Dublin Fire Brigade

Dublin Fire Brigade

Operational area
Country	Ireland
City	Dublin
Agency overview
Employees	900
Chief Fire Officer	Dennis Keeley (Acting)
Facilities and equipment
Stations	14
Engines	21
Platforms	3
Rescues	2
Ambulances	12
HAZMAT	2
Rescue boats	2
Website
Official website

The Dublin Fire Brigade (DFB; Irish: Briogáid Dóiteáin Átha Cliath) is the local authority fire and rescue service for Dublin City and the majority of the Greater Dublin Area. It is a branch of Dublin City Council. There are currently 14 fire stations manned by DFB, 12 of which are full-time, the other 2 are part-time or "retained". Full-time stations are manned by shifts across 4 watches, A, B, C & D. There are currently over 900 active personnel making it the largest fire service based on manpower and resources in Ireland.

History

Dublin City's first municipal fire engines were delivered in 1705. Throughout the second half of the 18th Century, insurance brigades were the primary source of firefighting for the city, operating independently for buildings bearing the mark of their respective insurance companies. Eventually the brigades began to co-operate on a competition basis with the first brigade on scene being the highest paid. It wasn't until 1862 with the enactment of the Dublin Corporation Act, that the city had an organised fire brigade. Dublin man J.R. Ingram became the first superintendent of the brigade, having worked as a fireman in New York and London. The brigade consisted of 24 men with a makeshift fire brigade station on Winetavern Street in The Liberties. In 1898 the Dublin Fire Brigade Ambulance Service was established. The turn of the century saw the brigade have its first fire stations and permanent headquarters built, with the first motorised fire engine coming on stream in 1909.

Stardust fire

Main article: Stardust fire

In the early hours of 14 February 1981, Dublin Fire Brigade received a call reporting a fire in the Stardust nightclub in Artane. Units were dispatched from both Kilbarrack fire station and North Strand fire station. When the firemen arrived they were met with scenes of panic, disorder and suffering at what would turn out be one of the worst fire disasters in the history of the state. 48 people died and 214 people were injured as a result of the fire.

Fire Stations/Appliances

Station Callsign	Station Name	Duty System	Appliances
#1	Donnybrook	Wholetime	2x WtL, 1x AMB, 1x DO
#2	Dolphins Barn	Wholetime	2x WtL, 1x ET, 1x DO, 1x AMB
#3	Phibsboro	Wholetime	2x WtL, 1x WrC, 1x ET, 1x DO, 1x AMB,
#4	North Strand	Wholetime	2x WtL, 1x TRV, 1x DO, 1x AMB
#5	Finglas	Wholetime	1x WtL, 1x DO, 1x AMB
#6	Kilbarrack	Wholetime	1x WtL, 1x AMB
#7	Tallaght	Wholetime	2x WtL, 1x AMB
#8	Rathfarnham	Wholetime	1x WtL, 1x AMB
#9	Blanchardstown	Wholetime	1x WtL, 1x AMB
#10	Tara Street/Pearse Street (HQ)	Wholetime	2x WtL, 2x TL, 1x FEU, 1x ISU, 1x DO, 2x APRU, 2x AMB, 1x PCV
#12	Dun Laoghaire	Wholetime	2x WtL, 1x ALP
#13	Swords	Wholetime	1x WtL, 1x AMB
#23	Balbriggan	Retained	1x WtL
#24	Skerries	Retained	1x WtL
N/A	Additional Appliances*	Retained	2x WrC, 2x RIB, 1x CIU, 1x MIU, 2x CSU, 3x PM, 1x BFU, 1x WSU, 1x HRU

• These are appliances crewed by the DFB but kept in reserve until needed at emergencies requiring specialist equipment. They at stored at stations across the capital but are not tied down to any one in particular.

Fire Appliance Glossary/Callsigns (currently changing to longer format Oct 2018)

• Water Tender Ladder (WtL): DN11A1, DN11A2, DN12A1, DN12A2, DN13A1, DN13A2, DN14A1, DN14A2, DN15A1, DN16A1, DN17A1, DN17A2, DN18A1, DN19A1, DN21A1, DN21A2, DN22A1, DN22A2, DN23A1, DN24A1, DN25A1
• Water Carrier (WrC): D19, D39, D109
• Turntable Ladder (TL): D106, D107
• Aerial Ladder Platform (ALP): D126
• Emergency Tender (ET): D25, D35
• Tunnel Response Vehicle (TRV): D45
• Chemical Incident Unit (CIU): D113
• Command Support Unit (CSU): CS2
• Incident Command Unit (DICU)
• Incident Support Unit (ISU): D108
• Foam & Environmental Unit (FEU): D43
• Foam Support Unit (FSU): D103
• Personnel Carrier Vehicle (PCV): D108
• Inshore Rescue Boat (IrbT)
• Prime Mover + HAZMAT Response Unit (PM+HRU): D123
• Prime Mover + Water Support Unit (PM+WSU): D63
• Prime Mover (PM): D33

For Pods:

• Bulk Foam Unit (BFU)
• Major Incident Unit (MIU)

• District Officer's (DO): A, B, C, D, E, F

Emergency Ambulance Service Glossary/Callsigns

• Advance Paramedic Response Unit (APRU): EMT-A1
• Advanced Paramedic Response Unit (ARPU): EMT-A2
• Ambulance (AMB): D14, D24, D34, D44, D54, D64, D74, D84, D94, D104, D114, D134

Dublin Fire Brigade, operates 12 ambulances on behalf of the Health Service Executive and 2 advanced paramedic response vehicles with staff rotating between fire and ambulance duties. Most firefighters are PHECC registered paramedics. Fire engines are often sent to more serious medical calls before an ambulance and to assist where extra manpower is required. Dublin Fire Brigade’s fire and rescue resources are funded by and under the remit of Dublin City Council. Medical resources are funded by the HSE via service-level agreement from the National Ambulance Service annual budget.

Training centre and museum

The Dublin Fire Brigade Training Centre is located at the O'Brien Institute on the Malahide Road, Marino, Dublin 3. Recruit firefighter training as well as Paramedic training and specialised courses are held here. The centre also provides various other training courses such as fire marshal training and first aid training to private companies and individuals. The Dublin Fire Brigade museum is also situated at the O'Brien Institute and can be visited by appointment.

Gallery

• Dublin Fire Brigade
• 
  The Dublin Fire Brigade Training Centre at the O'Brien Institute.
• 
  Dublin Fire Brigade headquarters on Townsend Street.
• 
  Dolphin's Barn Fire Station (Bravo District) in Dublin 12.
• 
  Pump bay of a Dennis RS series WrL.
• 
  Thomas Street Fire Brigade Station (now part of NCAD).
• 
  The crest of the Dublin Fire Brigade.
• 
  A 2009 Scania Water Ladder Appliance of Dublin Fire Brigade.
• 
  Dublin Fire Brigade Emergency Ambulance arriving at St. James's Hospital with a patient.

See also

• History of the Republic of Ireland
• PHECC
• Garda Síochána
• HSE National Ambulance Service
• List of fire departments
• Civil Defence Ireland
• Irish Coast Guard

External links

• Dublin Fire Brigade External Training
• Dublin Fire Brigade Museum
• Dublin Fire Brigade on Irish Fire Services resource website
• "Dublin City Fire Brigade page". Internet Archive. Archived from the original on 13 June 2011. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
• Pre Hospital Emergency Care Council