WINTER/SPRING 2017/18
FIRECALL OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF DUBLIN FIRE, AMBULANCE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES
DIGITAL DUTIES
DFB'S SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY Radical Realities
IRELAND'S EXTREMIST THREAT On Duty
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DUBLIN FIRE RESCUE EMERGENCY AMBULANCE SERVICE
PROTECTING THE CITY AND COUNTY SINCE 1862
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CONTENTS
04
21
DFB’S SOCIAL STRATEGY
EDITOR’S 06 LETTER FOREWORD
The brigade’s social media platforms have gone from strength to strength.
Former Acting District Officer Aidan Carroll looks back on a long and interesting career in DFB, during which he served in every station.
DFB’S NEW IMAGE
08 CLUB UPDATE
Dublin Fire Brigade has awarded a tender for new station wear.
DFB IN BRIEF 14
RETIRED MEMBERS
MAHOGANY STANDPIPE
36 MARATHON EFFORTS
Mark Toner offers his advice on improving your Irish in Bliain na Gaeilge.
26
STATION PROFILE
Ray McMonagle talks about DFB's second year in the Dublin Marathon.
We catch up with the crew of D watch Tallaght.
18 CHRISTMAS AT DFB A look back at the kids’ Christmas party in December.
CONTENTS FIRECALL WINTER / SPRING
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CONTENTS
51
A FOND FAREWELL
Three firefighters are retiring from Dún Laoghaire this spring.
67 MOTORING In this issue, Conor Forrest test drives the Volkswagen Arteon, a stylish new fastback that occupies the slot formerly held by the CC, and Volvo's new XC60, a fantastic if somewhat expensive SUV.
GOES 38 DFB SOLAR
The latest ambulances feature some environmentallyfriendly technology.
42 ST. PATRICK’S PARADE
56
RADICAL REALITIES
Could Ireland be at risk of a terror attack? We speak to security analyst Declan Power to discover more about the threat posed by Islamic radicals and how our emergency services are equipped to respond.
75
DFB took to the streets on March 17th last.
61
TECHNOLOGY The latest innovations for emergency services around the globe.
47
ON CALL IN KILDARE Kildare County Fire & Rescue is one of the country’s busiest fire services.
BOOKSHELF We’ve got a couple interesting additions to your bookshelf this spring, including Dublin GAA player Philly McMahon’s must-read book The Choice, a tale of two brothers and the vastly different paths they took.
INTERNATIONAL
NEWS
A round-up of the latest international emergency services news.
79
CONTENTS WINTER / SPRING 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.
16/04/2018 15/01/2018 10:28 06/10/2016 11:03 17:24
EDITOR’S LETTER
letter from the
Editor: Conor Forrest Consulting Editor: Dan Fynes Contributors: Mark Toner
EDITOR
Editorial and Production Manager: Mary Connaughton
:
Creative Director Jane Matthews
Assistant Designer: James Moore Cover credit: Jenny McCarthy (photos by jen) Photography: Dublin Fire Brigade, Trevor Hunt, Ray McMonagle, Conor Forrest, iStock, Tayto, Conradh na Gaeilge, Simon Finglas, John Keogh, Volvo, Volkswagen Sales Director: Paul Clemenson Production Executive: Claire Kiernan Publisher: Chesterfox Ltd, T/A Firecall Magazine, P.O. Box 6766, Dublin 2. Tel: (01) 432 2200; Fax: (01) 672 7100 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 ©2017/18 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 Winter/Spring issue of Firecall, which takes a look back at a busy few months for Dublin Fire Brigade. We’ve got plenty for you to sink your teeth into, including photos from the Sports and Social Club’s Christmas party in December and the latest technology developed for emergency services across the globe. The threat from radical Islamic terrorism appears to be growing in recent months and years, with numerous attacks taking place across Europe. But is Ireland at risk? I spoke with former Defence Forces member and security analyst Declan Power to find out more about the topic and what our emergency services can do to be prepared. In this issue’s station profile, I paid a visit to D watch No 7 to learn more about life in a busy station that responds to incidents in three counties. With Station Officer Adrian O’Grady requisitioned elsewhere, floating S/O Brian Mulvaney and Sub Officer Conor Molloy took me for a tour of the station and filled me in on the challenges and highlights of Bravo District. Elsewhere, a team from Dublin Fire Brigade once again took part in the Dublin Marathon held last October, with three firefighting athletes finishing under the three-hour mark. Organiser Ray McMonagle brings us up to speed on what’s involved in the event and how support from the public can really make a difference on the day.
EDITOR’S PICKS
p STATION PROFILE
We catch up with the crew of D watch No 7 to learn more about daily life in Bravo District.
Enjoy the read,
Conor Forrest
56 RADICAL REALITIES
Could Ireland be at risk of an attack by Islamic extremists? We are updating our mailing list. If your contact details are out of date, please email: conor.forrest@ ashvillemediagroup.com.
WINTER / SPRING 04 FIRECALL
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Firecall and the Dublin Fire Brigade Sports and Social Club are extending their reach this year with the launch of www.firecall.ie, a new and comprehensive website featuring news, photos and features from around Dublin Fire Brigade. Building on the material covered in the quarterly Firecall magazine, firecall.ie will cover the activities of Dublin Fire Brigade personnel at all levels, including sporting achievements, training programmes, and charitable endeavours. firecall.ie will also keep Sports and Social Club members upto-date with the work of their club, highlighting the various activities organised throughout the year. Additionally, our detailed features focusing on individual stations, retired members, recruit training and much more will provide a unique insight into life in Dublin Fire Brigade and beyond. Offering enhanced digital access for readers of Ireland’s only official firefighting magazine, firecall.ie represents an excellent opportunity to showcase your products and services to a global audience within a highly influential and well-regarded sector.
Firecall and the Dublin Fire Brigade Sports and Social Club are extending their reach this year...
www.firecall.ie
To advertise on www.firecall.ie contact Diarmaid Lennon on 01-432 2200 or via email: diarmaid.lennon@ashvillemediagroup.com
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FOREWORD
Honorary Secretary’s
FOREWORD elcome readers to our Winter/Spring issue of Firecall, with the latest news and features from around Dublin Fire Brigade. There’s a busy year ahead for your Sports and Social Club, with a variety of events and activities planned for the coming months. Inside you’ll find a guide to what’s in store, alongside details of our committee members in case you have any questions. Dublin Fire Brigade’s fleet is constantly updated, ensuring our personnel have access to the latest technology. The most recent batch of ambulances includes some environmentally-friendly measures in the form of solar panels and regenerative braking capabilities – Station Officer Peter Sherlock explains what’s involved, the features coming down the line, and the Workshop’s role in overseeing the brigade’s vehicles. In addition, Mark Toner shares his latest thoughts on learning the Irish language in 2018 and offers some tips on how you can improve your cúpla focal in everyday life. DFB’s social media platforms have become increasingly popular since their launch in 2014, sharing important advice and updates with the public on a variety of topics. To discover more about the intricacies of public communication in the digital era, how these channels have evolved over the years, and where their future lies, we sat down with FF/P Ray McMonagle and Trevor Hunt who are regularly assigned to HQ on a part-time basis to work on communications. And, in our regular retired member profile, we caught up with Aidan Carroll, formerly of Dún Laoghaire fire station, to learn about a busy and varied career in the brigade. Aidan retired from the O’Brien Training Institute as an acting District Officer and recalls a variety of incidents, characters and memories from his 31 years on the job. I would also like to congratulate Jimmy and Dave on their retirement and thank them for their contribution to the Sports and Social Club - their input and experience will be sorely missed. I wish Dave, Jimmy and Frank a long and healthy retirement. We’ve also got the latest in international emergency services news, photos from the St. Patrick’s Day parade, as well as several additions to your bookcase and car collection this year. Enjoy the read,
Dan Fynes
DAN FYNES
We are looking to issue new ID cards to all DFBSSC members. If you wish to receive a new ID card please send a current photo (passport type headshot) on neutral/white background, along with your name, pay no. and watch to IDcards@dfbssc.ie.
WINTER /SPRING 2017 / 2018
FIRECALL OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF DUBLIN FIRE, AMBULANCE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES
DIGITAL DUTIES
DFB'S SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY Radical Realities
IRELAND'S EXTREMIST THREAT On Duty
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WINTER / SPRING 06 FIRECALL
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CMRF Upcoming Events Flyer 2018_Layout 1 01/02/2018 10:12 Page 1
Challenge Yourself for Crumlin in 2018 “Help us Make a Difference” Take part in our upcoming events
Saturday, 28th April 2018 Croghan4Crumlin
Saturday, 26th May 2018 Jump4Crumlin
Sunday, 3rd June 2018 VHI Women’s Mini Marathon
Saturday, 15th - Thursday 20th Sept. 2018 Paris2Nice Cycle
2018 Marathons Dublin City, Cork City, Connemare 100, Berlin, Amsterdam
Sunday, 4th November 2018 New York City Marathon
Every sick child deserves every chance www.cmrf.org FC advert template.indd 1 244547_1C_CMRF_JM_FIrecall.indd 1
Or let us know where you’re running to and we can send you a fundraising pack
For more information on any of these events contact Bernice on 01 709 1700 or bcondon@cmrf.org
16/04/2018 14:03 11:07
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
No. 8
Derek O’Riordan
No. 9
Neil Quinn
No. 12
Finbarr Lambert Ray Kenny
SPORTS AND SOCIAL CLUB 2017/18
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
8
Chair
Declan Rice
Treasurer
Simon Finglas
Honorary Secretary
Dan Fynes (HQ)
Paul Marsh 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
FIRECALL WINTER / SPRING
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SPORTS AND SOCIALCLUB
UPCOMING CLUB EVENTS BRINGING BACK THURSDAYS – WATCH SOCIAL NIGHTS
Location:
Time: Info:
The Church Bar, junction of Mary Street and Jervis Street From 6:00pm ‘till late www.thechurch.ie
On the night there will be a private section with drinks vouchers and food provided to all members of the sports and social committee! Live music and a late bar will top off the night. Drinks promotions also available at €5 a pint and €5 for a vodka and mixer! Just mention the Sports and Social committee to avail! B watch: A watch: C watch: D watch:
April 5th 2018 April 12th 2018 April 26th 2018 May 17th 2018
MONTHLY RAFFLE
NUTGROVE OPEN DAY
The Sports and Social Club committee is initiating a monthly draw which is open to all members of the committee. All you have to do to have the opportunity to win a prize is be a current paying member of the Sports and Social Club – it’s that easy! Each month there will be two draws. The first draw will be a station/watch prize that all colleagues in the watch can enjoy together. Fancy shooting each other with paintballs? Trying to outdo each other as a team in Go-Quest? Bowl each other over in 10-pin bowling? Or maybe see who has the best balance during a surfing lesson? The second draw will feature a small number of individual prizes including but not limited to Fitbits, dinner, wine, sports vouchers and much more. Watch this space – if you’re not in you can’t win!
Location: Date/time:
Nutgrove fire station April 28th, 1-4pm
The annual Nutgrove fire station open day takes place on Saturday April 28th from 1 to 4pm in aid of Suicide or Survive (SOS). Lots of fun for all the family, there will be teas, coffees and other refreshments, face painters, balloon modelling and a DJ, with several new exhibits set to be included. Suicide or Survive works to prevent suicides by creating and delivering innovative approaches that educate, inform and inspire people to cultivate and develop positive mental health, as well as reducing the stigma surrounding suicide. This event is supported by the Sports and Social Club – contact organiser Derek Riordan for further details. FIRECALL WINTER / SPRING
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SPORTS AND SOCIAL CLUB
MARCH MADNESS
ST. PATRICK’S DAY
PUB QUIZ
Throughout the month of March we gave away tickets to Murphy’s Laughter Lounge to each member of one lucky watch, with individual winners given the chance to win one of three Garmin Vivofit 3 fitness trackers. To find out the winners, please log on to our Facebook members page, ‘DFB Sports and Social Club private’ and our ‘@dfbssc’ Twitter feed. Congratulations to all our winners.
Dublin Fire Brigade’s involvement in the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade was once again a great success, with active and retired members representing the Brigade and marching on the streets of Dublin in a display of strength, pride and professionalism for the job we do, and to show the world that not only has DFB served the city for more than 150 years, but we are one of the only State organisations still in existence from 1916! A number of international firefighters also took part including colleagues from London Fire Brigade, Southampton Fire Department, NY, New York City Fire Department, and Winnipeg Fire Department in Canada. All uniformed personnel were invited to join the after party in association with Dublin Fire Brigade and the Sports and Social Club, held at the Russell Court Hotel, Dicey Rileys’, which finished off this year’s St. Patrick’s Day parade in style! Congratulations to all who took part – keep an eye out for out next issue with photos and interviews from the day.
WHICH WATCH WILL WIN?
Join us for a pub quiz where we want the watches to pit themselves against each other to see who will come out on top! Entry is free and there will be prizes on the night for the best teams. Location: Slatterys on Capel Street Drinks promotions will be available on the night. A watch versus C watch: Thursday 7th June 2018 B watch versus D watch: Thursday 14th June 2018 If you have any suggestions, queries or comments we would love to hear from you. Please contact us on our social media pages – the Facebook members page, ‘DFB Sports and Social Club private’ and the ‘@dfbssc’ Twitter feed.
WINTER / SPRING 10 FIRECALL
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FIRECALL OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF DUBLIN FIRE, AMBULANCE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES GOLF CAPTAIN’S CUP
GOLF CAPTAIN’S CUP
SUMMER / AUTUMN 2017
FIRECALL
OVERALL 1st K. Maypother 38–13 2nd S. Talbot 37–28 (b6) 3rd J. Watson 37–14 (b6) 4th J. Nolan 37–13
CLASS 1 1st B. Greene 35–11 2nd J. King 34–10 3rd M. Halstead 33–12 (b9) 4th P. Synott 33–11 CLASS 2
A BIRDIE-FUL DAY IN BRAY
SIMULATED TERROR
The DFB Golf Society's Captain's Day drew a big crowd of enthusiastic golfers to Bray.
T
he annual DFB Golf Society’s Captain’s Day took place on August 25th last, played in the scenic surroundings of Old Conna Golf Club outside Bray, Co Wicklow. Organised by the Society committee and current captain Ken Walsh, 57 golfers took to the greens on the day, with a good mix of serving firefighters, retired personnel, associate members and visitors.
DFB PREPARES FOR MASS CASUALTIES IN DUBLIN
“It was an excellent day. The captain put a lot of work into it. The flag on the 18th hole was actually for the winner on the day. It was placed in a frame when we were finished, which was a nice touch,” says Club secretary Robbie Connolly, who managed to snag a place on the winner’s list for the first time. “Most captains try to bring something that another captain hasn’t brought. There were two cups there for the
1st A. Moore 35–18 2nd S. Foley 34–15 (b9) 3rd T. Neylon 34–15 4th A. Stanley 32–17 retired member and the Captain’s Cup – we never had those before.” Among the visitors was Dean Ladrigan, Member Communications Officer with Dubco Credit Union, who explained that the organisation places an emphasis on supporting local communities. “We would have a great working relationship with the fire brigade and we’re very proud to be able to support them in any way we can,” he explains. “We’ve sponsored Captain’s Day for the last seven or eight years at this stage. We get to come out and meet the guys, have a chat with them and see how things are going.” “I’d like to thank our main sponsors on the day, Dubco, and also the Sports and Social Club who give us a grant at the start of the year, which helps us to run our ten annual outings,” Robbie adds. “Thanks also to the Chief Fire Officer Mr Patrick Fleming, who puts up a prize every year, and to Old Conna Golf Club as well, because they put on a great show for us.”
CLASS 3 1st E. Stuart 35–22 2nd S. Barriscale 34–28 (b9) 3rd A. Curley 34–21 4th A. Carroll 33–25 (b9) F/9 N: Hogan 20 B/9:
P. Heary 19
N/P 8: R. Connolly N/P 17: E. Stuart L/D:
G. Kavanagh
VISITORS 1st K. Bristow 35–15 2nd P. Wade 32–24 3rd D. Fynes 28–26 PAST CAPTAINS Jim King
RESULTS
OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF DUBLIN FIRE, AMBULANCE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES
RETIRED MEMBERS Bobby Greene
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FIRECALL SUMMER / AUTUMN
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STATION PROFILE
STATION PROFILE
STATION PROFILE
Track Success EITHNE SCULLY WINS BIG IN LA
THE FUTURE IS ELECTRIC
B WATCH DONNYBROOK
DFB TRAINS FOR EVS
A Lens on Life GREG MATTHEWS ON STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
'We respond to any chemical incident – the crew are all trained in all aspects of hazardous substances and decontamination.'
The crew of B watch Donnybrook.
THE HOME OF HAZMAT RESPONSE FOR DUBLIN FIRE BRIGADE, CONOR FORREST TOOK A TRIP TO B WATCH DONNYBROOK, HEADED BY S/O JAMES BISSETT.
