CANADA

Behavioural Health Treatment Website

A new dedicated landing page for Canadian re ghters who are also members of the International Association of Fire ghters (IAFF) has been launched to provide easy access to behavioural health treatment services. e site at www.ehncanada.com/ia provides detailed information about health services, including the types of challenges present and options for the treatment for depression, anxiety, trauma and PTSD.

IAFF members in Canada will also have priority access to addiction and behavioural health programmes that serve general populations. “Our jobs are dangerous and stressful, which is why behavioural health resources are so important,” said IAFF General President Edward Kelly. “Canadian members struggling with behavioural health and addiction need to know they’re not alone, and there’s no shame in reaching out for help.”

Armenia Unexplained Fire At Military Barracks

At least 15 men were killed in a re that broke out at a military unit in the village of Azat in the east of Armenia in January. e blaze started in the barracks of an engineer and sniper company unit in the early hours “under circumstances that have yet to be determined” according to the Ministry of Defence.

e incident follows a large blast in August of last year at a warehouse in the Armenian capital of Yerevan that saw 16 people die and 60 others injured.

Isle Of Man

PART-TIME FIREFIGHTER CALL

Employers in the Isle of Man have been encouraged to give their sta permission to become part-time re ghters on the island.

A new liaison role has been created by the re service to help rms understand the potential bene ts of their employees signing up, as part of a drive to boost the number of oncall re ghters. Part-time re ghters make up two thirds of the 150 sta employed by the Isle of Man re service, and provide emergency cover across six of the island’s seven re stations. Divisional and Liaison O cer Carl Kinvig said some candidates “struggled to get permission” from their bosses to commit their time to the service, admitting that a part-time re ghter’s main job “takes precedence, and it is up to the employer to say ‘yes you can go on this call’ or ‘no, I can’t spare you at this time’.” He did point out, however, that having sta trained to work under pressure and who also have rst aid and re safety skills would be bene cial to employers.

Portugal Civil Protection Mechanism Prepares For 2023

e European Civil Protection Mechanism hosted a workshop in Lisbon in January to review their performance during the 2022 wild re season. Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarçiç introduced the “Lessons Identi ed from the 2022 Wild re Season” workshop saying: “Every wild re season brings with it new lessons, new discoveries, and new opportunities to strengthen our common work. e 2022 season broke many records, showing us three lessons we should draw from: We need to step up wild re prevention, improve our preparedness, and boost our response capacities across Europe.” e 2022 season saw the highest number of wild res since 2006, with the EU Civil Protection Mechanism activated 11 times, mobilising 33 planes, eight helicopters, and 350 re ghters and other supports for wild res.

He also con rmed that the Mechanism is to double its re ghting capacity before the 2023 wild re season, with the addition of ten light amphibious aircra and three helicopters to their eet.

Old Babes In The Wood

The huge success of e Handmaid’s Tale has made Margaret Atwood a household name, but while that work and its follow-up e Testaments, have shown the twice Booker Prizewinning author is adept at imagining an entire world, her attention to detail and interest in the minutiae of life is evident throughout her work.

at skill is perfectly presented in Atwood’s collection of 15 short stories (eight never printed before) that display the sheer range of her imagination, creativity and humanity. If one of these stories is not for you, and that is a big if, you will certainly nd another that intrigues and entertains.

At the heart of the collection, and what holds it together, is a stunning sequence that follows a married couple as they travel the road of life together, the moments big and small that make up a long life of love - and what comes a er. Nell and her husband Tig appear in many of the stories here to form one of three sections to the collection, and in the former we see a good deal of Atwood herself, most notably in those later stories that show a lived experience of loss. is is evident in the poignant dedication to her late partner, and adds a certain gravitas and sometimes heart-breaking depth to the ways in which she expertly describes the inconsequential things in life that bring back feelings of sadness around another’s death.

