Fire Service Operations

Fire & Rescue Personnel & Equipment

Fire Fighters

Waterford County Fire & Rescue Service is manned by Retained Fire Fighters.    The Service currently employs 76 Retained Fire Fighters.   These are not full-time personnel but respond to calls on a paged basis.   When alerted, Fire Fighters report immediately to the fire station, in order to facilitate a fire appliances response within 5 minutes of the call.   It is a measure of the dedication of the retained Fire Fighters that they stay within a 5 minute radius of the fire station during the periods when they are on call.  Fire Fighters are paid a quarterly retainer and an hourly rate at call outs.   

Fire Fighters undergo continuous training to ensure that the service provided to their community is safe and of the highest possible standard.   Training is undertaken during weekly training nights at the Fire Fighters home station.   Each Fire Fighter undertakes an initial two-week recruitment course on basic fire fighting before joining the Service. This is followed by a two-week course on the use of the breathing apparatus, which is an essential part of the fire fighter's safety equipment.  Fire Fighters do not become operational until this initial training has been successfully completed.   

Ongoing refresher training courses are an intrinsic part of the job.   Advanced Fire Fighter training may be undertaken by experienced Fire Fighters, which provides specialist training in areas such as; Road Traffic Collisions, Hazardous Substances, Ship Fire Fighting and Other Risks.   Station Officers and Sub-Station Officers are trained in Incident Command and Control, and Station Management.  Officers can continue to develop their Fire Fighting skills and may go on to become instructors.  

Health and Safety

Health and Safety is an underlying principle of Waterford County Fire & Rescue Service.  The Service ensures the safety of all personnel on duty, when training and at incidents by having appropriate Health and Safety procedures in place.  Waterford County Fire & Rescue Service operates an independent health screening programme to ensure Fire Fighters are medically fit for duty.

Fire Stations

There are nine Fire Stations located throughout County Waterford as follows:

• Dungarvan
• Tramore
• Kilmacthomas
• Portlaw
• Cappoquin
• Lismore
• Dunmore-East
• Ardmore
• Tallow

The stations house the fire appliances and facilities for the Fire Fighters e.g. watch rooms, lecture rooms, canteens, training rooms, muster bays etc.  Some stations also have yards for training including training towers and underground water storage tanks.

Vehicles

Waterford County Fire and Rescue Service maintains a fleet of 21 vehicles comprising:

• 12 Class B Appliances

• 2 Water Carriers

• 1 Emergency Tender

• 3 Jeeps

• 2 Vans

• 1 Hydraulic Platform

The fleet is maintained by the Fire Service mechanic at his workshop in Dungarvan.    The Mechanic also has a maintenance van which he uses for call outs or Station visits.

Equipment

Waterford County Fire and Rescue Service operates specialist equipment across the brigades, when responding to fires and other incidents.  The equipment, including personal protection equipment, allows Fire Fighters to deal with incidents in a safe and efficient manner.  The Service maintains its own central stores and personnel at the stores are responsible for issuing equipment.