T
he risk factors faced by the crews of Donnybrook fire station are quite varied, thanks to their location in the heart of Dublin’s southside. Clonskeagh Hospital and The Royal Hospital Donnybrook lie to the west, the RDS to the northeast and UCD due south. Alongside high-rise buildings in nearby Ballsbridge and new apartment blocks in Dún Laoghaire, there’s also the sea to contend with a little more than 2km away. And then there’s the Aviva Stadium, the Covanta Plant in Poolbeg, the nightclub hub of Harcourt Street, and a wide range of private and nursing home accommodation
scattered throughout the district. All-in-all, an interesting mix. During my recent trip to No 1, Station Officer James Bissett was on duty – the last time we met was just before Dublin GAA won the first of what would become a treble of All-Ireland Championship triumphs. S/O Bissett (a former Dublin footballer himself) moved from North Strand to Donnybrook two years ago and is celebrating his 30th year in the job this year. S/O Bissett adds the Luas and the DART to Donnybrook’s considerable list of responsibilities and highlights the station’s expertise in hazardous substance response. Once a call comes through, a special appliance
is dispatched from the station carrying a variety of hazmat response gear including a decontamination tent, a sealed hazmat suit, and additional oxygen tanks in the event of an extended delay. “We respond to any chemical incident – the crew are all trained in all aspects of hazardous substances and decontamination,” S/O Bissett explains. The first step is identifying the chemical involved, via the control room or through an on-scene examination. Once they have a name or code, it’s a matter
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ABOVE: The hazmat response vehicle. BELOW: One of the crew members displays the sealed hazmat suit.
of double checking the required response parameters contained in a reference book or laptop – whether the chemical is corrosive, poisonous or flammable, which firefighting medium should be used, or whether the immediate area should be evacuated – among other concerns. “The areas we would cordon off would depend on wind direction. When we’re going to a chemical incident we’re looking at the wind direction – the way we approach it is uphill, upwind. It could be a vapour, it could be airborne, it could be a
FIRECALL SUMMER / AUTUMN
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ARE YOU INTERESTED IN ADVERTISING IN FIRECALL? Ashville Media Group is the only official publishing partner of Dublin Fire Brigade Sports and Social Club through Firecall magazine. If you are contacted by any other external agencies purporting to represent Dublin Fire Brigade or the Sports and Social Club, please let us know. For more information about Firecall or advertising rates, contact paul.clemenson@ashvillemediagroup.com or phone 01 432 2200. Advertising also available on www.firecall.ie
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DFB IN BRIEF
DFB
A recap of Dublin Fire Brigade news and events over the past few weeks and months.
Some of our FF/Ps, officers and admin staff celebrating our longstanding relationship with GiveBlood.ie.
The crew of B watch North Strand on duty on Christmas Day.
A new 172-D ambulance for Donnybrook.
A neighbour of Finglas fire station dropped in these cakes as a show of appreciation.
Firefighters from B watch Tallaght and Dolphin's Barn at a Hazmat exercise.
Overnight training in Dublin Port Tunnel using twincylinder extended use BA sets required for this specialist type of firefighting.
High spot temperatures at a fire in Balbriggan. Foam was deployed.
Congratulations to our five newest graduates of the Bachelor of Business (Hons) in Emergency Services Management conferred in IT Carlow.
We're saddened to hear of the passing of Dublin firefighter Henry (Harry) O'Keeffe at the age of 101. Harry (seated) was on duty during the World War 2 aerial bombings in North Strand.
WINTER / SPRING 12 FIRECALL
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DFB IN BRIEF
Dublin Fire Brigade @DubFireBrigade @DubFireBrigade
Finglas fire station has always been known for its artistic creations – a Christmas tree made out of old fire tunics must be one of the safest trees out there!
North Strand attends a car fire in the north city centre.
Firefighter/paramedics training on the Liffey and Dublin Bay as part of ongoing coxswain training for water rescues.
Firefighter/Paramedic JJ O'Callaghan has finished his last tour of duty. Joining in 1985, JJ spent most of his 32 years with D watch in Donnybrook. He was also an influential member of the DFB running team. Thanks for your service.
Frank Curtin: Last night duty for F/F Frank Curtin after 36 years of service. Frank joined Dún Laoghaire Fire Brigade in 1981 and then DFB.
DFB responded to a high-rise hotel fire in Ballymun in March.
Turntable ladder training for D watch HQ.
DFB’s colour party marching in the St. Patrick’s Day parade.
RIP to a DFB legend, Ciaran Cullen. Ciaran retired in 2014.
Members of C watch HQ on duty for New Year's Eve night.
FIRECALL WINTER / SPRING
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CÚPLA FOCAL
Mahogany
STANDPIPE As we kick off Bliain na Gaeilge 2018, Mark Toner offers some advice on improving your Irish. Bain sult as!
Happy New Year! As it will be spring by the time you read this, we assume that you managed to struggle through the long winter! This year is a special year as Conradh na Gaeilge launches Bliain na Gaeilge 2018, which aims to promote a revival of the language, its vibrancy and creativity, community participation and the importance of our Gaeltacht areas. Is there anything that we in the fire brigade, or indeed the wider emergency services, could do to support the initiative? It has never been easier to learn or use whatever bit of Gaeilge you have with just a small bit of effort. In the latter part of last year, Bank of Ireland put paid to their attempts to remove the Irish language option from their cash machines. More important, you can now pick your favourite crisp flavour as Gaeilge. Thank you Tayto! If you are interested in sport than you can even keep your skills up to speed by watching rugby and GAA on TG4. For a more formalised approach, try some of the online courses available through Gaelchultúr.com and their sister website, Ranganna.com, or have a look at Oideas Gael in Donegal, who offer weekend activities-based learning. And, in association with Bliain na Gaeilge 2018, DCU has also put together a free online course, ‘Irish 101’, aimed at the Irish diaspora. I understand some people may not like the language, but truth be told I don’t understand the surprise and at times disrespect shown when some hear their native language. At the recent Ireland vs Argentina rugby match, I noticed a difference in volume between our national anthem and Ireland’s Call, with the latter appearing louder. Without getting into a dispute about which song should be played, I wonder if this volume difference was down to a lack of confidence or fear of getting the words wrong. Recent personal experiences in shops and restaurants varied from strange looks to pleasant surprise. Where else in the world would you get it? Wouldn’t it be a great day if people had no reaction, good or bad, on hearing Gaeilge? Our language is all our responsibility! #nílsécgl. Hopefully Bliain Na Gaeilge will encourage more people to use the language. On a lighter note, a new book, Motherfoclóir by Darach Ó Séaghdha, gives a comprehensive and very humorous account of his experiences as a gaelgóir in modern Ireland. Darach bursts the myths surrounding the language by explaining some of the stranger aspects of its vocabulary and grammar, showing that it’s not just for school and that a fada makes all the difference. If you’re interested in languages in general, with a bit of comedy thrown in, or even if you’re just curious, you’ll enjoy this book for sure. Don’t worry – it’s written in English!
F
áilte romhaibh ar ais chuig an chéad Firecall den bhliain nua, agus áthbhliain faoi mhaise daoibh go léir. Tá súil agam gur bhain sibh taitneamh as ceiliúradh na Nollag. Beimid i lár an Earraigh sula léann sibh an t-alt seo, agus is léir gur mhair sibh tríd an gheimhreadh fada aguxs Mí Eanáir leis a chuid Luain gorma! Tagann ‘DéLuanaphobia’ orainn uile agus bíonn deacrachtaí againn i gcónaí chun luí isteach ar an obair. Scileanna teanga a fheabhsú mar rún na hAthbhliana, b’fheidir? Maidir leis an tráth na gceist a bhí san eagrán deiridh, conas ar éirigh libh? Ar amharc tú ar na freagraí ar dtús? Tá tráth na gceist eile san eagrán seo chomh maith, ach tabharfaidh mé nod díobh; níl sa saol ach soinneán gaoithe! B’fheidir go mbeidh duais le fáil sa chéad eagrán eile. Bliain nua agus bhliain speisialta é freisin. Ag tús na bliana, sheol Conradh Na Gaeilge – Bliain na Gaeilge 2018. Tionscadal é, le tacaíocht ó ranna Stát agus ó gníomhaireactaí éagsúla ar fud na tíre, agus thar lár fosta. Is é príomhaidhm na féile ná ár dteanga a cheiliúradh agus aird a tharraingt ar thaobh athbheochan na Gaeilge, cruthaíocht agus beocht na teanga, rannpháirtíocht an Phobail agus luach ár nGaeltachtaí. An féidir linn, ní amháin sa bhriogáid dóiteáin ach mar bhaill de phobail na seirbhísí éigeandála i gcoitinne, tacaíocht a thabhairt don togra seo? Má tá tuilleadh eolas uait, tabhair cuairt ar www.peig.ie/2018.
WINTER / SPRING 14 FIRECALL
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CÚPLA FOCAL
ATHBHLIAIN FAOI MHAISE =
TRÁCHTAIREACHT =
Happy New Year
Commentary
CEILIÚRADH = Celebration
MODHANNA =
AN TEARRACH = Spring
Methods
AN GHEIMHREADH = Winter
NEAMHFOIRMIÚIL =
RÚN NA HATHBHLIANA = New Year’s resolution EAGRÁN = Issue NOD = Hint NÍL SAOL ACH SIONNEÁN GAOITHE =
Informal DAOINE FÁSTA = Adults SAOR IN AISCE = Free of charge ARDÚ MUINÍN = Increase confidence TUIGIM = I understand
Proverb: Life is but a short
AN FÍRINNE A RÁ =
gust of wind.
Honestly say
TIONSCADAL = Project
ÍONTAS = Surprise
CONRADH NA GAEILGE =
DÍMHEAS = Disrespect
The Gaelic League.
DÚCHASACH = Native
RANNA STÁT =
LÁMH IN UACHTAIR =
State departments
Upper hand
GNÍOMHAIREACHTAÍ = Agencies
CÁILIÚIL = Famous
THAR LÁR = Abroad
DÍOSPÓIREACHT =
ATHBHEOCHAN = Revival
Debate
CRUTHAÍOCHT = Creativity
EASPA = Lack of
BEOCHT = Vibrancy
CUMA AIT =
RANNPHÁIRTÍOCHT
Strange look
AN PHOBAIL =
FREASTALAÍ SIOPA =
Community participation
Shop assistant
LUACH = Value
NEAMHCHOITIANTA =
I GCOITINNE = Wider TUILLEADH = Additional/further NEART DEISEANNA = Ample opportunities LAETHÚIL = Daily IARRACHT = Effort CINNE = Decision MEAISÍN BAINC = Cash machine PAICÉAID CRIOSPAÍ = Packet of crisps SALAINN AGUS FÍNÉAGAIR = Salt and vinegar BLAS = Flavour/taste
Uncommon DOMHAIN = World CÚRAM = Responsibility ÉADROIME= Lighter (weight) MIOTAS = Myth A BHRÉAGNÚ = To debunk FIOSRACH = Curious/inquisitive ÁR DTEANGA,
FOCLÓIRÍN (GLOSSARY)
DEACRACHTAÍ = Difficulties
DO ROGHA = Our language, your choice
FIRECALL WINTER / SPRING
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CÚPLA FOCAL Ní raibh sé riamh níos éasca an teanga a fhoghlaim agus ní raibh sé riamh níos forasta cibé Gaeilge agat a úsáid. Tá neart deiseanna len í a úsáid go laethúil. Gan dabht, caithfidh tú iarracht bheag a dhéanamh, ach níl sé chomh deacair sin. Chuir Banc Na hÉireann stad lena cinneadh chun an rogha Gaeilge a bhaint óna gcuid meaisín bainc ag deireadh na bliana seo caite. As seo amach, is féidir leat an paicéad criospaí is fearr leat a roghnú i nGaeilge. Salainn agus finéagair an blas is ansa liom! Míle buíochas Tayto!
TRÁTH NA GCEIST (QUIZ) 1. Seachtain 2. Coicís 3. Deireadh seachtaine 4. Uaireadóir 5. Samhradh 6. Fómhar 7. Míosúil 8. Ré 9. Todchaí 10. Tréimhse
Má tá spéis mhór sa spórt agat, go h-áirithe an rugbaí agus an CLG, bain triail as an tráchtaireacht den scoth atá ar fáil ar TG4 don séasúr atá le teacht. Chomh maith leis na modhanna neamhfhoirmiúla sin, tá cúrsaí níos foirmiúla le fáil ó Gaelchultúr agus ar shuíomh www.ranganna.com. Tugann Oideas Gael, i Dún na nGall, cúrsaí teanga agus cultúir do dhaoine fásta. Ní raibh mé ann riamh ach chuala mé gur cursaí agus laethanta saoire den scoth iad. Mar chuid de Bhliain na nGaeilge 2018, tá cúrsa ar líne ar fáil le DCU, darbh ainm ‘Irish 101’. Cúrsa saor in aisce é, atá dírithe ar an diaspora idirnáisiúnta chun an Ghaeilge a cur chun cinn agus í a spreagadh. Ní gá duit ach do phíosa beag Gaeilge a úsáid agus de réir a chéile tabharfaidh tú faoi deara go bhfuil feabhas ag teacht ar do scileanna agus go bhfuil ardú ag teacht ar do mhuinín freisin. Tuigim nach dtaitníonn an teanga le go leor daoine. Ach leis an bhfírinne a rá, ní thuigim an íontas agus uaireanta, an dímheas a léiríonn daoine áirithe nuair a chloiseann siad ár dteanga dhúchais. I Mí na Samhna seo caite, bhí mé ag an gcluiche rugbaí ina bhfuair Éire an lámh in uachtair ar an Airgintín. Ag tús an cluiche, thug mé faoi deara go raibh difríocht idir fuaim Amhrán na bhFiann agus fuaim Ireland’s Call, a bhí níos airde. Ní comórtas é seo idir an dá amhrán cháiliúil sin agus níl mé chun tús a chur leis an díospóireacht pholaitiúil sin faoi láthair. Beidh go leor daoine dearg le fearg má dhéanaim é sin! I mo thuairim féin, cheap mé gurb é an easpa muinín an cúis leis an laghdú fuaime. Ach b’fheidir go bhfuil mé mícheart. An mhí dár gcionn, bhí cuma
ait ar aghaidh an fhreastalaí siopa nuair a bheannaigh mé é i nGaeilge. An tseachtain seo caite, bhí ionadh ar an bhfreastalaí sa bhialann nuair chuala sí mise ag labhairt le m’iníon trí mheán na Gaeilge. D’fhreagair sí i nGaeilge fiú amháin ach is léir gur ócáid neamhchoitianta a bhí ann. Cá h-áit eile ar Domhain a tharlódh é seo? Nach iontach an lá a bheadh ann mura raibh freagra ar bith, idir mhaith agus olc, is an Ghaeilge a chloisteáil acu. Is cuma cibé cúis atá ann, eagla, dímheas nó easpa muiníne – ní dóigh liom go bhfuil sé ceart go leor. Is ár gcúram í, ár dteanga. #nílsécgl Tá súil agam go dtabharfaidh Bliain na Gaeilge 2018 misneach do níos mó daoine í a úsáid. Ar aon nós, leanfaidh muid ar aghaidh le hábhar níos éadroime. Má tá leabhair maith ag teastáil uait, bain triail as an leabhar nua Motherfoclóir atá scríofa ag Darach Ó Séaghdha. Cur síos iomlán agus an-greannmhar ar shaol an Gaelgóir sa lá atá inniu ann. Déanann Darach iarracht na miotas maidir leis an teanga a bhréagnú. Míníonn sé roinnt de na tréithe níos aistí a bhaineann le foclóir agus gramadach na Gaeilge. Léiríonn Darach go ní amháin don scoil í an teanga agus is mór an difríocht a dhéanann fada! Má thaitníonn an teanga agus an greann leat, nó mura bhfuil ort ach fiosracht, bainfidh tú ansult as an leabhar seo go cinnte. Sin deireadh an scéil don eagrán seo, más maith leat ábhar ar bith a phlé, déan teagmháil liom tríd an ríomphost; marktoner@eircom.net nó go díreach sa staisiúin. Ár dTeanga, Do Rogha! Slán tamaill.
10. Period of time 9. Future 8. Era 7. Monthly 6. Autumn 5. Summer 4. Watch 3. Weekend 2. Fortnight 1. Week FREAGRAÍ (Answers) WINTER / SPRING 16 FIRECALL
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FOR THOSE FESTIVE MOVIE MARATHONS
#WarmerMoments
Naturally Driven
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CHRISTMAS PARTY
CHRISTMAS COMES TO DFB
The annual Kids Christmas Party, organised by Dublin Fire Brigade Sports and Social Club, was held on Sunday December 10th last in the Clarion Hotel, Liffey Valley – a fun day out filled with sweets, treats and a visit from Santa!
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CHRISTMAS PARTY
FIRECALL WINTER / SPRING
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COMMUNICATIONS
DFB'S SOCIAL STRATEGY Dublin Fire Brigade's social media platforms have gone from strength to strength in recent years. Conor Forrest takes a look behind the scenes.
