Introduction

This report sets out a summary of the activities and performance of Carlow County Council’s Fire Authority during 2017. Here under lies a summary of the main areas of activity undertaken by the staff within the fire authority during the 12 month period and statistics provided where required. The areas summarised are as follows:

• Capital Investments
• Health & Safety Management
• Operational Activity & Training
• Training Centre Activity & Development
• Budgets
• Rescue Team Activity
• Major Emergency Management
• Fire Prevention
• Building Control

Capital Investments

Training Centre

Capital approval of €440,000 was granted for construction of a new 2 – storey building to facilitate changing, shower, toilet, drying facilities and medical treatment at ground floor with 2 number training rooms at first floor at Hacketstown Training Centre. The contract was awarded to John Grey construction in September 2016. Construction of this phase was completed in November and officially opened by Minister Phelan in December 2017. The 980M² building is the foundation building for developing the centre and making provision to facilitate nationally accredited fire service courses. In addition to this a further €40,000 was approved for the replacement of 3 number Compartment Fire Behaviour Training units which are critical for providing training to visiting brigades. The next phase to be undertaken in 2018 is to provide a drill yard, training tower, static water storage, fencing and all associated site works.

Stations

The refurbishment and development of Muinebheag Fire Station remains one of the priority Capital Projects for the service. In 2016 capital approval was agreed in principle by the department of Housing in the region of €450,000 for an upgrade to the station. The extent or scope still remains a matter between Carlow County Council and the NDFEM but it is hoped that approval to proceed to tender stage will be forthcoming during 2018.

Vehicles & Equipment

Capital approval was granted for a new water tanker chassis to replace a water tanker stationed at Carlow which was lost at a road traffic incident in 2014. The tender for the build on this vehicle was awarded to HPMP in Tullow and delivery is anticipated April 2018. Capital approval of €84,000 to facilitate the replacement vehicle was granted for this vehicle.
Capital approval was given for new battery operated crash rescue equipment and a further €25,000 for Breathing Apparatus training equipment was also granted.

Total Capital Grant Approval 2017

Health & Safety Management

In December 2017 Carlow County Fire & Rescue Service’s Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSAS 1800:1) received re-accreditation from the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI). This was a particularly challenging process due to staff shortages, but implementation of Incident control room, tablets and electronic formatting should help reduce the work load in the future.

The system monitored and managed through 19 policy and procedure documents each accompanied by a large number of supporting documents. The system enables the Fire service to have greater control and management of vital areas such as External Contractors, Training, Maintenance of Fleet & Equipment, Statutory Requirements and First Aid.

Operational Activities

Fire Brigade Mobilisations

The level of operational activity throughout the County for 2017 compared with operational activity for 2016 is set out hereunder.

• 53% of all mobilisations were fire calls in County Carlow, with a further 8% of fire calls in other County’s
• Road Traffic Collisions constituted 21% of Fire Service mobilisaitons
• False Alarms – Good Intent (both equipment failures, and good intent fire calls) constituted 12% of Fire Service mobilisaitons
• Other fire calls, including miscellaneous call, malicious calls, and non-fire rescues constituted 6% of Fire Calls, during 2017.
• Forest/Bog/Grass fires comprise 21% of all mobilisations
• Chimney Fires represents 17% of mobilisations
• Domestic dwelling fires constitute 16% of mobilisations
• Vehicle fires constituted 12% of mobilisations

All combined, these 5 fire call types constitute 79% of all Fire Call Mobilisations of Carlow County Fire & Rescue Service.

Social Media and Community Connectivity

Carlow County Fire & Rescue Service Facebook page has over 1,000 followers and it is anticipated that this platform will provide the Fire Service with the means and tools necessary to provide information to the public, in relation to incidents, Major Emergencies, Fire Safety, Building Control, Road Safety, and other critical information. The use of this platform will also coincide with National initiatives being created or developed to further enhance and promote safety and public awareness of the dangers of fire in the home and community such as national Carbon Monoxide awareness, home fire safety, Christmas safety, Community involvement and national fire prevention week.

Training and Development

The training and development of personnel across a wide range of disciplines was undertaken during the year in accordance with the brigade training programme for 2017. The annual training programme is developed each year following consultation at all levels across the service. This consultation ensures that the training provided at a significant cost to the Fire Authority is relevant, and meets the needs of the firefighters, officers, administrative and other technical and support personnel.

