Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service

The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) (formerly Northern Ireland Fire Brigade) is the statutory fire and rescue service for Northern Ireland. The NIFRS is overseen by the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service Board, which in turn is subordinate to the Department of Health. NIFRS has a workforce of around 2,230 personnel.[1]

Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service
Operational area
CountryNorthern Ireland
Agency overview
Established1 October 1973 (1973-10-01)
Annual calls36,069 (2016/2017)
Employees2,230
Chief Fire OfficerMichael Graham (Interim)
Facilities and equipment
Divisions4
Stations68
Website
www.nifrs.org

NIFRS covers Northern Ireland, an area of over 5,500 square miles (14,000 km2) with a population of 1.88 million people. Service Headquarters is located in Lisburn Co. Antrim.

The current Interim Chief Fire & Rescue Officer is Michael Graham.

History

Organised firefighting began in what is now Northern Ireland in the 19th century. In 1800, the Belfast Borough Police were established and firefighting was one of their duties.[2] The firefighting units were later separated from the police to form the Belfast Fire Brigade.

Until World War II, towns had their own fire services. In 1942, Northern Ireland's fire services were amalgamated into one, though they were separate from the National Fire Service that covered the rest of the United Kingdom.[3] After the war, the service was split into the re-established Belfast Fire Brigade and the Northern Ireland Fire Authority, which covered the rest of Northern Ireland.

On 1 October 1973, the two fire services were merged into a single service, named Northern Ireland Fire Brigade. In 2006, the service adopted its current name of Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service.

Fire stations and appliances

Eastern Command
Station Callsign Station Name Duty System Appliances
E11KnockWholetime1x WrL, 1x WrT, 1x TL
E12CentralWholetime1x RP
E12/RTCentral/SRTWholetime1x SRP, 1x RRV, 1x L4V, 1x SEU, 1x IrbT, 1x SDU, 3x PM for 5x USAR Pods
E13CadoganWholetime2x WrL, 1x FESU
E13DunmurrySatellite Station1x WrL (Appliance/Crew from Cadogan 11:00hrs-23:00hrs)
E21WhitlaWholetime1x WrL, 1x WrT/OSU, 1x MRT, 2x PM* for Pods: 1x MDD, 1x HVP, 1x MRU
E22WestlandWholetime1x WrL, 1x L4V, 1x PM+MDD*, 1x PM+HVP*
E23SpringfieldWholetime1x WrL, 1x WrT, 1x TL

Northern Command
Station Callsign Station Name Duty System Appliances
N11BallymenaWholetime/Retained1x WrL, 1x RP
N12KilreaRetained1x WrL, 1x CSU*
N13CushendallRetained1x WrL
N14CarnloughRetained1x WrL, 1x L4V
N15LarneRetained1x WrL, 1x RP
N21ColeraineDay Crewed/Retained1x WrL, 1x RP
N22PortstewartRetained2x WrL
N23PortrushRetained2x WrL
N24BallymoneyRetained1x WrL, 1x ATV
N25BallycastleRetained2x WrL, 1x L4V
N26Rathlin IslandVolunteer1x WrL
N31GlengormleyWholetime/Retained1x WrL, 1x WrT/FoT, 1x PM* for Pods: 1x FoC, 1x WelfU
N32AntrimDay Crewed/Retained2x WrL
N33BallyclareRetained2x WrL
N34CarrickfergusRetained1x WrL, 1x WrT
N35WhiteheadRetained1x WrL
N41LisburnWholetime/Retained1x WrL, 1x WrT, 1x CSU*
N42CrumlinRetained1x WrL

Southern Command
Station Callsign Station Name Duty System Appliances
S11PortadownRetained2x WrL, 1x TL
S12ArmaghDay Crewed/Retained2x WrL, 1x L4V
S13BanbridgeRetained2x WrL
S14LurganWholetime/Retained2x WrL
S15KeadyRetained1x WrL
S16DromoreRetained1x WrL, 1x DIM*
S21BangorWholetime/Retained1x WrL, 1x WrT
S22ComberRetained1x WrL
S23DonaghadeeRetained1x WrL
S24BallywalterRetained1x WrL
S25HolywoodRetained2x WrL
S26NewtownardsRetained1x WrL, 1x RP
S27PortaferryRetained1x WrL
S31NewryWholetime/Retained1x WrL, 1x RP, 1x OSU*
S32CrossmaglenRetained1x WrL
S33RathfrilandRetained1x WrL 1x ATV
S34WarrenpointRetained2x WrL, 1x WrC
S35NewtownhamiltonRetained1x WrL, 1x WrT
S41DownpatrickRetained1x WrL, 1x WrT
S42KilkeelRetained1x WrL, 1x ATV
S43CarryduffRetained1x WrL
S44NewcastleRetained1x WrL, 1x RP, 1x L4V, 1x ART
S45BallynahinchRetained2x WrL