M
arch 17th 2017 was a memorable day for Irish rugby; Rory Best and co beating England on the last day of the Six Nations to derail a Grand Slam and Triple Crown triumph, though their opponents still won the Championship for the second year running. It was also a great day for Dublin Fire Brigade’s communications team – a well-timed tweet noting ‘reports of a road traffic collision on Landsdowne Road involving a chariot’ made headlines across Ireland and further afield, another welcome boost for the brigade’s social media platforms and its digital reach.
DFB has been tweeting for some four years now. Their first foray into social media began in October 2014 to coincide with Fire Safety Week, with a new Twitter feed spearheaded by then head of communications Bevin Herbert and Third Officer Greg O’Dwyer. By the end of Halloween night (the first live test) they had around 400 followers, which jumped to 3,000 after a series of live tweets concerning various incidents across the city. A Facebook page quickly followed, and both have gone from strength to strength in the intervening years. “We now have a strategy. It has gone from tweets about notable incidents to structured fire safety campaigns, communications and engaging with the public,” explains Trevor Hunt, who joined DFB in 2005 and is stationed on A watch in Tallaght. Alongside fellow FF/P Ray McMonagle, Trevor has been a part of the social media team since those early days and is assigned to HQ from time to time to work in communications. “It’s about trying to come across as human. Especially when you’re dealing with children and younger people who tend to see people in uniform as authority figures, perhaps somewhat intimidating. So if we can portray the fire brigade as a friendly, community-based and community-friendly organisation
through our social media channels, why not?” “We realised quite quickly that there was a great opportunity here,” Ray adds. “The number of followers has been steadily growing from the very start – this year we’re growing exponentially.”
PUBLIC COMMUNICATION The development of a social media strategy has had an impressive impact on the brigade’s communications, both within the job and with members of the public. It’s a great way of spreading news about internal developments – new appliances, recruit passouts, retirements and much more. It’s also an ideal way to communicate with a wider swath of the public than might otherwise be possible, sharing useful information such as the prevention of gorse fires or keeping people up-to-date about a major incident in the city. Fire safety campaigns run throughout the year, coinciding with events, holidays and topics including the annual Chief Fire Officers’ conference, Halloween, Christmas, or barbecuing safely during hot weather. Humour is often used to show the brigade’s human side as Trevor noted – the chariot tweet in 2017, the use of Lego figures to demonstrate safety risks at Halloween, or the photo of a large, inflatable minion used to warn people of the dangers at the onset of Storm Ophelia last October. Clearly it works – that last tweet netted 4,000 new followers alone. Live mapping has also become particularly popular, consisting of an interactive map which people can follow throughout an incident like Halloween, and a number of brigades around the country have since followed suit. “There are three strands. We’re there to inform people of what’s going on. We’re also there to reassure them if there’s a major incident. For example, there was a major gorse fire last year and some people on social media thought there was a plane crash. People tend to assume the wrong things when they see a major fire,”
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COMMUNICATIONS
Trevor explains. “We were able to put out the correct information – it wasn’t a plane crash, it was a gorse fire with three pumps deployed and everything was under control. The third strand is education. We educate people on fire safety and try to do it in a humorous way – the carrot vs stick approach. Nobody wants to be lectured to, nobody wants to be told what to do. If you can demonstrate something using videos or pictures – such as the downside to having a candle beside your curtains or leaving your phone charger underneath your pillow – it really resonates with the public. The fire brigade is a uniformed, disciplined organisation but we’re human too.” And it can also satisfy a certain innate curiosity. When people see blue flashing lights most are immediately drawn to the vicinity, wondering what’s going on behind closed doors or cordons.
“A lot of what the fire brigade does is out of sight. When people look at our fire stations they see gates and shutters. If there’s a major fire there’s normally a cordon manned by the guards,” says Ray. “People see what we do but they can’t get close and they have a natural curiosity. Once they see blue flashing lights they want to know what’s going on. So the Facebook page and the Twitter account allows people to see what’s happening in a safe environment and satisfies their curiosity.” There’s an operational benefit too. The communications team uses Tweetdeck (above) to manage the Twitter account, which allows users to monitor trends and tweets from certain areas – for example, anybody tweeting the word ‘fire’ in a 40km radius of Dublin city centre. Take a recent scrapyard fire on Dublin’s northside, which was reported by various members of the public as an
incident at IKEA or Dublin Airport. Trevor was on duty that morning and pulled up Tweetdeck, spotted a photo of the incident, and was able to inform the Mobilisation Officer of the scale and exact location of the fire before personnel had arrived on-scene. “We call it social intelligence. It’s about mining the public’s information. I was able to determine that it wasn’t the airport or IKEA, and exactly where the fire was. It’s handy for the officers in the control room to know how many fire tenders to send initially. A picture speaks a thousand words,” he says. “And it’s important to note that this wouldn’t work without the officers and firefighters distributing the information. The control room can notify us that there’s a major incident and officers in charge on the fireground can let us know what’s going on. They can use social media to spread information to the public to keep them safe.”
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COMMUNICATIONS
The communications team’s hard work has paid off in recent years, winning two Sockies (Social Media Awards) for Best Social Media of a State Body in 2015 and Best Use of Facebook by a State Body last year, both awarded not long after the accounts were established and against competition from several well-run platforms. “It’s great – we were delighted,” says Trevor. “There’s tough competition, when you’re in the Sockies you’re going up against Irish Rail, the Defence Forces, the banks etc. These people have a lot of resources, so it was great for DFB to win.” DFB’s digital reach continues to grow, with posts often reaching hundreds of thousands of people – over 219,000 for a Facebook fire safety message on broken electrical sockets, 252,000 for a tweet during the height of Storm Ophelia, and 550,000 for a safety recall message for
as well. Something that worked in 2014 probably wouldn’t work now,” says Trevor. “Social media changes so much, you can’t predict what’s going to happen in three years’ time. Things are constantly changing but the future looks bright.” Chief Fire Officer Pat Fleming, who spoke on the subject at the recent Social Media Dublin conference, is equally positive about the road ahead. “Communications is an essential tool for Dublin Fire Brigade to achieve the roles it provides for society. This includes fire prevention, fire protection, operations, fire/ EMS response and major emergency management,” he explains. “Social media opens up a new communication channel and provides an opportunity for a large audience to receive critical safety messages as the brigade seeks to inform, reassure and educate. It is a significant tool in developing relationships with the public we serve and it will continue to grow and expand in importance going forward.”
TONE OF VOICE
GROWTH
tumble dryers. A fire safety message featuring an Elf on the Shelf made the news on ABC11 in North Carolina. The Twitter page alone has three million impressions every month. Demographics across those platforms, which have since grown to include an Instagram account targeting the younger generation, span the ages of 18 and 75 – the majority are between 25 and 45 though the over 50s segment is growing on Facebook. “They’re very different platforms. Twitter is very popular with the media, which means that if we put a message out and it gets picked up by the Irish Independent or The Irish Times, it can reach half a million people,” says Trevor. “From a public point of view, Facebook is better because you’re speaking directly to the public. 70 per cent of the country is on Facebook and only 30 per cent is on Twitter. Some of our best fire safety campaigns have worked best on Facebook.” That’s not to say there aren’t any challenges. Social media can be all-consuming – it never switches off and a lapse in updates can lead to disinterest among its audience. More importantly, given the platforms’ rise in the public eye, and the increasing reliance of the public and the media on the information put out there by DFB, avoiding incorrect information is key. “The challenge for us sometimes is to ensure we get a reliable source. If we put out incorrect information that would damage our reputation, not only as a social media account but as a brigade in general,” Ray explains. So where to from here? The coming months and years are about building up their connection with the public – the Instagram channel in particular is focusing on forging links with the next generation. Monthly fire and personal safety themes will also be put into action – hydration during hot weather, ensuring smoke alarms are working correctly, or the risks of slips and falls during the winter. “We’ve learned a lot – because social media and communications keeps changing we’ve had to change
Among the incidents live-tweeted by DFB of late was Storm Ophelia, across several days in October. The campaign began with initial warnings using a more friendly, relaxed approach, urging people to secure belongings, put their bins inside, take caution in the wind and so on. As the storm progressed and the weather became more serious, so did DFB’s tone on social media. “As the storm went on we began updating people in a very accurate and serious nature,” says Ray. “We try to be neutral, we don’t try to scare people but we don’t try to underplay the situation either. The facts are the facts and we just portray it like that.” FIRECALL WINTER / SPRING
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PPE
Photos: Trevor Hunt
DFB UPDATES ITS IMAGE Dublin Fire Brigade has awarded a tender for new station wear to Tailored Image.
D
ublin Fire Brigade (DFB) recently awarded a tender for the supply of station wear to Tailored Image and has just completed the first rollout in early 2018. Third Officer John Guilfoyle with responsibility for logistics and who oversaw the process notes that “In 2018 over 900 operational staff have received a supply of clothing from Tailored Image and overall the feedback from staff is very positive”. Tailored Image’s head office is based in Moygashel, County Tyrone, and they specialise in creating tailored solutions by supplying everything from
dress uniforms to promotional t-shirts. “We create the staff uniforms which help our customers to effectively communicate their brand’s chosen image,” says Mary Murphy, the contracts manager assigned to DFB. “We are a full-service supplier with a reputation for the design and supply of innovative uniforms to a growing number of leading organisations across a wide range of industry sectors and public services. We are very excited about working with the DFB to provide a solution that best suits the Brigade’s requirements.” John Guilfoyle wishes to thank the DFB clothing committee for their input and commitment to the process. It involved many meetings, discussions and drafting detailed requirements to ensure the best possible result was achieved. “It was very important that the operational crews were given
the opportunity to contribute the process,” he explains. “I wanted the staff to be happy and proud of their uniform and we have all worked well together to achieve this.” Theresa Hudson from the clothing committee explained: “Some new garments were introduced and are proving to be very popular with the crews such as the polo shirt and pullover. The Tailored Image team worked very hard with DFB to ensure the garments were supplied on time and to a high standard”. All of the clothing orders were delivered to the DFB workshop facility in Lower Grangegorman in individual packs. An exchange system was put in place to allow staff to exchange clothing if required. Preparations are now in place for a 2019 rollout of clothing to the operational crews.
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STATION PROFILE
STATION PROFILE D WATCH TALLAGHT
CONOR FORREST TOOK A TRIP OUT TO D WATCH NO 7 TO DISCOVER MORE ABOUT THE HIGHLIGHTS AND CHALLENGES OF LIFE IN BRAVO DISTRICT.
I
t’s a crisp weekday morning when I arrive at Tallaght fire station. The road outside is quiet but there’s plenty going on inside. The ambulance and one of the tenders are out on calls – the other appliance is being washed down outside. In the office, Sub Officer Conor Molloy is taking the opportunity to catch up on some paperwork. “Each area has its own individual risks,” he tells me over a cup of tea in the station’s canteen, overlooking the yard outside. “We’ve got the full range similar to everyone else. We’ve also got Baldonnell nearby and we encroach into Kildare quite a bit. Recently we received a call from the
control centre to respond down to Kildare to assist with a road traffic collision. The Dublin crew and the Kildare crew just integrated and worked seamlessly together. We were all singing off the same hymn sheet.” Sub/Off Molloy joined Dublin Fire Brigade back in 1997 and he’s had a varied career since. Following several months in HQ he was posted to Rathfarnham on A watch, then moved on to the control room. With a number of courses under his belt he became an instructor there before returning to the operational side of the station. From there he began building his skillset, adding qualifications as a coxswain, night coxswain, SRT, MER and as a
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STATION PROFILE
turntable ladder driver. Then, following a stint instructing on Class 1/2016 in the OBI, he moved on to Tallaght and D watch as the sub officer. Training, he explains, is a big part of life at No. 7. “There’s a number of the lads who are working on online courses, degrees etc. I’m back out in the training centre in April I believe, delivering another turntable ladder operator course,” he says. “The S/O, Adrian O’Grady, is involved in Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM). One of the lads, Podge Thompson, is out doing his truck driving training at the moment, so that will be another addition to the crew here and their skillset. Juan is awaiting his paramedic training, so
he’s just full on the fire side at this stage – he’s just jumped straight in.” Sub/Officer Molloy’s background before DFB was in the Defence Forces, having formerly served in the 2nd Field Artillery Regiment based in McKee Barracks. Coincidentally, Trevor Walsh – one of the station’s more recent additions – was also in the same regiment in a previous life. “When I was in the Defence Forces, a lot of the people that I would have hung around with came into this job. I was hearing stories coming back to me about how good the job is. I gave it a shot and I was very lucky to get it,” Trevor explains. A Tipperary man (Roscrea specifically), Trevor is something of a character in the station. An
Trevor's army background meant that transitioning to a more ordered life with DFB wasn't too difficult – maintaining uniforms, keeping the station neat and tidy, and working within a rank system.
ABOVE: Sub/Off Conor Molloy and FF/P Trevor Walsh. LEFT: S/O Brian Mulvaney.
articulated truck driver in the years between the military and joining DFB with Class 2/2016, his hobby is flying (he holds a private pilot’s licence and explains tongue in cheek that he was the best of two pilots in his training class), he’s big into the GAA, and enjoys going to Robert Mizzell country and western concerts. He fits right into a station home to plenty of light-hearted banter, but also notes that things change once a call comes through. “You have to be on the ball as soon as the bells go,” he tells me. “The experience that you get, even on your first week here, could be anything.” Trevor’s background in the Defence Forces meant that transitioning to a more ordered life with DFB wasn’t too difficult – maintaining uniforms, keeping the station neat and tidy, and working within a rank system. Still, not everything was second nature. Having lived in the OBI during his initial training, he found the first phase to be enjoyable but adds that the paramedic course
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STATION PROFILE
in particular was tough, not least of all because he was returning to the books after a long gap. “As people say it gets tougher every year, but I was 38 – I was out of school a long time. I found it very difficult to get back into the theory end, reading and studying,” he says. “It’s on a different level, it’s incredible. It’s an incredible skill to have at the end of it, but they don’t make it easy.” Next up for Trevor is his paramedic placement, the aspect of the job he enjoys most. Ambulance work requires a variety of skills, not least of all communication – with your colleagues, other emergency services and, of course, the patient. Watching recruits like Trevor progress through their training, growing and developing into key assets for Dublin Fire Brigade, is one of the highlights for floating Station Officer Brian Mulvaney, who has spent the majority of his 22-year career with DFB on D watch and has been overseeing the crew at No 7 in the absence of S/O O’Grady. “You see them socialise into the environment and learning as they go. You come back – especially as I’ve gone floating again – and you see
how well they’re getting on from the last time that you saw them. You see how their confidence and their skill level has picked up,” he explains. “Trevor – he went off and did his paramedic training. Now he’s come back and he’s on the ambulance. When you go to an incident with him you see how professional he is in dealing with the patient. It’s a big learning curve for the recruits and you appreciate the rest of the crew around them, teaching them bits of knowledge every day.”
SHARING KNOWLEDGE That last aspect is important for any rookie firefighter. Learning the ropes from men and women who have spent decades on the frontlines is invaluable – not all lessons are printed on pages. One of those senior firefighters is Badge #560 Joe Mulligan, a former electrician and 32-year veteran of the job who enjoyed short spells in HQ, Dolphin’s Barn, Donnybrook and Rathfarnham before transferring to Tallaght in 1988. He’s been here ever since. “It’s great to see young people coming in,” he says when I mention the next generation, noting that they come equipped with much
more training and education than they might have three decades previous. “The fire brigade training has changed to some extent, but the medical end has changed so much. We did six weeks in the Park and that was it, done and dusted, we were fully qualified! There was no internship... we did some hospital placements but they were included in the six weeks. So on that level it’s great. It’s great to see the level of medical [capabilities] and the amount of things we can do on the ambulance now for people. Because before we were just getting them to hospital quicker and that was it.” Joe is also the man behind the station’s annual cycling-based charity fundraiser. With fundraising in The Square and Dundrum town centre (alongside sponsorship cards), a group of cyclists take on a lengthy trip every September – previous cycles have gone from Dublin to Carlow, Kilkenny, Athlone and Tullamore. On one occasion firefighters from Newry fire brigade travelled down and cycled back up North with their colleagues from Dublin. The charities and causes who benefit from the funds raised (€11,000 on their best year) are
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varied, including the Irish Hospice Association, Little Lifetimes, the Irish Heart Foundation, Sudden Adult Death Syndrome, and those in aid of children with autism. Usually the organisers try to choose a charity with a link to Dublin Fire Brigade personnel. This year Fighting Blindness will benefit from any funds raised from the cycle on September 15th – a very worthy cause that funds research into treatments and cures for blindness. “A chap in the Barn – his friends’ daughter is 11 but she’ll be blind by the time she’s 20. All of the money raised will go into research, there’s no cure for it,” says Joe. “It’s always very much a fun cycle. Nobody is ever told to hurry up or move on. If people get tired along the way they just throw the bike in the van and pick up again later. There’s never any pressure on people in that regard.” When I leave the station one of the two pumps and the ambulance have been and gone, responding to one of numerous calls they’ve already received before lunchtime. Bravo District covers a large area of South Dublin and into Kildare and Wicklow, both urban and rural environments with major road networks, industrial
areas, hospitals, and more risk factors. More than 200,000 people live within the district’s borders. Still, the crew of D watch are more than a match for the task, pulling together to get the job done. For Trevor Walsh, it might be tough but one year in and it’s still a dream job, with transfers and overtime meaning that he gets to see life in a variety of stations across the city. “I would have liked to get it a bit earlier in life, but such is the way it goes,” he says. “I suppose you can only say that you’re smiling coming into work – that would be a big thing for me. I have no regrets, none whatsoever.” “There’s a great atmosphere, a great bunch of people working here. All different characters, as you will have in all stations. It’s a busy station, a working station. It bonds a crew together more tightly because they’re covering each other – they know that one will look after the other and that’s all reciprocated,” S/O Mulvaney adds. “They all know that they’re in this together so they all pull together. They work great together as a crew and there’s always a good bit of a laugh. It makes your day a lot more enjoyable. It oils the machinery of work!”