Indeed, the themes of grief mixed with enduring love, perseverance and wonder at the small things that make up the human experience are in contrast to the other sections, and what is remarkable is the way in which the much-celebrated author can switch between genres, from literary to science ction, with such ease, and here we are aided by the way in which the collection is divided into three groups.

ere are tales including two best friends disagreeing about their shared past, an examination of the right way to stop someone from choking, a daughter determining if her mother really is a witch, and what to do with inherited relics such as World War II parade swords.

Fans will be familiar with Atwood’s mastery of dystopian science ction, and in the mid-section we see her give voice to a range of characters and topics as diverse as a confused snail enduring its own version of Ka a’s Metamorphosis, an imagined interview with George Orwell, the musings of philosopher-astronomer-mathematician Hypatia of Alexandria, and an alien tasked with retelling human fairy tales. roughout this book you will nd moments that grab you, and full stories that stay with you. A highly recommended read.

AUTHOR:

MARGARET ATWOOD

PUBLISHER:

VINTAGE

AVAILABLE:

EASONS, HODGES & FIGGIS, DUBRAY

PRICE:

€30

THE IRISH DEFENCE FORCES, 1922-2022

Covering the 100-year history of the Irish Defence Forces in one book is a tall order, but as the managing editor of the Royal Irish Academy’s Dictionary of Irish Biography, author Eoin Kinsella has honed the art of presenting only the most essential information.

In this richly illustrated book, he explores the foundations, landmark successes and achievements, struggles and mistakes of the Defence Forces since 1922. Highlighting the men and women who have served in the Army, Air Corps, Naval Service and Reserve, he o ers the first complete overview of the development of the Defence Forces to the present day.

Upon reading this very interesting work, what emerges is a story of an institution that has, since the foundation of the State, formed an essential safeguard of Irish democracy, which is something that at times in our last 100 years, has not always been a guarantee.

AWAY DAYS: THIRTY YEARS OF IRISH FOOTBALLERS IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE

AUTHOR: GARETH MAHER

PUBLISHER: NEW ISLAND BOOKS

AVAILABLE:

EASONS, HODGES & FIGGIS, DUBRAY

PRICE: €17.95

Irish football fans are not alone in being obsessed with the English Premier League, and the most likely reason is the consistent presence of players from this country who have graced it.

In this very entertaining book, author Gareth Maher argues that the Irish have been at the very heart of the rise of the most watched league in the world.

Combining exclusive interviews with many of the best Irish players to ever play in the Premier League with an analysis of their involvement, he showcases the contribution the Republic of Ireland has made to the self-coined ‘greatest league on Earth’.

Insights from legends such as Seamus Coleman, John O’Shea, Shay Given, Niall Quinn, Jonathan Walters and Kevin Doyle, make for a great read as they uncover the good, bad and downright ugly aspects of playing in a league that has been home to almost 200 Irish players since its inception in 1992.

Birnam Wood

With her sprawling epic The Luminaries, Eleanor Catton became the youngest recipient of the Booker Prize, and a TV adaptation for the BBC in 2020 brought her much acclaim for her dedication to “making plot matter again”.

In her latest novel, she returns to New Zealand for a tale of land-grabbing, trust and betrayal with a story that lends more than a little to Shakespearean motifs, with a range of deeply-drawn characters that cry out for another TV version.

A landslide has cut o the town of Thorndike, leaving a farm abandoned, and presenting an opportunity for a gardening collective called Birnam Wood that plants crops wherever nobody will notice. Their eyes light up at the chance to claim the land, but when they face a rival in an American billionaire, ideologies are tested, and trust goes out the window.

A brilliant tale of intentions, actions and consequences drawn out in a stunning setting, it’s an unflinching examination of how far we will go to ensure our own survival.

AUTHOR: EOIN KINSELLA

PUBLISHER: FOUR COURTS PRESS

AVAILABLE: EASONS, HODGES & FIGGIS, DUBRAY PRICE: €27

AUTHOR: ELEANOR CATTON

PUBLISHER: GRANTA

AVAILABLE: EASONS, HODGES & FIGGIS, DUBRAY

PRICE: €15.99