Longford fire stations at risk of closure as dispute rumbles on

Those were the sobering sentiments which emerged last Saturday as a number of locals joined firemen from Edgeworthstown Fire Station for a day of protest.

That demonstration came amid growing dissatisfaction at a dispute which is on the cusp of entering its third month without resolution.

About 2,000 retained firefighters around the country are involved in the dispute, which centres on their demands for increases to their overall pay, improved recruitment and retention as well as rostered time off.

Local fireman Raymond Hussey said the decision to take to the picket lines was one not motivated by financial gain, but rather influenced by a desire to preserve an industry in dire need of overhaul.

“People think we are striking because we are looking for more money,” he said.

“The money isn’t anything to do with it, this is about the future of the fire service.

“Over the last ten years, numbers have declined right across the board in quiet and busy stations, meaning it’s near impossible to get recruits in at the minute because of the money they are starting on and because of the restrictions of living.

“Some of the stations in Longford have an age gap of maybe 50 plus and when they (ageing personnel) are gone in five years time, the community should be fearing that that station will close because you need a crew of at least six.”

Retained firefighters are paid between €8,000 and €12,000 and then on the basis of attendance for training or call-outs.

The firefighters rejected Labour Court proposals for resolving the dispute, which included increases to the retainer and the recruitment of around 400 additional firefighters.

Siptu recommended rejection of the offer, in part due to their argument that the increases were large in percentage terms but were based on such low figures that they did not address the underlying grievances.

Raymond said the stringent conditions placed on retained firefighters to live and work within 2.5km of their designated station was simply unworkable in the current climate.

“Two fellas in our station missed out on the (All-Ireland) Football (Final) and one fella missed out on the All-Ireland Hurling final (because of working conditions),” he said.“Stations will close and communities are going to feel the wrath of that because we cover Legan, Ardagh, well into Westmeath, Edgeworthstown, Ballinalee and Longford.

“Everyone says the simplest thing is a chimney fire and while a chimney fire is our bread and butter, it’s an emergency for somebody that is in panic for us to get there, so if Edgeworthstown station was to close and you were relying on Longford or Granard or Ballymahon to come to Edgeworthstown that ten minute call that we make is a half an hour call for an outer station where that chimney station could escalate into a house fire.”