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
FF/P Joe Mulligan.
Working alongside and for the local community in Tallaght is an important factor for No 7, and Sub Officer Conor Molloy describes the relationship as strong and healthy (the amount of cards and messages around the station is proof). Like other stations around the city, No 7 conducts a variety of community engagement events, ranging from school visits to supporting health initiatives. “We do school visits, community events, we have a lot pencilled in,” he says. “It’s a very good, healthy relationship we have. If we’re ever going out anywhere there are never any obstacles for us, we’re always welcomed everywhere with open arms. And it’s reciprocated here.” For Trevor Walsh, a good relationship with the community is key in delivering a quality service. “Your ability to talk to people [is] definitely [important] on the ambulance, to get information from people. I enjoy it.”
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RETIRED MEMBERS
RETIRED MEMBER PROFILE Aidan Carroll Retired Acting District Officer Aidan Carroll looks back on a career that spanned 31 years and every station across the city.
I
got blown up once.” It’s an unusual response to any question, though perhaps less so for a retired firefighter with 31 years experience on the job. It was the late 1980s. Whitney Houston was in the charts, 24-hour news was on the rise, and Aidan Carroll was a sub officer in Dún Laoghaire before the amalgamation with Dublin Fire Brigade, responding to a call behind the station. A report had come in from a member of the public concerning a smell of gas in a three-storey building with a basement underneath. This wasn’t out of the ordinary – gas was being piped to households and industries in Dublin throughout the ‘80s. Aidan recalls a strange feeling he couldn’t account for and left the majority of the crew outside, heading in to check the situation with Paul Kirwan and a man from the gas company who was equipped with a highly sensitive gas detector. Initially, readings were low on the ground floor so they moved upstairs. “We went up to the next level where there was a letterbox in a locked door. The gas guy put the detector into the letterbox and he says ‘There’s an explosive reading there’. That means it was just the right mix. If the mix is too rich it won’t explode, if it’s too light it
won’t explode. I said we’d have to get the door open and check it out,” Aidan recalls. Gingerly, they opened the door using a metal tool covered by a piece of leather to prevent any sparks. Ahead was a corridor with adjoining offices, and a cupboard home to electric meters. Two guards who had arrived on the scene went ahead to scout the offices, while the firefighters investigated the cupboard. “We were just checking in there and the next thing – boom. Not in there, but outside. The whole ceiling came down around us. We made sure everybody was there and I went out to take a look,” says Aidan. His audience of one is captivated. “The stairs we had come up, which was a big, broad wooden stairs, had totally lifted up – though it weighed a couple of tonnes – and was parked over against the far wall. We had no stairs to go down. If we had been out there we would have been hopeless for sure. The solid wooden door we came through was open and it allowed the explosion to blow past us. If the door had been closed, it would have blown in on top of us.” As it transpired, a gas cylinder removed from a forklift was identified as the culprit. Stored in an office it had leaked and, being heavier than air, the
gas went to ground before it ignited as the firefighters investigated overhead. “I would say it was the fridge that ignited the gas and blew us up. That was quite an event,” Aidan adds in something of an understatement.
A FRESH START That explosive incident was just one of many in a career that stretched across three decades. Firefighting was in Aidan’s blood, though it took him 25 years to realise it. His father, he explains, was the first Third Officer to rise to that position through the ranks in DFB, and his responsibility for the wages earned him the nickname ‘Pay’. A few sharp minds christened Aidan’s older brother Shay as ‘Young Pay’ when he joined the job, while his cousin, Brian Healy, became known as ‘Pay-Related’. Clearly things haven’t changed. A fitter and turner by trade, Aidan spent a number of years working with CIE in Broadstone, though his father urged him to join the brigade before he reached the cut-off age of 25. Initially unsure, his wife Ann liked the sound of steady work. However, by the time Aidan made his mind up to join, Dublin Fire Brigade had finished their latest recruitment phase. But Carroll Senior had contacts in the fire service in Dún Laoghaire and Aidan landed an interview. Clearly he made an impression and officially joined the brigade there in 1971 under Station Officer Tim Mahony, a man he describes as a “smashing” S/O.
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RETIRED MEMBERS
Retired Acting District Officer Aidan Carroll.
Training at that time was relatively minimal, Aidan explains. Four weeks of firefighting training was done with the officer on duty that day, running out hoses or shadowing the telephone operator who received calls directly from the public and filled out the dockets. “The lads would say ‘He’s [S/O Mahony] going to give you Convent Road. And there’s two of
them – one in Dún Laoghaire and one in Dalkey.’ So you had to say Convent Road, yes, is that in Dalkey or Dún Laoghaire?” Aidan says. The ambulance training involved significantly less preparation. “You went into the back of an ambulance, there was a wooden box with a few triangular bandages in it, a few dressings, ‘splints up here’, that was it.
Absolutely no training at all,” he adds. “Whereas now the amount of training for the ambulance course alone is huge. It’s fantastic, the training, which gives the guys great confidence.” One of his first ambulance cases was a test of nerves, called to a house where a man had cut himself in several places. Aidan walked into a blackedout room with religious symbols covering the walls, not knowing what to expect. “It was just a case of going in – ‘How’re you doing pal?’ ‘Ah I’m alright’. ‘You have a few little nicks on you. Some of them might need a stitch or two. Will you come with me?’ ‘Ah, ok’. He was grand! I was rattling but I still managed. You get by – you’re the only one there.” Throughout the following years Aidan honed his trade alongside a group of stalwart colleagues. Noel Hayden joined a year after he did – the pair became firm friends (to this day) and quickly became known as Beanie and Bernie. Training was one of Aidan’s major interests and Dún Laoghaire became the first outside fire brigade to complete a breathing apparatus (BA) course with DFB. Aidan was later invited back to become a BA instructor, a three-week course he describes as “one of the hardest courses I ever did”, and he and Noel later delivered pump courses for firefighters in Dún Laoghaire. He also recalls characters like Paddy Lee, Jimmy Edwards, Jimmy Stubbs and Kevin Byrne (the Cha), an amateur golfer who played for Ireland at Artisan level. The amount of experience between them was extensive, which often came in useful. Responding to a fire in a high-walled warehouse, he and Noel Hayden were crawling along the floor inside when they heard S/O Mahony call out ‘Who’s in there?’ “He said ‘Come out now, now, come out.’ We came out and the reason he called us out was because he could hear the fluorescents popping up in the ceiling. And that’s a sign of fierce heat,” he says. “We were only out of there two to three minutes when the wall came in. And, where we had
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Six years later he was made a Station Officer on Dún Laoghaire's amalgamation with Dublin Fire Brigade in August 1994. been, there was 12 foot of rubble. We would have been buried. That was Tim’s knowledge of the job. He knew that it was fierce hot up there. The steel girders bent and pulled the walls in – he knew that and he got us out.”
ON THE MOVE In 1988, Aidan was promoted to sub officer following the retirement of the then CFO Michael Murphy and the arrival of Tom McDonald, who had worked in fire prevention with Dublin Fire Brigade. Previously there had been little scope for promotion but CFO McDonald’s focus on the brigade’s equipment levels included the purchase of an emergency tender requiring a sub officer. Six years later Aidan was made a station officer
to coincide with Dún Laoghaire’s amalgamation with Dublin Fire Brigade in August 1994. Though initially he stayed in what became No 12, several months later he moved on to nearby Donnybrook as a floating S/O. Following a chance meeting with Third Officer John L’Estrange, who Aidan’s father had trained years before, he was posted to the northside for the first time in his career, working between North Strand and Kilbarrack. From there he would serve in every single one of DFB’s 12 wholetime stations. “Going into Dublin we had been, for 23 or 24 years, in one station. And within eight months I worked every station in Dublin, be it on relief or overtime. A lot of the guys
Aidan’s travels have included the Great Wall of China.
who had been there all their lives never did that,” Aidan says. “It was like starting a new job, a little bit nervy. But once you get on the engine it’s the same as anywhere – they all know what to do.” In 1998 he was given a permanent post in Rathfarnham. After a day on duty one Friday, Aidan returned home and settled in for the night, heading to bed with what he thought was indigestion. The discomfort hadn’t passed the next morning and, with the doctor’s surgery closed, he sought advice from a nearby pharmacy who advised him to head for A&E. Four weeks later he was discharged from hospital having had two stents put in. Though he was told he had suffered a heart attack, it transpired that it was actually unstable angina. “There’s a big difference between a heart attack and that,” he notes with a wry smile. After six months’ medical leave Aidan returned to work, securing a move to the OBI and a more regular working routine on the advice of his doctor. He retired from the OBI as acting D/O in 2002 and in the intervening years has made the most of his time – travelling (he’s been to China, Vietnam, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina and the US among others), playing golf, going to the gym, looking after clothing requirements for the Retired Members’ Association and keeping up with his five grandchildren. “It was a good job,” he muses as he thinks back on those years. “I dropped a lot of money going in there. When I went in it was just under £19 a week. At that stage, because I was working in CIE and we were getting a lot of overtime, there were some weeks I’d be knocking down nearly £60. That was some drop but we knew we were going to take that hit. It was hard for a lot of years but you get through that. One thing my dad said to me about it was ‘You’ll never be a rich man in the fire brigade, but you’ll never be poor. Your family will never go hungry’.”
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COMMERCIAL FEATURE
SAFE AT HOME
Home Instead Senior Care is warning people to be aware of unknown callers, and to make use of the bogus caller check card available from Home Instead and An Garda Síochána.
A
total of 300,000 bogus caller cards are available from An Garda Síochána and Home Instead Senior Care. The bogus caller check cards are advised by An Garda Síochána to be used in the following manner if nervous about an unknown caller: • Look out the window. • Have a viewer fitted on your door. • Have a door chain fitted and keep the chain on. • Make sure your back door is locked before you go to the front door. • Ask for ID – a genuine caller won’t mind. • Don’t be embarrassed to tell the caller to write down their details and make an appointment. • The basic rule is: if you don’t know the person at your door, you shouldn’t let them in. • If anxious contact your local Garda station. “If an unknown person calls to the door, it is advised to give them a bogus caller check card to fill out their details.
L-R: Pat McDonald, Community Sergeant; Bernie Ruddock, Home Instead Senior Care, Community Education; and Superintendent John Hand outside Blackrock Garda Station.
A genuine person will typically cooperate and not have a problem filling out the card and the older person will have peace of mind answering the door,” says Sergeant Pat McDonald of An Garda Síochána. Many people in the local community routinely employ door-to-door traders and repair people/contractors. Some of these people carry out very little work and charge exorbitant amounts of money for their services. This is criminal behaviour and if you suspect bogus callers are in your area or are working in a vulnerable
neighbour’s home, never hesitate to contact the Gardaí immediately. “We encourage older people and anyone else concerned about bogus callers to use a bogus caller card. Everyone, no matter what age, deserves to live safely in their own home,” says Ed Murphy, CEO of Home Instead Senior Care, Ireland’s largest home care provider.
For more information, contact Home Instead Senior Care on 1890 930 847, or visit www.homeinstead.ie. FIRECALL WINTER / SPRING
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COMMERCIAL FEATURE
FIRE SAFETY AT HOME A number of simple steps can be taken to prevent incidents of fires in the home.
F
ire safety in the home is of vital importance. Fire could not only damage your contents and the building itself, but loved ones could be placed in danger if the appropriate steps aren’t taken. While the prevention of any incidents is the ideal standard, it’s always good to have plans in place to detect and successfully escape a fire in the home.
PREVENTION
DETECTION
• Be careful with open fires, and always use a fireguard. Have your chimney cleaned regularly and make sure fires are extinguished before going to bed. • Keep items like candles and portable heaters away from flammable objects such as curtains or couches. Turn heaters off and extinguish candles when finished. • Avoid smoking when you’re tired or in bed. Make sure that ashtrays are emptied before going to bed and that their contents pose no risk of fire. • Don’t leave your mobile phone charger plugged in overnight or when you’re not around. • Regularly check that electrical items are in working order and there are no signs of damage. Inspect lint traps in dryers, keep cookers free of grease, and avoid overloading appliances and other items. Always plug them out when they’re not in use. • Keep a fire blanket and fire extinguisher within handy reach – you should know which type of fires they should be used on, and how to use them.
• Install smoke alarms at ceiling level on each floor of your house and test them regularly to ensure they’re working and can be heard throughout the home. • Batteries should be replaced every year. For 10-year smoke alarms, these should be replaced entirely every decade. • Some fire services will check your smoke alarms for free. • Heat alarms can be used as an additional layer of security in areas where false alarms may occur, such as the kitchen, and detect a rise in temperature. • Carbon monoxide alarms should also be installed – the colourless and odourless gas is poisonous and can result in severe sickness and death depending on the concentration and length of exposure.
EVACUATION • Put an evacuation plan in place and ensure all inhabitants are aware of it by practicing on a regular basis. You should have at least two avenues of escape, with a meeting place outside.
• Once a fire is detected, raise the alarm and get everyone out as quickly as possible. Check doors for heat – there could be a fire behind them. If smoke is present, crawl as close to the floor as possible as the air will be cleaner there. • Avoid searching for the fire’s cause or retrieving any personal belongings – evacuate the premises and call 999 or 112. Never re-enter a burning building until the fire service tells you it’s safe to do so. • A refuge room should be appointed if you can’t escape from the house, a safe area where people can wait for rescue. This should have a phone and a window. One of the best ways to ensure the safety of your home is to get into the routine of doing a check at night before you go to bed. Make sure exits are clear, keys are accessible, fires/candles/cigarettes are extinguished, and electrical devices are plugged out. Visit firesafetyweek.ie to avail of a handy fire safety checklist.
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DUBLIN MARATHON
MARATHON EFFORTS We take a look back at DFB's involvement in the 2017 Dublin Marathon.
T
he Dublin Marathon is one of the most anticipated fixtures on Ireland’s sporting calendar, having come a long way since its foundation in 1980. The first race saw a total of 1,420 finishers from an entry field of 2,100 but today Irish entries alone exceed 8,000. Thousands of
participants follow a 26-mile route through the city centre, via Phoenix Park and Castleknock, down towards Dolphin’s Barn and the southside before looping back towards the finish line in Merrion Square North. The marathon attracts entries from running enthusiasts to Olympic medallists such as Sonia O’Sullivan and John Tracey; the men’s record is currently held by Geoffrey Ndungu of Kenya who won the 2011 men’s event in 2:08:33, while Russia’s Tatiana Aryasova holds the women’s record, taking gold in 2010 with a time of 2:26:13.
Last year marked the second time a Dublin Fire Brigade team entered the marathon, many of whom had taken part in 2016. A specially commissioned kit to commemorate the 1916 Rising was re-released, open to all members of the fire brigade. A VIP area was also provided to DFB athletes once more, which allowed them to start at the front alongside colleagues in the emergency services. “They wanted to form something of a Blue Lights competition, a friendly competition, nothing too serious,” explains FF/P and organiser Ray McMonagle. “Even though it was only our second year going in as a team, the groundwork has been laid over the last eight or nine years.” On the day, 20 people from DFB – including Ray – arrived at the start line, joined by gardaí and members of Dublin Airport’s fire and rescue service who celebrated 75 years in 2017. Three of the DFB runners broke the sub-three-hour mark – Ray Kenny (A watch No 12), Ferghal O’Connor (B watch HQ) and
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David Duke (D watch HQ). “A subthree marathon is impressive at any stage, but particularly in the Dublin Marathon,” says Ray. “They call it an honest marathon because it’s not flat, there are a number of hills. It’s not the toughest marathon by any stretch of the imagination but it does throw its challenges out. It’s a testament to their fitness and their training.” Podge Thompson also impressed, arriving at the start line with 26 miles already under his belt that morning. One week later he was running the New York marathon, all in aid of CMRF Crumlin.
