Macroom fire service is tops for speed

THE fire service in Macroom is the fastest in the county, but the other West Cork stations are no slouches, either.

A new 81-page report by the Cork County Council fire department gives a breakdown of mobilising times for the 21 stations in the north, south, east and western divisions.

It shows that nearly a quarter of them are two minutes slower than the national mobilisation average of six minutes.

The numbers for south and west Cork do, however, stack up: at 3.59 minutes, Macroom’s emergency response time is clearly the fastest, but the Bandon average comes a close second at 4.33 minutes.

Schull’s average response time is 4.36 minutes, with Dunmanway at 4.44 minutes, Skibbereen at 4.57 minutes, Castletownbere at 5.18 minutes, Bantry at 5.32 minutes, and Clonakilty at 5.40 minutes.

The report shows other towns – such as Kinsale at 6.07 minutes, or Midleton at 8.10 minutes – are slower than the national average and recommends a review