With a close-knit team working out of Bandon Fire Station, Kieran O’Mahony caught up with some of the crew to find out what life as a retained firefighter is really like.
THERE’S no denying that being a retained fire fighter with Cork County Council comes with its challenges, especially responding to road traffic collisions or fires, but it’s evident that the 14-strong crew at Bandon Fire Station are here to support and help one another.
Speaking to The Southern Star, station officer John O’Connell, who has been with the service for 19 years, said a new rostering system introduced last year has significantly benefitted his crew.
The new rota means they are a week on call and a week off as opposed to the previous arrangement where they were off every second weekend.
‘It’s called flexi/off because you can turn up on your week off if you want and from a family and lifestyle point of view it has improved,’ explained John. ‘With that we would be hoping it could encourage more men and women to join the fire service as there’s a bit more flexibility to plan things.
‘We have a 14-man crew here because we have two specials, a tanker and a hydraulic platform and by having a special we cover the other areas of West Cork if needed.’
Because Bandon Fire Station has a training centre within it, John’s work involves maintenance of the equipment there and also breathing apparatus training in Clonmel or Tullamore where he trains new recruits.
‘A lot of people don’t know what exactly is involved in becoming a retained firefighter, but what I like about it is that you are going to something different every time and call outs are never the same.’
John started off as a fireman before being promoted to sub officer and then station officer. Denis O’Mahony, a self-employed welder from Bandon, has been a retained firefighter with the local fire station for the past five years and he told how it’s something he had always wanted to do.
‘I worked as a self-employed mechanic for over 20 years when I decided I needed a change and saw an ad for retained firefighters. This was always something I had an interest in,’ said Denis.
‘All of our crew have to work and live within four minutes of the fire station here so when the beeper goes off we are there very fast. Now the roster works better as we are a week on and then a week off.’
While admitting the job is both physical and challenging, he also feels it’s a very rewarding one.
Galera’s crewmates celebrate his 3 Gold Medals at the recent World Police and Fire Games in Alabama. (Photo: Kieran O’Mahony)
‘We have a fantastic crew here and there’s great camaraderie and craic. We witness some horrific scenes but also there are good days too when we get a save.’
Having a debrief and a chat amongst themselves especially after a fatality is an important part of the being a retained firefighter and he said they all look out for each other in those circumstances, while counselling is also available if needed.
‘There is a great variety in the job. When that beeper goes off you don’t know what you’re facing. It could be as simple as an ambulance assist or even helping someone get down the stairs. You never really know what is ahead of you until you get to the scene.’
Training for the crew takes place every Wednesday evening at the training centre adjacent to the fire station and this three-hour session can involve various drills from cutting up cars to dealing with hazardous materials.
‘The equipment we have is top class and we have state of the art trucks with everything from pumps to cutters contained in them,’ added Denis.
Brazilian native Galera, who has been with Bandon Fire Service for the past six years, is still celebrating his recent three Gold medals from the World Police and Fire Games in Alabama in the United States. He won gold in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi and freestyle wrestling.
As well as running his own martial arts gym nearby he joined Bandon Fire Service during the COVID pandemic and completed his training during that period.
‘I think I was the first foreigner to join Bandon Fire Service and now there are two more since, another Brazilian and a Romanian,’ said Galera. ‘We have a great crew and system here and the support is there too if we need it especially after difficult call outs.’
He said that in an event of a call out when people are in a panic they need to be the ones to keep calm and follow the proper procedures and plan.
‘There are great rewards to being a retained firefighter and there’s a sense of community too. You need to like it and you need to see the rewards in helping people.’
While visiting the station, Paul Griffin, assistant chief fire officer at Cork County Council, presented Galera with a voucher to acknowledge his medal success much to his surprise.
Bandon Fire Station has only ever had one female firefighter, Eleanor Tobin, who served with them for 21 years and retired in 2017. John said he is keen to change that going forward.