SUPPORT The runners were undoubtedly spurred on by the support coming from the sidelines. Dublin’s marathon is also known as the ‘friendly marathon’ as there’s barely a stretch of track without somebody offering a friendly cheer. Given DFB’s standing in the city and their very distinctive running shirts, they were given a number of boosts along the way. “Dublin is always very well supported by onlookers and supporters. They wouldn’t have a clue who I am but they’d shout out ‘Go on the fire brigade’. It definitely did help,” Ray says. “It’s very hard to explain unless you run yourself. The 26 miles is tough but to have the course lined by supporters really does help the mental challenge of getting around. Even just when you get your name called or your team name called, it gives you that little boost. It might
only last a few seconds, it might last a few minutes. Dublin is known as the friendly marathon, not just the honest marathon, for that reason.” Although there are still some months to go before the 2018 marathon, Ray is casting half a glance towards that event. Preparations usually begin in late spring or early summer, with interested parties advised to get in touch and get the ball rolling – the marathon is limited to 20,000 places and can sell out by the end of July. Before that the brigade’s runners will be taking part in the annual BHAA 5K beginning in the OBI, organised by Pat Trappe – Ray notes that fire brigade support on the day in terms of running the event is crucial. Support is also important in ensuring their participation in the marathon each year goes off without a hitch. Ray explains that the Sports and Social Club once again supported the team financially in terms of the entrance fee, Dublin Marathon’s Liam O’Riain organised the VIP area, while Race Director Jim Aughney oversaw broader preparations. The team made a presentation to Liam and the marathon committee of one of the team’s running shirts for inclusion in the Dublin Marathon Archive, a display spanning 35 years of the event’s history which expands each year, a lasting memento of those who have taken part over those decades. “Our presentation was included in 2017 and hopefully it will be up there for many years to come,” Ray adds.
Ray McMonagle presents a DFB shirt for the Dublin Marathon archive.
MARATHON STATS
On the day, 20 people from DFB – including Ray – arrived at the start line, joined by gardaí and members of Dublin Airport’s fire and rescue service who celebrated 75 years in 2017.
• 10 water stations using 140,000 bottles of Tipperary water • 4 Lucozade stations using 43,000 bottles • 2 High 5 stations using 21,000 gels • Over 1,000 volunteers on duty on race day • 372 toilets used • 2,890 barriers in place • 1,842 traffic cones deployed
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SOLAR AMBULANCES
DFB GOES SOLAR DFB’s latest batch of ambulances have entered service, equipped with more environmentally-friendly technology.
T
he latest batch of ambulances to hit the streets with Dublin Fire Brigade livery feature some interesting additions. Solar panels and regenerative braking capabilities have been included with the purpose of helping to recharge onboard batteries, and lowering CO2 emissions and overall costs in terms of battery replacement. Five new Mercedes/ Wilker builds have since entered service in Donnybrook, North Strand, Finglas, Tallaght and Swords. “Basically their purpose is to back up the batteries,” explains Station Officer Peter Sherlock, a PHECC tutor and floating S/O currently based on A watch Phibsborough (No. 3). “They measure about 1m
long by almost 1m wide. They have been installed on the latest five ambulances. Our ambulances are parked in bays most of the time and we use an external auto eject power supply that charges the battery. When you’re driving along, the battery is charged to about 90 per cent. Then the alternator cuts off and doesn’t charge the battery anymore. But now, when you brake, that kinetic energy is transferred into the alternator and then that also charges the batteries. Just by physically stopping, pressing the brakes, the energy from that goes into charging the batteries.” The solar panels themselves are quite interesting and feature some of the technology’s latest developments. According to Vivian Henry at ATSR, each vehicle is fitted with two
SXp cells installed by Wilker and measuring just 2mm in thickness, designed to be powerful and reliable with high resistance to mechanical stresses, and are waterproof and resistant to salt water. Under ideal conditions, they can deliver up to 25 amps to the battery. A Victron charge controller has also been fitted to regulate the voltage and monitor the battery’s condition, allowing the best charge rate to be applied. If the batteries are well-charged the regulator will restrain the charge to prevent overcharging and potential damage (an increase in battery life has been proven, but depends on a number of factors). Thanks to their innovative design, they also have high efficiency in low light conditions though they require some form of UV ray to work – LED lights in an engine bay, for example, won’t be of any use. S/O Sherlock has recently been appointed to a liaison group with the National Ambulance Service (NAS) in the interests of sharing information on ambulance design, with the possibility of vehicle standardisation in the coming years between the likes of DFB,
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SOLAR AMBULANCES S/O Peter Sherlock.
the NAS and Dublin Airport’s fire and rescue service. New additions to ambulances could feature green technology such as solar panels, smart systems to monitor energy usage, and technology that manages a vehicle’s idling time.
UPDATES The environmentally-friendly additions are part of a continuous process of changes to DFB’s ambulance fleet, partly influenced by suggestions from firefighter/ paramedics, or potential updates spotted by S/O Sherlock and others. Most are small, such as the dimensions of a storage drawer inside the rear of the vehicle, but have to be assessed in terms of factors such as health and safety and EN standards. Others increase the capabilities of DFB personnel. “Recently we’ve made changes [including] retrofitting all of the ambulances with new lockers in the back to carry the LUCAS chest compressor, which is a machine that performs CPR,” S/O Sherlock
explains. “Previously they were operated using oxygen but now we’ve got the LUCAS 2 which is battery operated. The advanced paramedic car carries one at the minute. Basically, it frees up a firefighter/paramedic from doing CPR – this machine takes over. Not only does it provide good compression but it also provides good recoil where it withdraws the chest up – drawing the blood back into the heart to pump it back out.” The process of a new or updated build can take several months. The body is first built by Quinn Vehicles in Athenry, Co Galway, with the skeleton supplied by Mercedes. Next, it’s shipped to the production line of Wilker Auto Conversions in Co Offaly, which installs the necessary wiring looms, bolts and secures the body, and then begins work on the inside of the ambulance. Depending on their workload, it could take around two to three weeks for each vehicle. During the process, S/O Sherlock and Declan Haverty inspect the build on several occasions,
The environmentally-friendly additions are part of a continuous process of changes to DFB's ambulance fleet.
enlisting the expertise of D/O Tommy Keane in the event of any potential health and safety issues. As the build progresses there may be one or two small changes or tweaks, which are generally incorporated into the final version. Once complete, a final inspection is conducted against a checklist of changes agreed through the Third Officers, Assistant Chief Fire Officers and the Workshop. When the vehicle acceptance test is complete the ambulance arrives at the Workshop, where it’s fitted with any additional equipment required – such as two-way radios – before heading out into service. While the solar panelled ambulances have only recently begun their working lives, there are plenty more innovations coming down the track. “They have all been future-proofed for electronic patient care reports (ePCR). When a call-taker takes any information, what currently happens is they’ll send it to us via radio transmission (RT) or a print-out will come to the station,” S/O Sherlock explains. “But what we’re hoping to do going forward is have a monitor in the front [on which] everything will come up – it will populate the GPS automatically and we’ll just follow that. Any updates that the control room makes, it’ll all appear on the screen and we’ll have access to all of that information. There are a lot of things going forward.”
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FEATURE GORSE FIRES
THE THREAT OF GORSE FIRES
Last year, gorse fires resulted in considerable damage to the Irish landscape, destroying land, killing wildlife, and diverting valuable emergency services resources.
D
uring the spring and summer months, gorse fires are an unfortunately common issue in Ireland. Last year, for example, large swathes of land and forestry were destroyed by a number of incidents. In May, more than one-third of Galway’s Cloosh Valley went up in flames, with helicopters drafted in to fight the fires from the sky. In July and August, crews from Dublin Fire Brigade battled gorse fires across the Dublin Mountains. Gorse fires often occur during or following spells of dry weather, with flammable vegetation providing an extensive source of fuel. Given that they can stretch across large areas, often hundreds or even thousands of
hectares, extinguishing these fires is a difficult task requiring high volume pumps and aerial firefighting measures. Not only are they costly to forestry and other landowners, local authorities and fire services (whose attention may be diverted from other emergencies), alongside the potential hazard to human life, gorse fires can have a significant impact on Ireland’s valuable flora and fauna caught inside. “BirdWatch Ireland condemns the illegal fires which have destroyed vast swathes of habitat, decimated wildlife and, most recently and tragically, a family home. Thousands of hectares of mountain, hill, bog and forest habitat have been destroyed already this year, incinerating the wildlife that cannot
escape fast enough, including helpless chicks in their nests, or animals which find themselves caught between flames and fences,” the organisation stated on its website in May 2017. So what’s to be done? Simply responding to incidents as they occur isn’t enough – prevention is key to solving the problem, at least in part. Local authorities and fire services have made appeals to members of the public to be careful in preventing forest and gorse fires. Farmers have been reminded to carry out controlled burning on their land during the legal timeframe. Last year, Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed warned that those found to be burning vegetation during prohibited times could face fines and prosecution. “Fire is a powerful but dangerous tool – in the right hands and with the right application fire can enable rapid and cost-effective treatment of unwanted vegetation; but fire needs to be used with skill and understanding if it is not to do more harm than good. The benefits of burning to the land must justify the effort and level of risk involved,” the Department of Agriculture noted in a guide titled ‘Prescribed Burning Code of Practice – Ireland’. “Poorly planned or executed burning will cause long-term damage to soil and upland hydrology or hasten unwanted vegetation change that will in turn reduce productivity in livestock or wildlife habitats. Most importantly, burning under unsuitable conditions often leads to dangerous wildfire incidents. Uncontrolled burning of land leads to the destruction of already fragile habitats and wildlife, and can place human lives and property directly at risk. Apart from these direct risks, uncontrolled wildfire events lead to fire service resources being over-extended and diverted away from their main task of saving lives in our communities. Safety and consideration for neighbours and wider communities must therefore be paramount in planning and implementing safe, responsible controlled burning operations.”
WINTER / SPRING 40 FIRECALL
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ST. PATRICKS DAY
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ST. PATRICKS DAY
MARCHING THROUGH THE STREETS The Dublin Fire Brigade’s involvement in Dublin’s St Patrick’s Day parade is now a proud tradition, and this year was no exception.
N
ow an annual tradition, Dublin Fire Brigade each year makes up a pivotal part of Dublin city’s St Patrick’s Day parade. The parade attracts enormous crowds, and with DFB at the top of the parade, its marchers must be at the top of their game. This year, of course, was no different – except for the bitterly cold conditions and the fact that Ireland would claim the Grand Slam title against the English. “The parade was as good as it always is – getting bigger and better every year,” recalls Third Officer and Pipe Band member John Keogh. “The highlight this year, I think, was our after-parade reception, up in Dicey’s on Harcourt St. Seeing Ireland winning [the Six Nations Championship], was the highlight of the day. It was great!” The significance of the Irish win was not lost on anybody who witnessed it, and the parade itself was a huge success. Yet as anyone who ventured out on the day will recall, it was a fiercely cold day, which added even more pressure to the Pipe Band to perform to the best of their ability. “It was one of the coldest days that we have ever played!” says Third Officer Keogh. “We’ve had
We’ve had snow, we’ve had rain, but this was particularly cold, and it’s hard work for the band. snow, we’ve had rain, but this was particularly cold, and it’s hard work for the band. They put in a lot of practice and extra practice coming up to Patrick’s Day, making sure everybody could go the full length of the route. Three and a half kilometres is a long way and you’re leading the parade, so
you’re the first people that people see really, the first band that they come across. You have to put in the extra effort to be playing.”
FROM ACROSS THE WATER Keogh and his DFB colleagues were not, however, the only ones to bear the
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ST. PATRICKS DAY
Traditionally we have an open invitation for Patrick's Day – anybody is welcome to march with us in the parade, so long as they wear their number one uniform. cold this year. A number of American and Canadian colleagues linked up with DFB, marching in the parade in their own uniforms and flying their countries’ own flags. “Traditionally we have an open invitation for Patrick’s Day – anybody is welcome to march with us in the parade, so long as they wear their number one uniform,” explains Keogh. “Before the parade, we met up fairly early and the guys on C Watch in Phibsborough Fire Station did their usual and provided breakfast rolls for a hundred people, and tea and coffee. It’s an opportunity for everybody to get together and to meet up and socialise with our guests coming over from the States or anywhere else.” Dan Fynes, DFB Sports and Social Club Secretary, remembers how DFB’s foreign visitors enjoyed the experience. “They loved it, they had a ball,” he says. “We met them and brought them on our bus at the airport and we had refreshments waiting for them after a long travel. We took them for a drive around the coast, because we knew they wouldn’t get to see it because of the schedule that they had for the next couple of days. We took them for a spin around there, brought them to see some of the sights of Dublin, all before we brought them to their hotel.” The visiting colleagues were afforded a wonderful few days in Ireland, and it all came about with a family connection. “This was something that came about rather coincidentally,” explains Fynes. “My brother is working over in America, but he’s also a part of the volunteer fire department in
Southampton. I was explaining to him that a few visitors were coming in from the States before Paddy’s Day and I asked would any of your lads consider coming over? It just grew legs and before I knew it he’d put me in touch with Matt Shimkus. Matt was great
to deal with and it was a pleasure to eventually meet him after five months of virtual communications. The feedback from all the visitors made the effort worthwhile, well done to Matt for making it happen. I hope we can do it again sometime.”
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ST. PATRICKS DAY
Matt Shimkus of the Southampton Fire Department in New York and DFB Sports and Social Club Secretary Dan Fynes
WELCOMED WITH OPEN ARMS So what did Matt Shimkus of the Southampton Fire Department in New York actually make of his time in Dublin? “It was an absolutely amazing experience,” he says. “To
see the amount of people in the crowds and the high energy throughout the parade made it unforgettable. The hospitality from the Dublin Fire Brigade was above and beyond what any of us could have imagined. No parade will ever
come close to topping Dublin’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade.” As with last year, the Dublin Fire Brigade’s marchers headed over to Dicey’s on Harcourt Street following the parade. Here, the Pipe Band played a few tunes in the venue’s garden, adding to the already jovial atmosphere brought about by the festivities of St Paddy’s Day itself and the huge victory in the rugby. All of this added to the experience, leaving everyone who attended in high spirits – both locals and visitors alike. “It was great to visit a new place and be welcomed with open arms as if you are one of their own,” concludes Shimkus. “This was the feeling throughout the entire weekend, from the moment we landed until the day we left. A big thank you goes out to Dan Fynes and the Dublin Fire Brigade Sports and Social Club for all their help coordinating this trip and making it a truly special memory.”
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PROFILE
ON CALL IN KILDARE O
One of the busiest fire services outside of Dublin, Kildare County Fire & Rescue covers an area home to some 220,000 people and a broad variety of risk factors.
utside of Dublin, Kildare Country Fire & Rescue is home to the busiest fire stations in the ComputerAided Mobilisation Project (CAMP) area in the form of Naas and Newbridge, which respond to between 400 and 450 calls every year. Newbridge houses the county’s retained fire service headquarters, a busy office overseen by Chief Fire Officer Celina Barrett. The fire service is divided into several segments with varying aims and responsibilities – operations, emergency management, special projects and fire safety. On the technical side there’s a variety of work to be done, such as processing fire safety certificates, scheduling pre-incident planning, completing planning referrals and overseeing logistics such as the purchasing of equipment and other resources
required to support a busy retained fire service. But Newbridge is also an operational fire station, working on a retained basis. At the helm is Station Officer Nigel Tobella, a 19-year veteran of Offaly Fire and Rescue Service (where he held every rank) who was appointed as the full-time S/O here late last year. S/O Tobella’s responsibilities are varied, ranging from ensuring there are sufficient staff numbers available for turnout on the day to working with Phil in the station’s workshop to make sure the vehicles are ready to respond. As with Dublin, there’s no such thing as an average day for a fire station in Kildare. “The day to day operations of the station are as calls come in. Crews will attend the calls, I will back up the crew then to add another level of safety and operations to that,” he
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PROFILE
explains. “In between going to calls there’s a lot of managing to be done – health and safety, training, and at the moment I’m working on two separate projects for the senior assistant chief, so it’s taking them from inception through to draft stage. They’ll have a look at them at draft stage, they’ll give them back to me then with maybe a few amendments, and then I’ll take them through to the finished stages where they’ll become a policy document.” Training is also an important part of life at the station. Alongside a workshop and a vehicle storage yard, Newbridge houses the county’s training apparatus in the form of a training tower and a BA training building. Firefighters are given a minimum of a month’s notice in relation to any upcoming training, while an overall year plan containing details of core training activities for the year is available for all to review on the station noticeboard. “We also have a weekly training programme and that’s split up into four quarters,” S/O Tobella tells me. “Each one of those quarters will hit a specific core task of training that we have in the fire service.”
