the fascinating Fram Museum, which houses the Polar Ship Fram used by Nansen on his North Pole expedition and Amundsen on his voyage to the South Pole. As well as fascinating information and interactive displays, you can roam around the ship and wonder how the sturdy crews managed to live for so long in such cramped conditions. If a visit to the Polar Ship Fram leaves you looking for fresh air, you can find it by taking a short and very convenient trip into the surrounding hills. Indeed, perhaps one of the best things about Oslo is the ease with which you can leave the hustle and bustle behind and escape into nature to savour the winter landscape. The city’s T-Bane (much like our DART), goes from the heart of the city right up into those snow-covered hills, and it is not uncommon for locals to board the train in the city with their crosscountry skis in hand, then put them on as soon as they reach stops such as Sognsvann or Frognerseteren. Sognsvann itself is a beautiful lake that freezes over in winter, where locals skate and even cook BBQs on the thickened ice surface, but just walking around the lake will provide enough for the senses, while Frognerseteren rewards your endeavours by offering outstanding views over the city and fjord. As with Aker Brygge, try to time your visit so that you can witness the orange twilight glow cast a sheen over the snow-covered hills, treeline and city, before you re-board the T-Bane to bring you back to the city centre. You should also make sure to stop off at Holmenkollen ski jump on your way. You can stroll around the jump tower itself for free, but it is worth paying into the world’s oldest ski museum located underneath it. Not only does it present more than 4,000 years of skiing history, as well
Stay The Clarion Hotel Folketeateret is ideally located in the city centre. It offers free tea, coffee and evening buffet meals, and the breakfast will keep you going all day. Try to avoid staring at the bizarre statue of Kate Moss in a compromising yoga pose outside the entrance
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TECHNOLOGY
TECHNOLOGICAL TOOLS THE LATEST INNOVATIONS FOR THE WORLD’S EMERGENCY SERVICES.
EMERGENCY CORRIDOR Car manufacturer Ford is testing a new system in Germany that will alert drivers to approaching emergency vehicles and encourage them to move aside to create an “emergency corridor”. In partnership with Vodafone, Ford has designed the system to tell drivers which side of the road to move towards in order to give fire trucks, ambulances and police vehicles a faster route through traffic.
The “emergency corridors” are created on two-lane roads as drivers pull over to either side in a uniform fashion enabled by the connected system that communicates with other vehicles on the road. On roads with more than two lanes, the process will depend on whether cars are driven on the left or right side of the road. “Ford has a long history of developing and testing vehicle to traffic infrastructure and vehicle to vehicle communications that can contribute to greater road safety and efficiency across the world,” said CEO of Ford Germany, Gunnar Herrmann. “Together with Vodafone and in cooperation with other companies involved, we will gain decisive insights
on the Düsseldorf testing grounds to further advance the networking of vehicles.” CEO of Vodafone Germany, Hannes Ametsreiter, said: “The digital revolution is bringing new forms of mobility which may help save lives on our roads. When cars communicate with each other, our rescue teams get a clear path forwards, so they can provide the right help at the right time, in situations where every second counts.”
FIRECALL WINTER
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TECHNOLOGY
SURVIVOR LOCATION
SMOKEBOT
Firefighters in Reno, Nevada, and Erie, Pennsylvania, recently tested new sensors designed to assist in the faster location of people in emergency situations. Using new technology created by tech company SimpleSense in a simulated emergency response exercise, the Reno Fire Department located two survivors in a four-storey building within four minutes during a primary search. The primary search would normally take the department 16 minutes. In a similar exercise in Erie, firefighters took eight minutes to locate two individuals in a threestorey building using traditional search methods, while the exercise took just two minutes using the SimpleSense sensors. The technology uses infrared sensor fusion and artificial
Scientists in Sweden have developed a robot to navigate through smokefilled rooms more effectively than human firefighters. Utilising gas sensors, radar, a laser scanner and thermal camera, the SmokeBot created by Orebro University scientists can aid firefighters in dangerous situations in which visibility is poor by identifying and plotting the safest routes. “We target robots operating in low-visibility environments, a scenario where robots could be very helpful, but in which it was not possible to use them prior to SmokeBot,” said computer science professor and project coordinator Achim Lilienthal. “To enable using robots in low-visibility scenarios, with a lot of smoke or dust, for example, we developed novel sensors and perception and cognitive approaches tailored to these sensors.” Featuring an active heat shield, the robot also has the ability to autonomously locate Wi-Fi connected areas in the event of a connection with the control team being lost.
intelligence algorithms to identify spots of interest within a location, before relaying through cloud technology the fastest way to get to that area, reducing response times and providing improved awareness of surrounding hazards. SimpleSense plans to run additional tests in schools, universities, offices and other high hazard buildings across the US to determine how best to implement their sensors.