In 2017, training was provided to firefighters in the following areas:

• Breathing Apparatus
• Compartment Fire Behaviour
• CAFS
• Pumping Operations
• Fire-Fighter Develoment
• First Responder Training
• Hydraulic Platform
• Driver Training
• Emergency Traffic Management
• Water Awareness and Flood First Responder Courses

On Station Training

Weekly on Station Training in all brigades is undertaken in accordance with the Annual On-Station Training Programmes issued to each Station Officer and under the supervision of a Senior Officer. Attendance at weekly on-station training remains very high in all four brigades which is encouraging and confirms that the firefighters are committed to ensuring that their knowledge and skills are continually refreshed.

Expenditure 2017

The table below sets out the total expenditure for the Fire Authority for the year 2017:

Carlow Extrication Team

Carlow County Fire & Rescue Service has been at the forefront of vehicle extrication and patient care for numerous years, from its involvement in the first National Extrication Challenge back in 1992 through to the establishment of Rescue Organisation Ireland in 2008.

In 2017, Carlow won the National Rescue Organisation of Ireland’s (ROI) challenge in Ashbourne, Co. Meath last May, winning all categories from the best officer, technical team and medical teams to winning the categories in all extrication evolutions and the overall prize. The team qualified to represent Ireland at the WRO event in Romania last September where they finished respectably within the top 10.

Hacketstown Training Centre

The training centre based at Hacketstown Fire Station continues to provide essential Breathing Apparatus and Compartment Fire Behaviour training to fire service personnel in County Carlow and also to personnel across the Country. The centre increased its level of activity in 2017, when compared with the use and operation of the centre in 2016.

The Training Centre has hosted training courses from Fire Services in Counties Wexford, Laois, Meath, Offaly, Donegal, Waterford, Tipperary, the National Directorate (NDFEM) and from the Defence Forces.

The Fire authority sees the training centre as a huge opportunity to further enhance and strengthen our links with local industry and with the community. It is planned to undertake a feasibility study to explore the possibility to further developing the provision of training to the public and private sectors and thereby generate income for the service. The Fire & Rescue Service has attained considerable expertise and experience through the development of in-house Instructors to operate and deliver high class training at the centre.

Major Emergency Management

In 2017, the Local Authority’s of the South East Region continued to chair both the Regional Working Group and Regional Steering Group. Mr. Dan McInerney, Director of Services, Carlow County Council was the Chair of the Regional Steering Group and Mr. Niall Curtin, Chief Fire Officer, Waterford County and City Fire Service chaired the Regional Working Group.

A Severe Weather event – “Storm Ophelia” occurred in October and the severe weather protocols were exercised at local, regional and national level. The Regional MEM Training programme was delivered through the work of the Training and Exercise MEM Sub-Group.

Fire Prevention, Community Fire Safety & Building Control

Fire Safety Schools Programme

The fire safety schools programme again saw local firefighters deliver the National Fire Safety programme to 3rd class children in primary schools across the County with great success. Much very positive feedback has been received from teachers and parents alike.

National Smoke Alarm Programme

The National Smoke Alarm programme again saw local firefighters deliver and install smoke alarms to many vulnerable members of our community across the county. Smoke alarms have been given out to many people over the last number of years and this programme will again be implemented in 2018.

Fire Safety Inspections

The Fire Authority carried out 108 inspections under the Fire Services & Building Control Acts, including During Performance Inspections of places of public assembly. In addition, the Fire Authority served 2 Fire Safety Notice and 1 Closure Notice in 2017. In response to the tragic fire at Grenfell last April, a number of assessments of buildings over 18M high and incorporating cladding facades was also undertaken in 2017.

Intoxicating Liquor Licenses

The Fire Authority received and processed 86 License Applications for various premises throughout the county under the Fire Services Act 1981 & 2003 in 2017.

Dangerous Substances License Applications

The Fire Authority received and processed 3 License Applications for various premises throughout the county under the Dangerous Substances Act 1972 & 1979, in 2017.

Explosives Registration Applications

The Fire Authority received and processed 0 Explosives Registration Notifications for various premises throughout the county under the Explosives Act 1875, during 2017.

Planning

The Planning Authority forwarded a total of 247 Planning Application files to the Fire Authority in 2017, which were processed, reports generated, and returned.

Building Control

Fire Safety Certificates

The Building Control Authority received a total of 39 Fire Safety Certificate Applications in 2017, which is consistent with previous years. A number of complex regularisation certificate applications submitted in previous years were brought to conclusion in 2017.

Disability Access Certificates

The Building Control Authority received and processed a total of 39 Disability Access Certificate applications in 2017. Again this year, the number of Disability Access Certificates equate with the number of Fire Safety Certificates processed.

Commencement Notices

The Building Control Authority received 148 Commencement Notices in 2017 & a total of 175 Inspections were carried out. Emphasis was placed on the importance of compliance with the Building Regulations and the Building Control Authority was and continues to encourage and advise private businesses and members of the public in relation to same.