RESPONSE Newbridge is classed as a one-pump station – a one-pump response can be delivered at any one time with the duty crew that is on standby. Alpha One is the station’s primary turnout appliance, an impressive machine that carries 1,800L of water and a variety of equipment to deal with the first response to a domestic fire, RTC or hazardous materials. That’s backed up by the Bravo tender used specifically for road traffic collisions – in the event of a road incident both Alpha One and Bravo One are sent out. The station is also home to a 10,000L water tanker which can come in useful in extended responses or in remote locations with limited or no access to a fire hydrant or water supply, as well as a hydraulic platform providing height
Station Officer Nigel Tobella and Chief Fire Officer Celina Barrett.
capabilities. Add to that the Station Officer’s Ford Ranger and the rostered Senior Fire Officer’s Ford Kuga, which allows them to attend an incident and add another layer of safety, and there’s no shortage of equipment on standby when a call comes in. While the crew at Newbridge often responds to domestic fires, S/O Tobella notes that quite a number of calls are for road traffic collisions. Where he might have responded to one a month in Offaly, crews are called out to the scene of road collisions perhaps two or three times a week in Kildare. The nearby motorways are undoubtedly a large source of calls – most of the country’s major road networks run through the Thoroughbred County, including the N7, M7, M9 and M4. That presents its own challenges.
“The motorways are a huge hazard; when there is an RTC on the motorway we’re mindful of the safety of the crews, and safe systems of work,” says S/O Tobella. “[We’re also mindful] then that we are causing congestion on the motorways at what are usually peak times of travel, so we’ll do our best to get the incident cleared up, cleaned up and out of there quickly so that the commuters can make their way home.” During the course of responding to road traffic collisions, crews from Kildare – particularly Naas and Leixlip – will work side-by-side with Dublin Fire Brigade crews from Tallaght or Blanchardstown. Kildare, along with Offaly, was one of the last fire services in the country to migrate into the East Regional Control Centre (ERCC) and revised its predetermined attendance plans as part
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PROFILE
A key focus for Kildare’s fire service is working with communities across the county to provide enhanced fire safety in the home.
of that move. Now, fire services in Dublin, Laois, Offaly, Carlow and Wicklow all have first turnout areas located within Kildare’s borders. “We have worked with Dublin to establish working procedures on the fireground and we work alongside Tallaght on the N7/ M7 and then Leixlip will work with Blanchardstown at the top of Captains Hill in Leixlip and into some of the fireground area there,” CFO Barrett explains. “That works quite well, the crews have got to know each other. It’s mostly road traffic accidents that they meet at because we have a two-station turnout for road traffic accidents. On the N7, we treat it as if it’s a motorway even though technically it’s not. We have a pincer response – we have a brigade that comes from one direction and a brigade
that comes from another direction. So Naas is going north and Tallaght are coming south because the information we get from callers can be poor, they could be saying they’re heading in the Dublin direction and they’re actually heading in the other direction. It’s to make sure that the nearest fire station gets to whoever is experiencing the emergency as quickly as possible.” And there are many other risk factors too, including rail links going south and west or one of the biggest manufacturing facilities in the country with Intel in Leixlip. “We also have the distribution centres for Aldi and Lidl, and a big distribution centre for Musgraves. We have some huge centres like that located here – the distribution centre for Penneys is located here too,” says CFO Barrett. “Huge amounts of traffic volume and large nodes of infrastructure are located here, which was significant during the snow [in terms of] trying to support the industries and keep people moving. We also have two airports, which people wouldn’t realise. We share the airport in Westin – part of the airport is in Kildare, part of it is in South County Dublin, but there’s also an airport outside Kilberry in Athy as well. So for a small county there’s a lot going on!”
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT A key focus for Kildare’s fire service is working with communities across the county to provide enhanced fire safety in the home. Chanel
Ryan, Senior Assistant Chief Fire Officer, oversees the brigade’s fire safety section and has been to the forefront of developing its community fire safety initiatives. Alongside engagement activities including participation in Christmas and St. Patrick’s Day events, and two station open days every year either side of Fire Safety Week, Kildare conducts a comprehensive schools fire safety programme – every third class in the county will receive a visit from the fire service, who use the fire safety packs issued by the National Directorate. Fire safety in the home will be the major focus in 2018, and Kildare has recently introduced a free service offered to vulnerable people in the community and particularly targeted at those over the age of 65 during its initial rollout. Fire safety talks are given to community groups and those interested submit an application. The brigade follows up with an appointment to conduct a safety check in the home, give advice and, if necessary, install a free smoke alarm. Representatives turn up at a person’s home in a fire service vehicle and in uniform to prevent any possibility of abuse. “From the small budget we maximise a lot in terms of community fire safety,” CFO Barrett explains. “The home fire safety checks this year are a big deal in the sense that people die in their homes. Vulnerable people die in their homes, and we’re hoping that this will have a significant impact.”
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RETIREMENT
FF/P Jimmy O’Beirne and FF/p David Fitzgerald
A FOND FAREWELL Three senior firefighter/paramedics are retiring from Dún Laoghaire fire station this spring. Conor Forrest caught up with David Fitzgerald and Jimmy O’Beirne to discover more about their careers, what they have enjoyed most over the last few decades, and their plans for the years ahead.
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RETIREMENT
I
n later years, 1976 would become known as the summer of content. A heatwave spread across the country with people taking to the outdoors in their droves to make the most of the sunshine. As it turned out, record temperatures were on the way – the highest in the 20th century was recorded at the end of June with 32.5 degrees registered in Boora, Co Offaly. By the time the sun was splitting the country’s stones, FF/P David Fitzgerald had already graduated as part of Class 1/76, completing a number of weeks’ training in Kilbarrack. Firefighting was in his family, passed down through the Kiernans on his mother’s side. Having trained with around 35 others, David’s career would span a variety of stations across the city and always on D watch – beginning with Buckingham Street and Dorset Street, both long since closed. An East Wall lad, he married and moved out to Killiney, switching to Donnybrook for 12 years after the closure of Buckingham Street and finally moving to Dún Laoghaire, where I meet him one Wednesday evening. In April, David retired, with 42 years under his belt and the honour of holding badge number one in the brigade, alongside his friends and colleagues Jimmy O’Beirne and Frank Curtin. Four decades is an extraordinary long time to spend in any career and I ask David if there’s anything in particular that stands out when he casts his mind back. “The biggest thing about the job that I have found over 40-odd years would have been the camaraderie within the brigade. That stands out,” he explains. “The changes I’ve seen in the job – in my opinion the most amazing courses are available now; advanced paramedic courses, high rise courses, swiftwater rescue, the whole lot. But the camaraderie is amazing. Myself and Jimmy have travelled the world through the fire brigade, through sport and visiting different countries. Water polo was my big sport (and rugby) – I captained the
Irish firefighting team three times to three European championships and then I coached.” Jimmy’s sport, the man himself explains, was fishing and boating over the years (apart from travelling abroad with the cycling club as a spectator or helping with logistics), noting that the station’s boat club has been running since 1974 and they hope to find a successor to keep it going after they’ve retired. He also trained in Kilbarrack, as part of the last class to do so in 1983 before training moved across to the O’Brien Institute in Marino. Those were tough days – Ireland was in the grip of a fierce recession described as one of the most austere periods in the state’s history and characterised by mass emigration and high unemployment. “In 1983, when I came into the job, there were no jobs,” he says. “It was a big thing to get 40-odd jobs in the fire brigade then because the unemployment was really bad – I think it was at its worst then. It’s good to see it has gone the other direction now. You need the turnover of youth.” Jimmy’s first five years were spent in Tara Street on D watch, back in the old headquarters. From there he transferred to Tallaght when the new station opened, and stayed there for the next 21 years. “That was in itself an experience because Tallaght was a busy, busy station. There was a wide variety of work and I continued on there for 21 years until 2009. I came across here then and I’ve been here for the last ten years,” he adds. “I’ve enjoyed it and it’s a different area with different risks. We were at the Carrickmines fire – that becomes the job over 35 years, you attend a lot of incidents. All in all I enjoyed my service within the job. For me, the highlight would have been the marine emergency response (MER) course, a great course they were doing for new guys. I was nearly 50 by the time I got to do it. And then I did some training with the advanced paramedics in the response car and I enjoyed that. I saw
The crew of D watch
where firefighters have upgraded to now – in casualties they can run the protocols that years ago we weren’t able to do. Those are some of the big changes that we’ve seen.”
IMPACT David and Jimmy have almost 80 years of firefighting experience between them – David is a veteran of the catastrophic Stardust night club fire on February 14th 1981. It’s an invaluable resource across the job – men and women who have seen
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RETIREMENT
and done it all can provide a unique perspective on a variety of situations, whether it’s the introduction of new equipment or encountering a tricky situation at an incident. “Senior guys always steady the ship in a fire station. They were people that you could always rely on for anything,” explains D watch S/O Ken O’Dwyer. “A station officer would always go to the senior personnel with anything that’s going on to test the water to see what way they think it might pan out. Even when it comes to
introducing a new piece of equipment or going to do an exercise or a drill, you’d always have them involved because they know what way it will go down with the rest of the guys. A senior firefighter always had a huge amount of respect in Dublin Fire Brigade.” That kind of experience is also invaluable when it comes to training the next generation, and lessons learned on the fireground over decades can prove life-saving in certain circumstances. The chance
to learn from someone with three or four decades worth of work experience doesn’t come around too often. Take Cormac Goggin, a carpenter by trade from Wexford who spotted a recruitment ad for Dublin Fire Brigade almost by chance. Cormac began his training in the OBI last February and is barely a year in the job, previously spending around four months in Donnybrook and another few months at Rathfarnham before arriving here. He’s well aware of what he still has to learn about life
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RETIREMENT
as a firefighter and paramedic and is grateful for the chance to learn from two senior colleagues. “It is great getting the opportunity to work with the most senior firefighter in the job in Dave, and Jimmy I’d say is not too far behind him. They things they’ve seen and the experiences they’ve had – they wouldn’t talk about it a whole lot but if you ask them about it they’ll tell you,” he explains. “They’ve done it all and it is interesting. You have Dave here who has been at Stardust. When I think about that I think 40 years ago but he was there. It’s great to work with people who have that experience because you do pick up things from them, you look at those lads as a guide to what you want to do.”
THE ROAD AHEAD Leaving the job behind after so many years is a bittersweet moment. The everyday camaraderie will be left behind although by no means forgotten – neither can years on the frontlines of the city, meeting people at what is often the lowest point in their lives and doing your best to see them through. “The craic with the crew – there’s no more that you want. And feeling that you’re just there to help the public,” says David. “And the public back to us have always been, throughout my life in the job, very responsive in a very positive way. In fact, I’d say there’s no-one that doesn’t like a firefighter anywhere in
the world – they’re just there to help you.” “They’ll earn it, obviously. That’s a long career,” says S/O O’Dwyer of their years ahead. “Dave is 42 years in the fire brigade – it’s a long time to be in one career, no matter what it is. The things they would have seen, the way they would have seen change. There was no PHECC, there were no paramedics, there were no defibrillators on the fire appliances. Dorset or Buckingham Street – nobody would know anything about them. They’re art galleries or colleges now. The person who’s new in the job would know nothing about any of those stations, any of those scenarios, the way they used to operate. All of that is gone. There’s very few people with that sort of vintage left.” As S/O O’Dwyer explains, there’s a tradition where the crew joins David for a swim down at the Forty Foot on the tip of Dublin Bay, a great way to shake off the cobwebs at the end of the night shifts for any given week. There’s no doubt that will continue, although both David and Jimmy have other plans in place for their retirement years. “Into my campervan and off for the winters to Europe and summers here!” David says with a laugh. “It’s been my life for 42 years and it’s like walking out of a place thinking ‘The last time I was in the real world out there I was a kid. It’s sad to go but I think both of us are really
looking forward to seeing out there. There are always different things on that we’ll be invited to, birthdays, Christmas or weddings. It never stops that way – you’re part of that family.” As for Jimmy, there’s a trip to Norway planned for May with his other half, and he explains that he’ll likely meet up with David and his campervan out on the roads of Europe. “Who knows, it’s a big road out there, you don’t know where you are going to stop!” he says. “There are mixed emotions, I suppose. When you’re in the brotherhood, I’m going to call it, the real world is out there and you’ve lost yourself in here in our world. A long retirement, please God!” “It’s been a fantastic time for both myself and Jimmy,” David tells me before I leave. “I’ve never heard anyone coming out of here saying they didn’t like their 30 or 40 years, never.” Jimmy nods his head, echoing that sentiment. “It has its great perks. Certainly it worked out for me and I know it worked out for David. I’ve totally enjoyed it – no regrets.”
FAREWELL
Men and women who have seen and done it all can provide a unique perspective on a variety of situations, whether it's the introduction of new equipment or encountering a tricky situation at an incident.
The departure of David and Jimmy (and Frank Curtin) will undoubtedly leave a hole in Dún Laoghaire, but the crew wishes them a long and enjoyable retirement. “I just wish them all the best in their retirement. We always like to see somebody getting out with a good few years left in them because there’s no point working all of your life if you can’t get out and enjoy your retirement,” says S/O O’Dwyer. “I hope they have a very happy retirement. I know David has his plans to head off in his campervan and I’m sure Jimmy has plans. It’s always great to see people getting out healthy and well, in any job. I hope they have a long and happy retirement.”
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COUNTER TERRORISM
RADICAL REALITIES: IRELAND’S TERROR THREAT The threat from radical Islamic terrorism appears to have grown stronger in recent months, with several high profile locations across Europe the subject of terrorist attacks throughout 2017. But is Ireland at risk from extremists? Conor Forrest spoke with security analyst Declan Power to discover more.
A
mong the usual revellers, musicians, organisers and traders, 2017’s Electric Picnic festival in Stradbally, Co Laois featured an unusual sight – armed gardaí patrolling the grounds in a bid to guard against any potential terror attacks. It is, as Harry Styles might agree, a sign of the times. Over the last few years, radical Islamic violence has increased across the continent of Europe – in 2017 alone some 96 people lost their lives during terror attacks in Stockholm, Manchester, London, Paris, Istanbul and Barcelona. Events across the continent are on high alert, with increased security measures deployed to ensure participants’ safety. Thus far, Ireland has escaped the rage of Islamic extremists but, in the wake of attacks not too far from our borders,
our preparations are under continuous review, identifying potential risks, stepping up surveillance of known individuals, and putting measures in place to leap into action should the worst happen. Our country is no stranger to terrorist activities, but this is a different story. While the IRA’s activities were mainly limited to Ireland and the UK, Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for attacks across the globe, from Berlin to Baghdad. Their targets are global, wherever ‘disbelievers’ live, often recruiting young and impressionable men and women who have grown up in the West but are swayed by a corrupted view of their faith. But are we in Ireland, a tiny country on the edge of Europe, really under threat of attack from Islamic extremists?
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COUNTER TERRORISM
In December, the Defence Forces also carried out a drill in Dublin with gardaí, simulating an attack on a city centre Dart and railway station.
“I would describe it more as ‘possible’ but not highly likely,” explains independent security analyst Declan Power, formerly of the Defence Forces and author of The Siege of Jadotville. “The reason I say that is – and people tend to get a little bit hysterical about these things – you’ve got to look at it from the point of view of the terrorist. And not just any terrorist, but today’s iteration of terrorism as we see from the world of the Islamic extremist.” Power differentiates between the modus operandi of the Provisional IRA and Islamic extremists, describing the strategies of the latter as ‘not as thought out’. He notes that IS – whose foundations lie in the Salafist and Wahhabi movements within Islam – pursues a strategy of motivating young and relatively uneducated Western European Muslims with a less in-depth awareness of their Islamic faith to carry out attacks on the continent. Nor is there one solitary army council dictating the activities of Islamic extremists across the world. Some are individuals who have been radicalised but can’t reach the battlefields of the Middle East and instead use their own initiative to plan and carry out lone
wolf attacks, like those already seen in Britain or France. “They don’t have the skillset in terms of planning, coordination, or the detailed knowledge to manufacture munitions [that] the likes of the IRA would have been able to do. So they’re going for targets that are high profile, that are very visible, but that they are able to maximise the amount of terror from ordinary elements such as knives, hammers, using a vehicle the way they used it in London and Barcelona. The prime thing they will always look for is visibility and traction in the international media. And that will determine their target,” Power explains. “That means that we would not be off the list, but that there are other targets that would give them that in greater amounts. As long as they can get to them we will be further down the list. But the reality has to be taken into account that, as other jurisdictions lock down those opportunities, at some stage it’s highly likely that they could manifest and attack in Ireland.”