Western Command
Station Callsign Station Name Duty System Appliances
W11Crescent LinkWholetime/Retained1x WrL, 1x WrT, 1x RT/OSU, 1x WRU, 1x L4V+IrbT,
W12NorthlandWholetime1x WrL, 1x WrT/FoT, 1x TL, 1x PM* for Pods: 1x FoC, 1x MDD, 1x WelfU
W13StrabaneRetained2x WrL, 1x CSU*
W14LimavadyRetained1x WrL, 1x WrT
W15DungivenRetained1x WrL, 1x WrC
W21OmaghRetained1x WrL, 1x RP, 1x L4V, 1x PM+HVP*, 1x ART
W22DromoreRetained1x WrL
W23CastledergRetained1x WrL 1x ATV
W24FintonaRetained1x WrL
W25NewtownstewartRetained1x WrL
W31CookstownRetained1x WrL, 1x ATV
W32PomeroyRetained1x WrL, 1x WrC
W33MagheraRetained2x WrL
W34DungannonRetained1x WrL, 1x RP
W35MagherafeltRetained1x WrL, 1x RP
W41EnniskillenRetained1x WrT, 1x RP, 1x L4V
W42IrvinestownRetained1x WrL, 1x CSU*
W43BelleekRetained1x WrL, 1x WrC
W44LisnaskeaRetained1x WrL 1x ATV
W45ClogherRetained2x WrL

Fire appliance glossary / callsigns
  • Water Ladder (WrL): 01/03
  • Water Tender (WrT): 02
  • 4 x 4 Rescue pump (ATV); 02
  • Water Tender/Foam Tender (WrT/FoT): 06
  • Rescue Pump (RP): 71
  • Water Tender/Operational Support Unit (WrT/OSU): 79
  • Water Carrier (WrC): 73
  • Rescue Tender (RT): 04
  • Turntable Ladder (TL): 05
  • Prime Mover + High Volume Pump (PM+HVP): 60
  • Operational Support Unit (OSU): 72/74
  • Light 4x4 Vehicle + Inshore Rescue Boat (L4V+IrbT): 76
  • Command Support Unit (CSU): 78
  • Light 4x4 Vehicle (L4V): 76
  • Animal Rescue Team (ART): 76
  • Marine Response Vehicle (MRV): 96
  • Water Rescue Unit (MRU): 96
  • Fire & Emergency Support Unit (FESU) FESS 1/ FESS 2/ FESS 3
  • Prime Mover (PM): 51/60/62

Pods:

  • Foam Carrier (FoC)
  • Marine Response Unit (MRU)
  • Welfare Unit (WelfU)

Specialist Rescue Unit (SRT)/Urban Search & Rescue (USAR):

  • Rapid Response Vehicle (RRV): RT60
  • Specialist Rescue Pump (SRP): RT190
  • Specialist Equipment Unit (SEU): RT196
  • Light 4x4 Vehicle (L4V): RT197
  • Search & Rescue Dog Unit (SDU)
  • Prime Mover (PM): RT191/RT192/RT193

Pods:

  • Module 1 - Technical Search Equipment
  • Module 2 - Heavy Transport, Confined Space & Hot Cutting
  • Module 3 - Breaching & Breaking Equipment
  • Module 4 - Multi Purpose Vehicle
  • Module 5 - Shoring Operations

CBRN Response:

  • Detection, Identification & Monitoring (DIM)
  • Prime Mover + Mass Decontamination Disrobe (PM+MDD): 60/62

Statistics
A ladder platform at Portadown

In 2016/17, NIFRS received 36,069 emergency calls, an increase of 7.9% on the previous year. Of these calls a total of 23,740 were mobilised.

See also

References
  1. http://www.nifrs.org/about_us.php?sec=3105 About NIFRS
  2. Broadhurst, W; Welsh, H (2001). The Flaming Truth, A History of the Belfast Fire Brigade. Belfast: Flaming Publications. p. 20.
  3. Bangor Fire Brigade: A Brief History Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine
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