Mr. John Keane, Chief Fire Officer gave a presentation to the Members on the Roscommon Fire Service.

·         Staff Organisation including six fire stations and employment of fifty-six retained fire fighters. Each fire station is responsible for an area called a fireground.

·         Core Functions of the Fire Service include Community Fire Safety, Fire Services Response, Health and Safety Management Systems and Major Emergency Management.

·         As Roscommon is a landlocked county with six other counties bordering it, there are cross county arrangements in place with regard to provision of fire services.

·         A total of 12 fire stations outside the county from Drumshanbo in Co. Leitrim to Ferbane in Co. Offaly provide first response to parts of County Roscommon, while Boyle and Roscommon provide cover outside Co. Roscommon.

·         Fire Service Operational Response and Service Delivery is categorised based on an Area Risk Designation that determines the appliances required in each station. This Risk categorisation is based on Urban and Rural population densities.

·         Roscommon town is designated medium Risk (C2) and all other stations Low to very low. The response capability of each station is measured in minutes also based on risk category.

·         All calls to fire services are dealt with by CAMP in Castlebar (Regional Control Centre)

·         NOAC Performance Indicators in 2016 – Roscommon had longest average mobilisation time. This is as result of many variables including not least that we are a rural county.

·         The maps for firegrounds were done over 16 years ago and based on groups of townlands.

·         An analysis has been ongoing on firegrounds to determine best and fastest routes to fires from the adjacent fire stations. A number of anomalies were discovered -

o   Weight restriction a bridge on what is perceived as on the shortest route.

o   Average speed of 45kph could result in having to change boundaries to meet time restrictions

o   A town land bundled with an adjacent townland but would have been nearer another fire station.

·         As a result of the closure of Castlerea Fire Station last January, the area it covered has been covered by other adjacent fire stations.

·         Recent developments include:

o   Looking at the fire services resources vis a vis the incidents they respond to

o   There are an increasing number of water related incidents to deal with

o   Personnel in the Boyle Fire Station have been traded up as first responders

o   Roscommon Fire Services are the lead Authority in the purchase of 5 new fire tenders for Roscommon and Galway at a cost of €350,000 each. Boyle will get one of the new fire tenders and there is approval for a second new appliance in 2019.

o   Roscommon Fire Services is the only Department in the Council to have been awarded the Occupational Health and Safety Management System OHSAS 18001:2007 by the NSAI (January 2018)

Members thanked Mr. Keane for his presentation and asked the following questions:

·         How can we improve turnout time of our stations? Is there a variance between stations in relation to turnout times?

·         When will the interviews be held for the vacant positions in Castlerea Fire Station?

·         When will the fire Station in Castlerea reopen – there is currently no station officer or substation officer. Concern that the fire personnel in adjacent fire station of Ballaghaderreen is not familiar with the Castlerea fireground.

·         What can be done about bog fires?

·         Alarmed to see the size of the fireground in South Roscommon – can there be a fresh Service Level Agreement with Galway/Westmeath? Do the new Eircodes cause confusion – address in Roscommon or Westmeath.

·         What protocols are in place to direct the quickest/nearest fire appliance to a fire?

·         Welcome purchase of new Fire Engine for Boyle Fire Station.

·         Congratulate Fire Service and Health & Safety Section on NSAI Certification.

·         Compliment the Fire Service on their most professional work and the great service they provide

·         Will the Civil Defence have an Open Day in the Fire Station this year as it was a wonderful success last year?

The Chief Fire Officer responded as follows:

·         The situation with regard to the vacant positions in Castlerea is that applicants have been invited to Roscommon Fire Station and are to be assessed for physical skills requirements scheduled for next two weeks.  Interviews to be carried out subsequent to this.  Successful applicants have then to pass a three week recruit training course and a Breathing Apparatus Course. Medicals and Garda Vetting also to take place so cannot give a definite date for opening of fire station as yet.

·         As regard the proliferation of bog fires, vigilance is key in managing bog fires  

·         The turnout figures are from 2016 and we have been aware of them and have been working on improving them since last year. There will be a big improvement for 2017 and there is still room for more improvement.  We are looking at clock in systems, accuracy of radio messages and the current fireground boundaries. Where there is a difference in turnout times between different stations we will be discussing these with the Station Officers.

·         Breathing Apparatus refresher training is ongoing at minute.  When the Castlerea Station is back in operation there will be full schedule of training for new and existing fire officers at this time. 

·         Satisfied that the boundaries between Athlone and Ballinasloe are accurate but will continue to monitor this. 

·         The controller in CAMP has access to Eircodes.  The accuracy of the caller’s location is crucial.