CONSTRUCTION SITE SAFETY A new device solving the problem of multiple fire doors being propped open during construction work has been developed by UK fire safety equipment manufacturer Bull Products. The Shuttle Intelligent Fire Door Retainer enables construction companies to avoid the illegal and unsafe practice of holding fire doors open with door stops or other objects that will not automatically close the door if a fire breaks out. Incorporating dual listening technology that learns and reacts only to the installed fire alarm’s specific acoustic signature while ignoring all other alarms and sounds,
the device can be set to operate at specific times and dates. It also features an easy night release function and fault reader. This latest innovation comes shortly after Bull Products’ recently introduced Cygnus Wireless alarm range that alerts workers to danger and prevents access into exclusion zones.
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COMMERCIAL FEATURE
ENSURING A SAFER WORKING ENVIRONMENT WITH PHOENIX SAFETY TRAINING SERVICES Giving your staff the tools to implement the necessary safety measures.
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hoenix Safety Training Services was first established as a trading name in 2000 and became a limited company Phoenix STS in 2010. We are a leader in Fire Safety, Occupational Safety & Health Training, Consultancy and offer a wide range of safety and Evacuation Solutions. By offering a professional systematic approach through the integration of theoretical and practical tailored programmes, incorporating your training policies and organisational goals we guarantee not only compliance but ensure a safer working environment, giving your staff the tools to implement safety measures necessary and competently. Based on teamwork and dedication we are committed to providing learners and the business community the highest quality service delivered with integrity and professionalism. As it is a mandatory requirement for all staff to
receive fire and safety training and for your company to manage safety on an on-going basis, we know the vital importance of your company receiving the highest standard of training and consultancy. It is our aim that every member of your staff understands fully their role and responsibilities in relation to fire and health & safety procedures, without impeding on their job role within your organisation, enabling your company to gain the best value when engaging professional services.
SOME OF THE COURSES WE PROVIDE INCLUDE: • Emergency Management System We know how important it is to have a streamlined system in place in order to ensure the comfort, happiness and safety of both your residents and staff. With this in mind, we have designed a complete package which deals with all aspects of emergency management
including pre-fire planning, staff training, documentation and equipment. Having a comprehensive plan in place to ensure that in the event of an emergency the nursing home staff have the tools in place to competently respond and deal as quickly and effectively as possible. • Evacuation Chair Training All buildings above ground floor level where the upper floors are accessible without the use of a staircase require evacuation devices placed on each escape stairwell above ground floor level. Safe evacuation depends on the skills and abilities of the staff involved in making evacuation happen. Onsite staff play a critical role in making sure that everyone can get out of the building safely in the event of an emergency such as a fire. It is important that staff are trained and prepared to carry out their functions and that an evacuation policy is agreed, written down, and signed off by senior management. This course trains learners in the safe use of an evacuation chair and forms an essential element of the evacuation policy and strategy.
For more information contact our office on Tel: +353 (0)43 334 9611 Email:info@phoenixsts.ie Web: www.phoenixsts.ie Phoenix STS Ltd Suite 20, Redleaf House Townspark, Longford, N39 YW68 FIRECALL WINTER
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOKSHELF THE OLD BRIGADE: The Rebel City’s Firefighting Story 1900-1950 by Pat Boland
P
at Boland, retired Cork City Station Officer and renowned fire service historian, has done us all a great service with his new book, which tells not only the story of Cork’s fire service in some of the most exciting decades of the 20th century, but also much more of the history of the whole Irish fire service, and indeed the social and military history of the period. This book is an eagerly awaited follow up to his previous volume, For Whom the Bells Tolled: A History of Cork Fire Services 16221900, and is written in the same informative and easy to read style. It is lavishly illustrated not only with historic black and white images, but also colour photos of Cork Fire Brigade badges and insignia for the ‘train spotters’ and collectors among us. Pat follows the brigade’s progress through interesting times, such as when the city became a focus of
the Anglo-Irish War, including the attempted destruction of the city by fire in 1920 by members of the Royal Irish Constabulary Auxiliary Division. That event brought Dublin firefighters to Cork to assist their overstretched colleagues, and Pat expertly tells how Captain Myers took the Thomas Street Leyland and a crew of volunteers, one of whom was Joe Connolly, later Chief Officer of the DFB. Pat has taken a wealth of detail and fact and woven a very readable history from them. Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in fire service history, or the history of Ireland during the years of the revolution and Emergency. Pat served the Cork Fire Brigade for many years, following in the footsteps of his father. His work is a testament to his deep knowledge of his subject and his evident affection and respect for
those who went before him. He has done them proud.
