The seven fire brigades in Kilkenny County Council Fire Service were mobilised 1,138 times in 2007. The average time to turn out a fire engine from the time the call was received was 5.8 minutes. The fire service was in attendance at 41.71% of emergencies within 10 minutes of being called, 45.02% within 20 minutes and 13.27% in over 20 minutes.

 

Training

• A one day refresher on First Aid and Trauma was held for 10 no. firefighters in April 2007.
• A one day Breathing Apparatus course was held for all firefighters in March 2007.
• A one week Pump Operator/Drivers course was held for 3 no. firefighters in September 2007. All firefighters subsequently passed the driving test first time.
• Senior and Junior Officer training was ongoing during 2007. The courses that officers attended are as follows -
  • Operational Command Course (Development)
  • Road Traffic Accident Refresher
  • Unit II Course
  • Fire Safety Engineering Course
  • Hazmat Course
  • Operational Command Course
  • Unit I Course
  • Fire Services Council Seminars

 

Driver Pump Operator Course, August 2007

Back Row From LHS - Keith Beehan (KK14), Stephen Campbell (KK11), Declan Heafey (KK15)
Front Row From LHS - Kieran Howley - Instructor, SACFO John Collins - Course Director, Michael Rowe - Instructor, Frank Somers - Instructor

 

Pictures of Road Traffic Accident Refresher Course in October 2007

                

 

Purchase of Vehicles and Equipment

A class B water tender was purchased for Castlecomer fire brigade. The appliance was delivered in the final quarter of 2007.

Approval was granted by the DOEHLG to purchase Road Traffic Collision equipment for all seven Fire Stations. Each fire Station has now received the most modern RTA equipment to deal with road traffic collisions.

The new Fire Station in Freshford was opened in June 2007 by the Chairman of Kilkenny County Council, Billy Ireland.

Drawings and tender documentation were approved for the new Fire Station in Castlecomer.

 

Community Fire Safety - Primary School Programme, April 2007

The Primary Schools Programme was launched in April 2007. The Primary Schools Programme (PSP) has been designed to enhance the level of awareness of Fire Safety in the home and to raise the level of awareness of Fire Safety in the community. The objective of this programme is to deliver Fire Safety education to 53,000, 3rd class, primary school children (approx. 9 years old) in approximately 3,300 schools across the country nationwide. The school children are expected, as part of their homework, to interact with their families on the elements of the programme. This interaction puts the problem and the solution together in the same place at the same time making it more likely that any Fire Safety issues in the home will be immediately and successfully addressed. To make the PSP more effective and attractive to the children the "Safety Team" pack is to be included and each of the students receiving the programme will receive a pack.

The PSP was delivered to all Primary Schools in the county Kilkenny, 80 no., who have accepted the Fire Brigades offer to present the lesson. Fire Rescue Service personnel will present it to 3rd class students, which positively links the local Fire Rescue Brigade with the community. The aim is to present the lesson to 100% of all primary schools in county Kilkenny.

 

Trauma Bears Join Kilkenny Fire and Rescue Service, Nov 2007

More distressed children at the scene of road traffic collisions and other incidents across Kilkenny are set to be comforted and relaxed - thanks to a new initiative of special trauma teddies to be used by Kilkenny Fire and Rescue Service. All front-line fire tenders in Kilkenny now have access to a unique piece of equipment which could reduce the suffering of children at operational incidents - a Trauma Teddy Bear!

                

Over 100 cuddly teddy bears have become part of the team, assigned to a very important task. The bears ride on every frontline fire tender in Kilkenny. The Teddy's are part of an initiative to help children during traumatic emergency situations.

The intention is primarily to reduce the suffering of children at incidents and to help children cope with the stress that they feel from their involvement in a traumatic event. When children are involved in emergencies, it can be a traumatic experience for them. In order to soften the impact that an emergency may have on our children we have implemented this new "Trauma Bear" initiative. We hope to change their focus to a comforting object during a difficult situation.

The cute teddy bears - called Bravo Bear - were handed over first to Station Officer Joe Traynor of Kilkenny City (KK11) and Station Officer Eamon Doyle of Graiguenamanagh (KK17) on Friday 28th September 2007 at 14.00 pm at Kilkenny Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters. The remaining 'Bravo Bears' have been sent to the rest of the brigade stations in the county.

Fire Safety awareness was promoted during National Fire Safety Week through visits to schools, radio interviews on the local radio station and press releases to the local newspapers.

Fire Safety was also promoted through Kilkenny Local Authority's advertising feature on the Kilkenny People.

The fire safety awareness campaign through the local radio station in conjunction with Carlow Fire Service on a monthly basis started in March of this year. Senior fire officers from Kilkenny and Carlow Fire Services gave regular interviews on the local radio station with respect to promoting fire safety.

 

School visits to the fire station

Regular school visits are arranged to the fire station on Wednesdays each week. Over 400 primary school children visited the fire station in 2007. Each visit would last for approx. 45 minutes. Children would be shown around the fire station and would be given life saving tips with respect to fire safety. Each child would also be given fire safety literature and a pencil with a fire safety message. In addition a number of photographs would be taken of the visit and would be entered into the Fire Service website.

 

Fire Safety Certificates and Inspections

A total of 242 fire safety certificates were processed.

Over 40 licensed premises were inspected under the licensing act. This involved a number of inspections of the premises and giving evidence to the court. Over 300 licensing applications were processed.

A total of 12 no. nursing homes were inspected and assessed.

All relevant planning applications were sought by the fire service and the planning authority were advised of our requirements.

 

Fundraising

Personnel from Kilkenny Ambulance Service; Kilkenny Fire and Rescue Service partook in the now Annual Christmas charity collection for local beneficial organisations in need. This year the two recipients are Arthritis Ireland and Saplings School for Autism Children. They each received €7,250.00 for their needy causes. In addition during the year Kilkenny County Council Fire Service were involved in a very successful fundraising event for REHAB involving the washing of cars.

 

Kilkenny Civil Defence

2007 Statistics

Registered  Volunteer Membership	74
Total Community Support Events	20
Total Community Support Man Days	180
Total Training nights	50
Attendance	650
Total Training Exercises	15
Total Operational Emergency Call-outs	10

 

Main Events of 2007

1. Annual Charity Walk on Brandonhill for 35 members.
2. Boat training for Coxwains on Lough Derg Co. Tipperary.
3. Attendance of 3 Volunteers at EMT Course in the Isle of Man in February
4. Attendance of 3 Volunteers at Regional Leadership Course in March.
5. Operational duty at St.Patrick's Day Parades in Kilkenny, Graignamanagh
6. Provision of Tented Accomodation, first-aid, transport for Reserve Defence Forces participation in Annual President's Awards in May.
7. Annual Week end training camp at Mountshannon on Lough Derg.
8. Isle of Man Mutual Exchange visit on Tynwald Day.
9. Pollution Control support to Clonmel Urban District.
10. The annual outdoor Field-Day and BBQ. In support of O.N.E.
11. Operational support for homecoming of Kilkenny Hurling Team.
12. AED Training programme for Volunteers commenced in September.
13. Two Rescue boat crews from Kilkenny involved in recovery of Missing person on the River Barrow at Graiguemanagh / Ullard.
14. Annual Christmas Exercise and Presentation Dinner for 60 Volunteers.