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Are Irish Fire Brigades adequaltely equipped to deal with wildfires?

  • 24-06-2019 9:48pm
    #1
    BlackandGreen
    Closed Accounts Posts: 310 ✭✭


    I ask because in the past year we've had quite a few very large gorse fires. Not the small gorse kind many brigades are used to dealing with, but the huge forest fires we saw last year in Slieve Bloom and Kerry.

    And then this year we had the huge gorse fire's in Donegal that destroyed homes and evacuated villages.


    Every time I see footage and pictures they look seriously under resources, and like the trucks aren't designed for wildfire operations.

    Also it looks like many brigades don't have adequate wildfire uniforms you see services in the States use. Instead members are out in the big heavy kit and yellow helmet weighing them down.



    The Aer Corps have stated that dropping water with their helicopter is only a secondary thing for them and it's not fully equipped to meet demand.


    Are civil defense ever utilised?



    Just wondering if there any firefighters here that are in the know to how staff feel.


Comments

  • #2
    mr cowen
    Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭mr cowen


    A quick answer is no. Well the DFB definatly dont have the equipment, training or correct ppe and welfare required to carry out these protracted operations.
    They do them at a struggle and the civil defence are only utilised on table top excercises and if the dfb need a mobile kitchen.


  • #3
    BlackandGreen
    Closed Accounts Posts: 310 ✭✭BlackandGreen


    mr cowen wrote: »
    A quick answer is no. Well the DFB definatly dont have the equipment, training or correct ppe and welfare required to carry out these protracted operations.
    They do them at a struggle and the civil defence are only utilised on table top excercises and if the dfb need a mobile kitchen.


    Pretty much as I suspected.
    I'm really surprised there hasn't been some investment into a wildfire tender or something from Coillte having their own little vehicle.



    Real shame about CD too. Totally under utilized in this country.


  • #4
    mr cowen
    Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭mr cowen


    I think its very irresponsible for any local authority to allow civilians in jeans and nylon footbal jerseys to go try stamp out fires similar to the scenes we saw last year up in donegal.

    https://youtu.be/5C_9ur0Qty8


    I do appreciate the fire was close to the house and these people were probably doing their best to safe the property but if it was that close to the building and that unpredictable then it could have easily taken a life,


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