The Old Brigade is available online on eBay, €20, and from Waterstones in Cork
CODE BREAKER: The True Story of Richard Hayes,
the Dublin Librarian Who Helped Turn the Tide of WW2 by Marc McMenamin The work of codebreakers at Bletchley Park is widely celebrated. Less well known, however, is the story of Irishman Richard Hayes, who was the director of the National Library when he was approached by the intelligence services and asked to help break German codes.
He solved codes even those at Bletchley could not, resulting in the capture of prominent Nazi agents. Code Breaker not only reveals how Hayes cracked the ciphers, but tells a captivating story of a true unsung hero.
Code Breaker is published by Gill Books, priced €14.99 FIRECALL WINTER
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BOOK REVIEW
ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE by Eric Idle (Penguin / Random House) Monty Python fans will have been licking their lips at the thought of this hugely entertaining memoir. In a lighthearted look over his career, Idle covers the details fans will look for, from his meeting the other Python members to their scriptwriting methods, to the real stories behind the making of specific scenes, but there is so much more. Idle offers insights into what it was like to go from lowly writer to famous actor, and dissects what makes a joke memorable, but he is not afraid to include his thoughts on more challenging times. Though he offers reflections on Graham Chapman’s death, laments the conditions the team had to work under, and vents at the lawsuit that prompted a reunion tour, Idle always retains an
NORTHERN HEIST ability to see the funny, or bright side, of life, as this title, and the song he will forever be remembered for, demonstrates.
Always Look On the Bright Side of Life is published by Penguin/Random House, priced €18.99 at Easons
WITNESS TO WAR CRIMES:
The Memoirs of an Irish Peacekeeper in Bosnia by Colm Doyle As peacekeepers, Irish soldiers often find themselves in the middle of the wars of others. For Colonel Colm Doyle, his most challenging roles came when he was seconded from the Irish Army to act as a European Community Monitor in the former Yugoslavia in the early 1990s. Soon appointed Personal Representative to the Chairman of the Peace Conference, he became a target for warring factions on all sides, but proved his skills at mediation. Such unprecedented access makes Colonel Doyle’s account a significant insight into the Bosnian War. He depicts the arrangement of ceasefires, as well as meetings with Slobodan Milosevic and Radovan
Karadzic. These experiences made him a key witness in the Hague trials of Ratko Mladic, Milosevic and Karadzic, and make for a highly recommended read.
Witness to War Crimes: The Memoirs of an Irish Peacekeeper in Bosnia is published by Merrion Press, priced €24.95
by Richard O’Rawe
The Northern Bank Robbery in Belfast in 2004 became the largest heist in Irish history, with £26 million taken. The Provisional IRA were suspected but deny any involvement, and to this day nobody has been charged with the crime. In Northern Heist, Richard O’Rawe gives us a fictionalised portrayal of this robbery, bringing us on a journey through Belfast’s criminal underbelly, involving tiger raids, money laundering and double-crosses. Sticking close to real events, there are parallels between fact and fiction here, giving this an edge of authenticity. O’Rawe has previous, having spent eight years in jail for armed robbery and becoming a public relations officer for Republican prisoners in Long Kesh/Maze Prison. Ostracised by the Republican leadership after he wrote a book claiming six hunger strikers who died could have been saved, that sense of the criminal on the wrong side of the sectarian set-up comes through in this pageturner that bounds along with the daring of the bank raid itself.
Northern Heist is published by Merrion Press, priced €14.95
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
INTERNATIONAL NEWS Emergency Services News From Around the Globe.
GLOBAL:
REFUGEE CAMP FIRE SAFETY GUIDELINES Engineering consultancy firm Arup has published new guidelines for mitigating fire safety risks at refugee camps and other informal settlements. The Framework for Fire Safety in Informal Settlements is based on three years of research and aims to help NGOs, aid organisations and governments form a comprehensive approach to fire safety by offering recommendations on how communities can protect themselves. More than a billion people are currently living in refugee camps or other informal settlements that are especially vulnerable to fire and other health and safety risks due to dense populations, poor quality shelter, and limited infrastructure and access for emergency services. Arup’s fire engineering and international
development team interviewed community leaders, fire and rescue services and NGOS to create practical guidance across four stages of the fire disaster cycle. These are mitigation (measures to prevent or reduce the likelihood, severity and consequences of fire), preparedness (strategies, procedures, resources and training), response (actions taken to save lives and protect critical infrastructure), and recovery (aftermath responses). “Our research highlighted a major gap in fire safety knowledge, experience, assessment tools and construction guidance for these communities and the organisations which support them,” said Danielle Antonellis, fire safety engineer at Arup. This framework is an initial step to closing that gap and building resilience.”
