Revealed: What Firemen have to put up with.

dublin | worker & community struggles and protests | news report

Sunday September 10, 2006 15:25

by Max

Firemen responding to callouts in Dublin regularly get stabbed with used syringes or have their vehicles stoned by youths, a new book has revealed.

Firemen responding to callouts in Dublin regularly get stabbed with used syringes or have their vehicles stoned by youths, a new book has revealed.

Firecall – True Stories of Irish Firefighting & Rescue explores the daily intimidation and violence facing officers in the line of duty.

Fireman Dave Connolly from Finglas Station – dubbed Fort Apache by officers - was once stabbed by a used syringe and endured an agonising wait for blood test results.

He told the book: “I had to endure several weeks of hell while I waited for my blood test results. It was constantly on my mind.

“I was nervous with my family, worried about using cups or cutlery that they might be using. It’s an incredibly distressing event for anyone.

“What makes it worse is that it’s something caused during the course of your work, helping somebody who needed help. That’s the reward I got in that case.”

Mr Connolly was taking a patient to hospital when they suddenly got violent and stabbed him with their used syringe.

Blood tests were clear for any transmissible disease.

Officers at Dolphin’s Barn Station regularly get pelted with bottles and stones while trying to put out bonfires near council flats.

Tallaght Station was once going through one windscreen a week due to stone-throwing youths, it was also revealed.

Fire engines would respond to callouts in lanes, a vehicle would trap it from behind and it would suddenly come under attack.

One fireman, Paul Carolan said: “The very fact that we are attacked in the course of trying to help other people shows that we don’t enjoy the same public standing which firefighters do in other countries.

“Firefighters in the US and Canada do not have the threat of attacks hanging over them every time they answer a callout. It simply doesn’t happen there.”

In Dolphin’s Barn Station, thieves would sometimes ring in hoax 999 calls, then ransack the building when the firemen left.

Fireman Gerry Sterio said: “We had cases here where we’d actually come back from a callout and met guys carrying a television out of the station.”

However the book also contains happy stories such as when two officers from Dolphin’s Barn once delivered a baby for a foreign national woman in the back of their fire ambulance.

Fireman John Lynch said: “There are some things that you can’t train for. When we were doing our emergency medical training, eventualities such as this were done with a mannequin in a training room...but actually dealing with a live situation at the side of the road with a new born baby in difficulty and a mum in discomfort who you’re barely able to communicate with, is a different matter entirely.”

The 200-page book follows crews that once battled blazes but now responds to a wide range of incidents such as road collisions and floods.

It also recalls well known fires like the Stardust Whiddy Island, Slane Castle and Trinity College.

Published by Gill & Macmillan today, it is written by Dubliner Ruairi Kavanagh, who previously edited Firecall, the official magazine of the Irish fire and rescue services.

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Comments (7 of 7)

Heroic Neutered Fireperson

by Aidan Kennedy - Donaghmede / Dublin North East

Tue Sep 12, 2006 15:11

Firemen and Firewomen are excellent Firepeople regardless of their gender, sexuality or even religious preference.

While the Scum who throw stones and stab Firemen / Women are still scum regardless of their gender, sexuality or even religious preference.

PC or nuts

by gary

Tue Sep 12, 2006 14:48

Fire fighters and ambulance person, the thin blue line!!!!!!
You people live on another PC / paranoid planet. The members of the DFB (Dublin Fire Brigade) are some of bravest people you will ever be lucky to meet especially if you need their help. The equipment is old there is not enough of it but the men and women who save our lives are dam good people. For them to be stoned is one thing to hear also and orla makes my blood boil. These people risk life and limb their families never know if tonight is the night they don't come home and you pair moan on about nothing..

I believe the correct term is fire-fighters.

by Janey Mac

Tue Sep 12, 2006 11:40

And yeah, some people get their kicks from setting fires and throwing stones at the fire brigade.
In some towns and cities, more than half the fires that they respond to are cars being burned out 'for the craic' in other words, cos they can't think of anything better to do. In some cases the fire engine won't go into an estate without a Garda escort. They put up with a lot.

Unfair

by Jaysus

Tue Sep 12, 2006 11:18

Why would it matter whether it was a man or a woman carrying me out? There are firewomen working in the service who work extremely hard- this 1950's attitude is hilarious! Like "Who would you want running your business/stitching up your wound?". You're gas!

Not so sure

by orla

Mon Sep 11, 2006 20:03

"I'm sure you meant Firepeople" - Why so sure? No women are mentioned in the article. Which would you prefer to carry you out of a burning building?

second hand fire-engines brought from England

by Also

Sun Sep 10, 2006 21:22

all the equipment is run down , and even if new second-hands had been
bought since I was told this: Dublin Fire Brigade does not have the capacity
to fight fires in the ever-higher rising apartments blocks in the city centre.

Plus if you have an emergency service sticker on your family car, you can take illegal
right turns, the garda only bollok them , no points.

The thin blue line look after each other- boys club.

I'm sure you meant

by .

Sun Sep 10, 2006 16:39

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Revealed: What Firemen have to put up with.

Comments (7 of 7)