RESPONSE With such eventualities on the horizon, it falls to the powers that be to organise and prepare Ireland’s defences – mainly An Garda Síochána’s Emergency Response Unit (ERU) and the Defence Forces’ Army Ranger Wing (ARW), but also emergency services including Dublin Fire Brigade. It’s a thorny issue – there’s only so much preparation that can be done to cope with a terrorist attack like the Manchester Arena bombing. Power describes such attacks as ‘insidious’, often carried out by people who have
been born and reared in that country, or who have lived there long enough to fade into the background. “The problem is that they’re not people that are seeking to infiltrate, they’re already well-embedded in our society,” he notes. “And the chances are that they probably became embedded long before they were radicalised. In that situation, you can’t entirely blame any security, law enforcement or intelligence entity for not picking up on them.” Ireland’s emergency services are indeed preparing for a mass casualty event, including conducting training exercises that explore potential scenarios and identify strengths and weaknesses. Last year we covered a mass casualty incident exercise hosted by Dublin Fire Brigade in Dublin city, simulating a terrorist attack along the Luas line at Broadstone, testing the efficacy and timeliness of their response alongside the Garda ERU and ARU and others. In December, the Defence Forces also carried out a drill in Dublin with gardaí, simulating an attack on a city centre Dart and railway station with the potential for further attacks on critical infrastructure. Power has called in the past for the ERU and the ARW to train together and notes that inter-agency exercises are a step in the right direction. “What we need to see are interagency exercises. By that I mean Garda, Defence Forces, fire brigade, other emergency responders all being fitted into the jigsaw as appropriate, for them all to get a sense of the chaos and terror that something like this can bring about... it’s only until you walk through
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COUNTER TERRORISM experts who could bridge the gap between the two agencies and bring outside knowledge of geopolitics and other issues for more comprehensive analysis. “What I would suggest is a coordinating function at national level that would have a direct line reporting to Justice and An Taoiseach, and be able to brief cogently and be able to make sense of information in a timely fashion,” he says, adding that an official policy framework with regards to State security and intelligence matters would provide very clear lines of demarcation for the various agencies on the ground.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Mass casualty exercise, Broadstone 2017. PHOTOS: John Keogh.
it that you get a sense of what you do that’s right, what you do that’s wrong, and that you sensitise your people,” he explains. “It’s going to be chaotic and difficult enough if something like that does happen, but if you have a plan in place that you have wargamed out and then better again if you have actually exercised it, just like a fire drill – a simple thing like a fire drill is about sensitising people to be able to react without panicking to a life-threatening situation. And it’s that concept, only a bit more complex and larger, that we need to be engendering within our State services.” I ask Power about the potential for a national security and intelligence agency, a matter raised in the Dáil in 2017 by TD Micheál Martin, with calls from some quarters to essentially create an Irish FBI. Power believes that the creation of an entirely new entity would be counterproductive, instead proposing an office that would coordinate the work of the Garda Crime and Security Branch (formerly C3) and the Directorate of Military Intelligence (also known as G2), complemented by external
The ability to respond to a terrorist incident with fire and fury is undoubtedly important, but there are also opportunities to combat the threat from extremism that go far beyond and deeper than drilling for potential attacks – preventative measures that take place in the heart of the community. Community leaders can be considered as frontline soldiers in the battle against extremism: gardaí, teachers, religious leaders, community activists and local politicians all have their role to play in working against homegrown terrorism. Such moves are already underway with varying degrees of success in An Garda Síochána – the Garda Racial, Intercultural and Diversity Unit has been building ties with Ireland’s Muslim community and its leaders in recent years. These links are important at a local level, whether through policing, education or sports, providing an avenue for someone within that community to highlight concerns they may have about particular individuals, which can then be filtered up through the ranks for an appropriate response. “We have a good relationship with Muslim followers who provide valuable information which is helping to curb the threat of Ireland being used as a hub for jihadist terrorists. In particular, the women in the community are very vocal if they become suspicious of any activity,” Garda Sgt. David McInerney, head of the unit, told The
Irish Times last year. “They are the first to notice if a young person who may be vulnerable for whatever reason is being preyed upon as a potential target to become radicalised.” To further the potential of this information network, Power notes that more relevant training must be provided across the board, including for gardaí. “It’s one thing to be reaching out and establishing lines of communication with local imams et cetera, but are these officers being schooled and trained in the subtleties?” he asks of the Diversity Unit. “Do they know the difference between the Shia and Sunni Muslim religion? Do they understand the significance of a mosque maybe leaning very much towards Salafism and Wahhabism? How do they deal with that and how do they take that onboard in terms of their perspective, the context in which they’re operating? There’s a big difference – Salafism does not mean that somebody pursuing it is a terrorist. But all of Islamic terrorism emanates from Salafist and Wahhabist thinking. It’s a very extreme form of Islam. So those officers that deal with that need to be aware of this.” Power also highlights the need to put in place a ‘proper policy framework’ for uniformed officers on the beat, those who are working at the coalface building links with these communities, that would allow them to correctly interpret should they come across actionable intelligence information. It’s this day-to-day intelligence gathered on the ground that can have the greatest impact – agencies like the Crime and Security Branch can only monitor individuals that have already been identified as offering a potential risk. “We need to be looking at people going through the formation process, getting them at source. And that’s how we can do it – it can be done as has been shown in other jurisdictions,” he notes. “In fact, it has been shown in our own jurisdiction in how we dealt with extreme republicanism in the ‘70s and ‘80s. But we just need to pull it together.”
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COMMERCIAL FEATURE
GROW: SUPPORTING POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH GROW promotes positive mental health, personal growth and recovery from all kinds of mental illness. The focus is ongoing peersupport, mutual encouragement and understanding – people supporting others on the journey to mental health recovery. GROW is also about breaking social isolation, fostering social connectedness, outreach and friendship. GROW’s slogan is “you alone can do it, but you can’t do it on your own”. Besides weekly support meetings, GROW also holds free community education, workplace, carer and young adult programmes.
BENEFITS
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A 2016 outcomes-based report on GROW’s recovery programme looked at the impacts, benefits and changes to GROW members. The results show that: • 46 per cent of GROW members had no relapse of symptoms in the past year. • Over 50 per cent said they were coping well or very well. • 17 per cent of members had never been hospitalised for mental health issues, while a further 68 per cent were not hospitalised in the past year. • 89 per cent of members were optimistic about the future. Research conducted by Trinity College Dublin in 2017 also examined the transformative power of GROW’s peer-support programme in assisting recovery from mental illness. The research, published in May, featured in-depth interviews with 26
SUPPORT
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One-in-four people in Ireland will experience some kind of psychological or emotional distress in the course of this year. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Ireland has the seventh highest rate of suicide in people in the EU in the 15-24 age group. By supporting us, you are directly helping people struggling with their mental wellbeing and securing our vital, ongoing work; namely the delivery of GROW in Ireland’s Programme of Recovery, free weekly support group network and the promotion of better mental health awareness within your community. To support GROW in its important work or for more information on GROW’s services, please get in touch.
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TECHNOLOGY
TECHNOLOGICAL TOOLS: CARE IN The latest innovations for the world's emergency services.
TRANSIT
PHOTO: Magirus.
YOUTH Wermelskirchen Junior Fire Department in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia recently received a special delivery from Magirus – an LF 10 fire tender. Designed to meet the training needs of younger firefighters in place of older converted vehicles, the LF 10 is based on a Mercedes-Benz Atego chassis and features equipment tailored to the needs of junior members, including C suction hoses, fittings, a TS 2/5 portable pump and four 24V LED floodlights. The German Youth Fire Brigade (DFF) is open to children between the ages of 10 and 18, aimed at promoting an interest and insight into a career as a firefighter. Basic training (first aid, firefighting drills etc.) is conducted alongside
improving fitness and agility and other activities including exchange programmes with their counterparts in Poland, the Czech Republic, France, Russia and Finland. Currently, there are more than 245,000 members around the country organised in some 18,100 youth fire brigades. The Wermelskirchen Junior Fire Department is the first department to make use of such a new appliance and hopes it will inspire other young potential firefighters to join. If necessary, the new tender will also be available to the volunteer and full-time firefighters. “With the new vehicle, we want to ensure that the young firefighters receive the best possible training,” said Department Head Holger Stubenrauch.
Global communications company ViaSat is working with Scotland’s University of Aberdeen and the Scottish Ambulance Service to trial a connected ambulance programme. SatCare enhances medical care for patients in transit, allowing paramedics to send high-resolution video and ultrasound images from connected ambulances to the hospital ahead of the patient’s arrival, using ViaSat’s advanced satellite network. The one-year trial, which has been part-funded by the European Space Agency (ESA), aims to assist patients living in rural or remote parts of the country, providing better care on long journeys and streamlining their treatment – a patient’s condition can be assessed before they arrive with immediate transfer to an operating theatre if required. A video summary of the patient’s condition can be recorded and packaged in less than five minutes and is transmitted in seconds. Life-threatening conditions being assessed as part of the trial include chest pain, shortness of breath, major trauma etc. FIRECALL WINTER / SPRING
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TECHNOLOGY
CARE ON CAMPUS PHOTO: AmbuPod.
RESCUE Small ambulances are nothing new but the AmbuPod takes things to a another level. Combining a mobile clinic and micro-ambulance into one small vehicle capable of transporting a patient and medical attendant, the solar-powered AmbuPod (www.ambupod.com) has been developed to tackle emergencies both in rural India, where health services are often poor and clinics ill-equipped, and in crowded urban centres where heavy traffic can be the difference between life and death. Less than three feet wide with high ground clearance, the AmbuPod can be towed by a motorbike, quad or snowmobile, and can traverse narrow footpaths and gaps or weave through traffic to reach patients or hospitals quickly. Onboard equipment includes a handheld ECG, IV fluids, an Ambu bag, and an optional defibrillator. The pod was designed by Dr Lavanian Dorairaj from Pune, the second largest city in the Maharashtra state. Dr Doairja is an Indian Air Force veteran who sought to solve the challenges faced by rural Indians. “Once stationed in each village, there is no need to wait for an ambulance from a distant hospital. Any patient could immediately be transported to a hospital within the golden hour,” the company states. “In cities, thanks to the Ambupod’s carefully designed structure, it can manoeuvre through narrow gaps in heavy traffic and even run on the sidewalk, to transport a patient safely. In addition, the AmbuPod would lower the capital and operational costs of patient transport to a hospital by as much as 80 per cent in some cases.”
A new mobile safety app has been made available to students at Dublin City University (DCU), connecting staff and students anywhere across the globe with DCU's emergency response team. Users of SafeZone, powered by technology firm CriticalArc, can activate the app and choose one of three options – Emergency, First Aid or Help. The user's location is sent to security personnel who can provide the help required. The response team can also check on registered users in the event of an incident overseas, find their location and liaise with emergency services in that country if required. “Staff and student wellbeing and safety is of the utmost importance and the SafeZone technology further enhances both of these for staff and students across our campuses and while overseas, travelling, studying and working at other institutions," said DCU President Professor Brian MacCraith. "DCU is now a multi-campus environment and, by deploying SafeZone in conjunction with our existing campus emergency response team, it will enable us to respond even more effectively and efficiently to students and staff who may need emergency support.”
CONCEPT AMBULANCE Among the vehicles unveiled at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show was Nissan's fifth-generation ambulance, the Paramedic Concept. The ambulance is based on Nissan's NV350 Caravan, designed to provide more comfort for the patient and a better work environment for paramedics. Powered by a 2.5L petrol engine, features include an auxiliary lithium ion battery that runs the on-board life-saving medical equipment, technology that helps reduce the spread of
germs, and Nissan's Intelligent Around View Monitor – a system that uses four cameras to provide a bird's-eye, 360-degree view of your surroundings. "Our fifth-generation ambulance will offer enhanced features that will make a real difference to people's lives," said Ashwani Gupta, senior vice president of the Renault-Nissan LCV Business Unit. "The new Paramedic Concept contains vital life-saving equipment to respond to emergencies, often in remote areas."
WINTER / SPRING 62 FIRECALL
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COMMERCIAL FEATURE
THE NEW NAAS 2
018 is the year of the new Naas. Our recent developments have been focused on customer experience with our new feature building ‘The Circle’. The €1.7 million feature building incorporates a sports bar located on the ground floor and an owners and trainers’ lounge on the first floor. The Circle is located between the parade ring and grandstand, providing greater vantage points for the racing public and owners and trainers alike. The next part of our development is focused on the interior of our grandstand building, which will commence in the autumn.
Aside from redevelopments and to fit in with our family day proposition, we have a new crèche facility based at Naas Racecourse, the Inspire Child Development Centre. The development centre will be fully operational in the near future on racedays for families, offering parents the option to drop off their children for a period of time on a raceday. We are now looking forward to our exciting race meetings over the summer which will showcase top class flat action and a range of other events to go alongside, such as our Royal Ascot trials and Ladies Day on Sunday May 20th, one of the feature race meetings within the flat season. We also have our summer
Photo: Conor Healy Photography.
A host of exciting events and experiences are waiting for you at Naas Racecourse.
BBQ evenings on June 27th and July 25th and our family fun days on April 8th and July 7th which include a range of free activities for the kids from bouncy castles to petting farms. There has never been a better time to visit Naas Racecourse, located in the heart of the thoroughbred county of Kildare.
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Do you have an interesting story or topic to share, or would you like to submit an article for consideration for our next issue?
We love to hear from Dublin Fire Brigade personnel both serving and retired – stories and memories from your career, interesting events, technology and training, questions, comments and much more besides.
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CARING FOR THE OLDER PERSON Care Centre & Nursing Home
Mount Tabor, Sandymount Sheltered Housing
Margaretholme, Sandymount & Ailt an Óir, Glenageary Mount Tabor, Sandymount Green, Dublin 4 D04 YT68 T 353 (1) 2605772 F 353 (1) 2605786 E info@DublinCentralMission.ie W www.DublinCentralMission.ie 244553_2L_Dublin Central Mission_JM_Firecall.indd 1
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MOTORING VOLVO XC60
MOTORING VOLVO XC60
SAFETY FIRST: VOLVO'S NEW XC60 VOLVO’S XC60 IS A TOUCH OF SCANDINAVIAN CLASS, WRITES CONOR FORREST.
S
weden, apparently, is investigating the possibility of expanding its network of nuclear fallout shelters. The Scandinavians are worried about being in the firing line between North Korea and the US, with threats being bandied about like two schoolboys trading insults across the classroom, if those schoolboys had access to an arsenal of nuclear weapons. These days, it seems like simply sitting into one of Volvo’s latest line-up would be just as effective for the Swedes – better, at least, than Ireland’s solution of chugging a few iodine tablets and closing the curtains.
Take Volvo’s mid-size SUV, the XC60, which is much more than a scaled down version of the XC90 range-topper and one of a number of tremendous cars they’ve been making recently thanks to Chinese investment. Sit inside and you’re in one of the safest cars on the planet, amply equipped with park assist, reversing camera, cross traffic alert (which warns of traffic passing by if you’re reversing), a lane keeping aid, distance alert, not to mention a nifty head-up display, road sign information and adaptive cruise control. If there’s a car sitting in your blindspot you’ll be alerted via a red warning light in your wing mirrors. And for long, boring journeys along the motorway there’s Pilot Assist, Volvo’s innocuously named take on semi-autonomous driving that basically combines adaptive cruise control with lane assist to keep you on
the straight and narrow with minimal driver input. While it probably won’t improve your chances of surviving a direct missile hit, it’ll at least try to avoid it. The XC60 is a car for drivers who have graduated beyond the confines of the crossover, who want something with a bit more power, ride height, comfort and safety. On the road, it drives more like a car than an SUV, equipped as it is with deft and responsive steering, a great turning circle, plenty of traction and very little body roll. It’s comfortable too, the changeable suspension soaking up the punishment on a variety of surfaces from potholes and speed bumps to railway tracks and back roads without a complaint. My test model featured the 2.0L D4 diesel engine with plenty of poke and averaging around 7L/100km (40mpg). The 232hp D5 version offers more power and less fuel economy, while the plug-in petrol hybrid T8 with 407hp provides an environmentally friendly choice. The automatic
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MOTORING VOLVO XC60
POWER:
BHP: 190 0-100 KM/H
7.9 SECONDS
VOLVO XC60 D4 MOMENTUM
gearbox is simply divine, whirring through the gears without so much as a slight jolt. As is the interior. Volvo’s reputation for interior quality shines through the XC60’s cabin, a combination of comfortable, trendy leather, brushed aluminium and soft-touch materials throughout, though the doors in my Momentum model were a tad plasticky. There is plenty of head and legroom, lots of space for three adults in the back row, and decent sized door bins, central compartment and glovebox. There’s a solid, well-made feel about the XC60, sleek and modern but minimalist – everything you might expect from a Swedish mind. Everything is well laid out for the driver,
the multifunction steering wheel is comfortable and easy on the eye, and there’s good visibility too – the XC60 doesn’t feel like a tall car but once you’re inside you really feel a step above the surrounding traffic. And there are plenty of gadgets. The fabulous and user-friendly media centre sits head and shoulders above the competition, with virtually everything controlled via the touchscreen. The sat nav works wonderfully, the sound system is aural pleasure, the seats are luxurious (and feature aluminium crumple zones should you have an accident) and while the mechanically operated boot isn’t revolutionary, it is quite useful on a wet day with two armfuls of shopping. There’s even a 230V outlet accessible from the back should you require a shave on the go. Pricing for the XC60 (Momentum) begins at €51,950, accompanied by an impressive standard list that includes cruise control, hill start assist, the power operated tailgate, rear park assist, heated front seats and sat nav. That stacks up well against its main rivals – a little more than the Audi Q5 and undercutting the BMW X3, both good options in their own right. The old XC60 was a family favourite and, if I had the choice, given the comfort, design and sheer quality on offer, I’d have the new one in a heartbeat.