ENGLAND:
NEW KIT FOR LONDON CREWS As of October 31, all 4,800 of London’s firefighters have a new look as modernised personal protective equipment (PPE) has been rolled out across the Brigade in what is the biggest kit update for eight years. The most notable update is the new gold-coloured fire tunics and leggings, which show up dirt and damage more easily than the previous navy kit, but the new PPE, which is both lighter and more durable, also features new additions which reflect the changing role of the modern firefighter. These include new lightweight gloves that allow more dexterity for use on non-fire related incidents such as road traffic collisions, and helmet torches, which feature in addition to chest torches to increase visibility. “We needed a kit that could support and protect crews in a range of incidents, whether fighting fires, freeing people trapped in crashed cars, or complex rescues from collapsed buildings,” said Tom George, Deputy Commissioner at London Fire Brigade. “As you would expect, the PPE underwent rigorous testing by firefighters in real fire conditions and other rescue scenarios. This new kit is the gold standard.”
SWEDEN:
KITCHEN COUNTER EXTINGUISHER The first fire extinguisher designed to fit on a kitchen counter has won a prestigious prize and development grant in Stockholm. Andreas Westberg designed the Firemill, a new kind of fire extinguisher so small it can fit on a kitchen workspace, and collected the prize of SEK250,000 (€24,000) from the Stockholm Acceleration Scholarship fund. The extinguisher is compact enough to stand conveniently in the kitchen where many fires start, but can also be tested and practised with before a fire breaks out. FIRECALL WINTER
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
HONG KONG:
USA:
MOTHER’S VOICE BETTER THAN CONVENTIONAL SMOKE ALARM
✶
FIRE DEPARTMENT MASCOT SUPPORT
✶
A study published in the Journal of Paediatrics has found that a sleeping child is three times more likely to be woken by a smoke alarm playing a human voice than one with a regular high-pitched tone. Researchers from the Centre for Injury Research and Policy and the Sleep Disorders Centre at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Ohio, tested three alarms that used the mother’s voice, and traditional smoke alarms, on 176 children aged between five and 12. The alarms that replayed the mother’s voice woke 86-91% of children and prompted 84-86% to “escape”, compared with 53% awakened and 51% “escaped” for the conventional tone alarm. The average time taken for a child to wake and escape upon hearing the high-pitched alarm was 282 seconds, while the average times for a child to wake and escape upon hearing an alarm using their mother’s recorded voice ranged from 18 to 28 seconds.
The Hong Kong Fire Service has seen a huge surge of interest in a popular mascot employed to educate the public on what to do in emergency situations. Anyone, originally an animated character used in promotional materials, debuted as a human on Monday, November 5, as firefighters donned skin-tight blue lycra body suits at a press conference to demonstrate life-saving techniques and fire prevention. On the same day, the department also launched its official Facebook page featuring the life-like version of the character, and by the next night had more than 14,000 followers. The idea behind the name is that any member of the public can help in times of danger. Wade Wong Wang-leong, senior divisional officer from the Fire Services Department’s new Community Emergency Preparedness Division, said Anyone was played by staff from his division and that they had deliberately picked someone with a big belly for the role initially.
WALES:
SCOTLAND:
Fire services in Wales have launched an interactive virtual town in which children can learn about fire safety. A collaboration between the North, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Services and digital studio company Matmi has produced a collection of innovative new educational resources to help young people learn about fire, road and water safety. In the virtual town, Sparkton, children can identify dangerous hazards, watch videos and play educational games about fire safety, as well as dress a firefighter to learn about their kit. Originally developed by Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, the interactive games are now available in the Welsh language to teach children across the country about fire safety.
The destruction by fire of the iconic Glasgow School of Art’s Mackintosh building indicates that fire safety planning on the site was “seriously flawed”, an architect has claimed. Alan Dunlop, professor of architecture at Liverpool University, said accounts offered by the project team appointed by Glasgow School of Art had stressed that a rigorous approach to fire safety had been adopted, despite the fact the building was destroyed in the blaze. The Mackintosh building burnt down in June. As well as the art school, at the time the area was occupied by a construction firm involved in a major restoration project due to be completed in February 2019, following a previous fire in 2014. The construction work meant firefighters were unable to enter the building over fears the structure was unsafe, with Professor Dunlop drawing attention to the presence of open duct work at the site.
VIRTUAL TOWN TEACHES CHILDREN ABOUT FIRE SAFETY
To play the Sparkton game, visit www.nwales-fireservice.org.uk
FIRE SAFETY FLAWS AT MACKINTOSH BUILDING
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