Civil Defence

Civil Defence under the leadership of the Civil Defence officer has 70+ active volunteer members who attend the 6 training centres throughout the county. All volunteers train on an ongoing basis in skills specific to being in a position to provide assistance to the local 3 Principal Response Agencies (PRAs) in an emergency situation.

Sligo Civil Defence is under the operational management of a new Civil Defence Officer. Darren McGough took up the role in April of 2020, replacing Marion Davis who had retired from the position.

2020 has been a challenging year for the Civil Defence, both locally and nationally. With the onset of Covid-19, many of our traditional roles and duties were changed, cancelled or postponed. However, they were replaced with a much greater challenge of providing care and assistance to our community, fellow organisations and the vulnerable. Here in Sligo, we have undertaken such activities as food collection from the Food Cloud in Galway; transfer of patients to hospital and clinic appointments to facilities in the County and also to Galway, Mayo and Roscommon; the distribution of PPE and other welfare supplies.

The ways in which we operate have changed dramatically too, with the importance of PPE, correct policy and procedure and the highlighting of volunteer welfare our priorities. All these need to be in place to ensure we can continue to serve our Local Authority, fellow PRA’s and those in the community who need us.

Increased expenditure is foreseen for 2021 in acquiring extra PPE long term, sanitization processes for building and vehicles, extra training for new first aid processes and new updated ambulance equipment required to deliver safe first aid practices in a Covid-19 environment.

Sligo Civil Defence is one of the chosen counties to receive a new Ford Ranger vehicle from a grant received from the dormant accounts. This was also in addition to a similar vehicle which was acquired through the same means in 2019.

Sligo Civil Defence was also in a position to receive a 2015 registered Ambulance, which had been decommissioned by the National Ambulance Service. This vehicle is currently in the process of being fitted out and ready for operations. It is envisaged that this more modern vehicle will replace an older Ambulance we currently have in rotation.