C02: 136g/km ANNUAL TAX OF
€280
PRICE: €60,045 INCLUDING EXTRAS (RANGE STARTS AT €53,950)
WINTER / SPRING 68 FIRECALL
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Hammond Metal Recycling Limited
Welcome to those in need
Head Office Pigeon House Road, Dublin 4 Tel: (01) 667 5335 | Fax: (01) 667 5345
Bro. Kevin needs financial help to provide 850 meals every day and 1,700 food parcels once a week for the people who attend the centre. We have a doctor’s clinic, dental clinic, chiropodist and showers are provided every day.
Branches Ringaskiddy, Cork Tel: (021) 437 8014 | Fax: (021) 437 8195 Garycastle, Athlone, Co. Westmeath Tel: (09064) 73366 | Fax: (09064) 76472
Please send a donation, no matter how small to:
Crag Terrace, Clondalkin Industrial Estate, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 Tel: (01) 457 6852 | Fax: (01) 457 8158 Deepwater Quay, Finisklin, Sligo Tel: (071) 9153360
Best Wishes to the Fire Services
Bro. Kevin Crowley ofm cap. Capuchin Day Centre, 29, Bow Street, Dublin 7. Telephone: 01-8720770
or donate online
www.homeless.ie
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my gift to the world Together, we can continue to create a future that is fair for everyone. And make a world without poverty our legacy. For more information contact OXFAM Ireland Tel: (01) 672 7662 Email: friends@oxfamireland.org Oxfam Ireland is a member of Oxfam International, a world-wide development organisation that mobilises the power of people against poverty. Charitable co. limited by guarantee. Reg. No. 284292, CHY5988
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MOTORING VOLKSWAGEN ARTEON
MOTORING VOLKSWAGEN ARTEON
ARTEON UNVEILED VOLKSWAGEN’S UNOFFICIAL CC REPLACEMENT HAS ARRIVED IN THE FORM OF THE ARTEON, A FOUR-DOOR COUPÉ WITH MAJOR ASPIRATIONS. CONOR FORREST STEPPED BEHIND THE WHEEL TO DISCOVER MORE.
A
rteon. The name itself brings some mysterious or mythological being to mind – an ancient Greek god, or perhaps Hercules’ dog. It’s actually a rather distinctlooking five-door coupé made by Volkswagen, sitting just above the Passat in their current line-up (the spot formerly occupied by the CC). First things first – the elephant in the room. The Arteon could be described as a Passat-and-a-half, but it’s quite a bit more expensive than its little brother. My mid-spec Elegance model with a couple extras (think sunroof, tech upgrades, winter pack) costs a sizeable €52,497. Even the entry-level version will set you back a cool €41,495. So is it worth it? To be honest, it’s a little hard to justify the price-tag, but you do get quite a bang for your buck.
If it’s comfort and proper quality you’re after, the Arteon delivers in spades. Regardless of the surface, the body soaks up the punishment. Steering is perfectly balanced, more so than any other car I’ve driven in recent months. Driving dynamics are impressive and there’s never a hint that it can’t cope even on wet and windy roads, though it’s more of a motorway cruiser than a weekend thrillseeker. Despite its size (5cm longer than the Passat), it’s easy to park and it’s well-insulated to boot. Standard spec includes a multifunction steering wheel, digital instrument clusters, handy 12V and 230V outlets, 18-inch alloy wheels, and a variety of safety features including predictive cruise control – a nifty piece of tech that uses GPS and radar to maintain distance from the car in front but also slows you down
as you approach bends or turn-offs on your sat nav route. It’s quite goodlooking too, building on Volkswagen’s strides with the Passat and delivering a sleeker, more stylish and sculpted machine that stands out on the road among a sea of bland shapes. There’s plenty of power delivered from the 150bhp 2.0TDi, a responsive (and somewhat noisy) block that will do 0-100km/h in 9.4 seconds via the smooth seven-speed DSG gearbox in my test model, with plenty of torque mid-range for overtaking. There’s a balance between performance and economy – even with a heavy foot I managed 5.4L/100km (52mpg) over the course of a week. There are other options too – 150hp and 190hp petrol and diesel versions, as well as the range-topping 240hp TDi that’s only available in R-Line spec and starts at €56,250 for those who don’t need to worry about trips to refuel. A V6 option would be quite nice. Inside, the Arteon is familiar to anyone who’s owned a Passat, which is both good for ease of use and bad as the likes of Audi and BMW
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MOTORING VOLKSWAGEN ARTEON
ENGINE:
2.0TDI
POWER:
150BHP 0-100 KM/H
VOLKSWAGEN ARTEON ELEGANCE
offer a more premium design. Still, it’s perfectly set up for the driver – everything within easy reach, a comfortable driving position even if you’re tall and long of leg, while the handy head-up display means you don’t need to take your eyes off the road. The media centre is intuitive and responsive, the digital instrument panel can be tweaked to display information ranging from speed to your compass direction, there are plenty of controls to tailor your experience (without being overwhelming), the seats are figurehugging and reminiscent of armchairs, and there’s plenty of space too – think Skoda Superb levels. And that’s quite impressive. The boot isn’t as large as you might expect (563L expanding to 1,557L with the seats down), but there’s plenty of space to cope with the weekly shop or a weekend away with the golf clubs. The boot door is automatic, which is always helpful, and the spare wheel comes with proper alloys. It’s not necessary to get you home, but it’s positive
when you’re forking out a premium price. The analogue clock is a nice touch too, a simple feature in an increasingly digital world. If you opt for the base model, add the Technology Upgrade pack for €599 – keyless access, a heated steering wheel and the always useful rear view camera. The Arteon’s position is probably its most pressing problem. While the entry-level version is cheaper than coupé competitors like the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe, the Audi A5 Sportback or Mercedes’ CLS, for those who still enjoy a spot of badge snobbery the Arteon’s German rivals may win out, particularly when comparing interiors or driving dynamics. Nor is it a huge jump from the Passat – one with the same powertrain as the Arteon I test drove will cost €39,250 in its top spec, over €2,000 less than the base Arteon. It is, perhaps, a car without a pinpointed audience. And yet I’ve been strangely captivated by the Arteon. As a replacement (unofficial, of course) for the CC, it’s a welcome step up for VW. There’s more space than its rivals and it comes out on top for safety – five stars in the Euro NCAP tests and an impressive range of safety tech. Volkswagen’s best looking vehicle, it’s a beautiful car with a real presence on the road for less money than an A5. And it’s always nice to see something new that isn’t a crossover.
9.4 SECONDS
C02: 116g/km Max speed:
222 KM/H ANNUAL TAX OF
€200
PRICE: €52,497 (AS TESTED)
WINTER / SPRING 72 FIRECALL
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOKSHELF THE CHOICE
by Philly McMahon
P
hilly McMahon’s book might open with a hair-tingling recollection of Dublin’s dramatic All-Ireland triumph over Kerry in 2011, but this is not your run-of-the-mill GAA memoir. There’s plenty about sport, of course, given how much of a role it has played in his life – playing for local side Ballymun Kickhams, going on trial at Nottingham Forest, breaking into the Dublin team. But at its core it’s a tale of two brothers and the choices they made that led them down two very different paths – Philly to business and Croke Park, his older brother John to addiction. There’s no beating around the bush. “Heroin destroyed my brother’s life,” he writes. John was 14 when he took his first hit, by no means an exception in an area plagued by drugs. The Choice is an honest and engaging account of everything between its pages, from life growing up in Ballymun and the reputation it garnered across the country to the descent into addiction and its impact on those around the individual. McMahon describes his embarrassment at having an addict for a brother, particularly when he began to move into Dublin’s development squads, and it’s this frank honesty that makes the book, a fair reflection on the past that doesn’t try to gloss over the details or paint his own actions in a more favourable light. Since John’s death in 2012, McMahon has become an advocate for mental health and addiction initiatives. Entertaining, insightful, thought-provoking and occasionally heartbreaking, he hopes that The Choice will help others to cope with their struggles and, if nothing else, it’s a fantastic and eyeopening read. The Choice is published by Gill Books, priced at €22.99
ATLAS OF THE IRISH REVOLUTION by John Crowley, Donal Ó Drisceoil, and Mike Murphy
A magnificent account of Ireland’s revolutionary period, and one that has been flying off shelves, Atlas of The Irish Revolution is a must-read for anyone with an interest in the history of modern Ireland. The landmark publication comprehensively charts the period between 1913 and 1923 in a 1,000-page 5kg tome, featuring case studies, chapters and essays from more than 100 scholars. That’s complemented by photographs, maps, tables and other eye-catching documents – many of which are published for the first time – to provide an impressively broad view of events during that turbulent decade. Examining the period both at a local and national level, it considers the issues that played a role in Ireland’s journey towards independence, including class, community, gender, religion and ethnicity, bringing that period to life for students, scholars, and enthusiasts of Ireland’s past.
Atlas of the Irish Revolution is published by Cork University Press, priced at €59. FIRECALL WINTER / SPRING
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BOOK REVIEW
IN AMERICA
by Catríona Perry
T
he election of Donald Trump as US President has divided an already fractious country, and indeed the world. His followers are loyal, his detractors fierce, the man himself seemingly unperturbed in the middle. Among those who backed Hillary Clinton or perhaps simply opposed Trump, a similar question echoed in the aftermath of November 2016 – How could this happen? It’s a question that Catríona Perry, RTÉ’s Washington correspondent for four years, tries to answer in her début book In America: Tales from Trump Country. It’s a portrait of the people who elected the businessman and reality TV star and view the self-proclaimed billionaire as a man of the people, an insight into their mindset and why so many from vastly different backgrounds cast their vote for a candidate with rather dubious credentials. Those reasons are wide-ranging, and the book explores feelings of alienation and despair, frustration with the opioid epidemic sweeping the nation, not to mention the disturbing racial undertones that helped sweep Trump into the White House, including an endorsement from former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke. “All those beliefs that you have buried in your back yard, all those thoughts that you have tucked under your mattress, [Trump] makes it OK to bring those out into the light and say them out loud,” one woman states rather ominously. Perry has penned an interesting, yet at times disturbing, spotlight on the ordinary men and women who helped change the landscape of modern American politics. In America is published by Gill Books and priced at €22.99.
ILLEGAL
by Eoin Colfer
In recent years, millions of refugees have made the perilous voyage across the Mediterranean, fleeing persecution and death in search of a better life. To most of us these are faceless and nameless figures. However, Eoin Colfer’s Illegal puts a face to these struggles for a younger audience, brought to life by Andrew Donkin’s wonderful illustrations. While Colfer’s famed Artemis Fowl series tackled the world of magic and fairies, Illegal takes on a more weighty and very real situation. Twelve-year-old Ebo is on a journey from sub-Saharan Africa to Europe, navigating the desert and catching a boat at Tripoli in the hopes of making it to a new world. It’s a powerful, moving and evocative book, a fictional account very much rooted in reality and capable of provoking thought among all generations. Illegal is published by Hodder Children’s Books, priced at €21 in Easons.
WINTER / SPRING 76 FIRECALL
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WE DON’T WANT TO SAVE CHILDREN’S LIVES Children’s lives shouldn’t need saving from entirely preventable causes. Every day tens of thousands of children worldwide die needlessly from illnesses such as measles, tetanus and diarrhoea. UNICEF wants you to help prevent these deaths. We believe that one child dying is one too many. We believe in zero and we desperately need your help. Call 01 878 3000 or visit unicef.ie today to give your support.
Believe in zero.
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05/02/2018 16:48 16/04/2018 06/02/2018 12:00 11:31
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
INTERNATIONAL NEWS Emergency Services News From Around the Globe.
ENGLAND:
LONDON SMOKING FIRES RISE The majority of fatal fires in London are started by 'discarded cigarettes, matches and lighters', according to London Fire Brigade's annual fire data review. While the overall level of fires decreased, the brigade remains concerned about the level of fatalities and injuries from preventable incidents. “Last year, there were around 11 smoking-related fires per week and at least one smoking-related fire fatality every month. These are often small fires started when people have fallen asleep smoking or have been drinking and smoking. It’s not uncommon for people to have died in these sorts of fires before the alarm is even raised," said Tom George, London Fire Brigade Director of Operations. “So many of these deaths and injuries could have been prevented either by switching to vaping or providing personal sprinkler systems and fireproof bedding for the most vulnerable. This shows how important our community safety work is. Modern firefighting is about stopping fires happening in the first place, prevention is much than better cure."
USA:
FIREFIGHTERS' CREATIVE OUTLET Members of the Hamilton Fire Department in Ohio, USA, have come up with an interesting way to tackle the stresses of the job. A number of firefighters are training in martial arts – judo and jiu-jitsu – which provides an outlet and could prove useful in the event of having to deal with unruly patients. “We needed to find an outlet aside from going out and drinking with the guys or going out late at night, and this is a good way for us to get together and have a little one and one [time] as well as group sessions to get some physical activity and it is also mentally stimulating learning a new skill,” Bryan Hanna, who has been with the department for 13 years, told the Journal-News.
CANADA:
FIRE HALL TO MEET EFFICIENCY STANDARD Canada’s first fire hall meeting Passive House standards is due to be built in Vancouver, as part of the city’s move towards zero emissions. Fire hall No. 17 is set to cost $20 million and meet what is a leading standard in energy efficient construction, requiring little energy to maintain a comfortable
temperature throughout the year. “It is a LEED Gold building and you can get LEED Gold but not make a dent in green house gases. Passive house design helps us to close that gap,” Natalka Lubiw, the city’s associate director of facilities development, told the Journal of Commerce.
ITALY:
PASTA SPARKS FIRE According to a report in Travel + Leisure, American exchange students studying in Florence managed to start a fire in their apartment by cooking pasta without adding water. Local firefighters quickly arrived on-scene and extinguished the blaze, with little damage done in the apartment. Fortunately no-one was harmed but the students undoubtedly learned a very important (and basic) culinary lesson. FIRECALL WINTER / SPRING
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
NAMIBIA:
AMBULANCE BICYCLES SAVE LIVES In a bid to combat maternal and infant health in rural areas, the Bicycle Empowerment Network Namibia has raised more than N$13,000 (€881) through crowd-funding to purchase solar-powered electric bicycle ambulances. The ambulances are basically stretchers on wheels that attach to ordinary bicycles, useful in taking people to hospital when no other transport
options are available. A total of 50,000 bicycles have been imported into the country thus far, with the potential of electric bicycles first examined in 2016. “The donations will help make a difference on the ground as we test this pioneering technology and also help get mothers safely to hospital on time,” Michael Linke, Director of the Bicycle Empower Network Namibia, told the Namibia Economist.
AUSTRALIA:
FEATHERED ARSONISTS New research has shown that so-called 'firehawks' are known to deliberately set Australia's landscape on fire. The raptors have been spotted carrying burning sticks to new locations using their talons or beaks, both on their own and with other birds, waiting patiently at the edge of the blaze to feed on small animals or insects fleeing the flames. Anecdotal stories from Aboriginal people were published in the Journal of Ethnobiology and could contribute to the understanding of fire spreading, particularly how wildfires can cross fire breaks.
CHILE: SCOTLAND:
PIGEON RESCUE
DOG SAVES NUNS FROM FIRE
According to BBC Scotland, Aberdeen now has a voluntary ambulance service for pigeons. Wiggy & Friends Animal Rescue, run by Kevin Newell and Flo Blackbourn, looks after the city's injured pigeons, rehabilitating the birds who can get caught in netting or are struck by vehicles before they set them free. "These pigeons have no-one to help them,” Newell told BBC Scotland. "We want to bring awareness that pigeons are dying horrible deaths."
A dog named Rambo saved a group of nuns from a fire in Chile, the Catholic News Agency reports. A fire burned through the 80-year-old Virgen de la Candelaria chapel in the town of Calafquen, which was attached to the
AUSTRALIA:
USA:
Drivers in New South Wales, Australia will have to slow to 40km/h when passing emergency service vehicles with flashing lights. A oneyear trial begins this September, applying to instances involving police, ambulance, fire, State Emergency Service (SES) or rescue vehicles. “These new measures will help ensure the safety of our dedicated emergency service personnel,” NSW Police and Emergency Services Minister Troy Grant said in a statement.
According to the Record Searchlight newspaper, a man may have set his Redding, California apartment on fire while attempting to kill a spider with a torch lighter. The arachnid, thought to be a wolf spider, was apparently
SPEED RESTRICTIONS ENACTED
home of the Carmelite Missionary Sisters. Rambo's barking alerted the sleeping nuns to the fire before it could spread further. Four companies of firefighters battled the fire, which is suspected to have been caused by arson.
SPIDER HUNT RESULTS IN FLAT FIRE set ablaze and spread the flames to a nearby mattress, with a flag collection, curtains and then a closet in the room also catching on fire. Around $11,000 (€8,920) of damage was suffered according to officials.
WINTER / SPRING 80 FIRECALL
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