THE difficulty recruiting full time firefighters has the potential to leave the town exposed in an emergency with one councillor calling the situation “alarming”.
It is understood that on a recent weekend just four firefighters were available for duty in Shannon.
Such low numbers could have meant the service was well below what is required, but arrangements were made to bring firefighters from other areas to Shannon.
Councillor Donna McGettigan said it is imperative that the situation improve.
“To have so few in a town with an airport and chemical factories, it is very alarming. There must be a lot of stress on the staff too to cover shortages, and they’re under immense pressure.”
She said that the reason for the lack of cover goes beyond the Council.
“I know they have been trying their best to recruit, but something needs to be done to make sure it is done. I can’t blame them here, they have been trying, but that work-life balance is probably something that puts people off coming into the fire service.
“The Government really does need to do something to try and make that better, so that people will come in.
“You can’t have a town like Shannon with the amount of people in it, and chemical factories, and an airport, having so few staff on. If something major happened we would be in major trouble.”
Councillor McGettigan said that while special arrangements had been made when the numbers were very low, it wasn’t a solution.
“What they did was bring in other firemen from other stations who spent the night in the Shannon Fire Station, but they can’t keep doing that either, because that means pulling firemen from other areas, and what if something big happens in that area?”
In a statement the County Council acknowledged that getting staff to man the service has been very difficult locally.
“Recruitment and Retention of Retained Fire Service personnel at Shannon Fire Station in particular is a challenge currently.
“There are predetermined arrangements in place within the Fire Service that will ensure that appropriate resources are mobilised to fire incidents – if a particular Brigade has reduced levels of personnel, and if additional resources are required, adjoining Brigades will be mobilised to such incidents.
“Clare County Council is currently running a recruitment drive to take on additional personnel at Kilrush, Kilkee and Shannon Fire Stations, and welcomes this opportunity to make people aware of the benefits of joining the Fire Service.
“People of all walks of life are today serving as Retained Firefighters across the country. If you are a successful candidate, you will receive specialised training in firefighting skills, first aid and emergency procedures.
“Training covers the use of specialised equipment, and it also involves working as part of a disciplined team.
“The skills learned provide individuals with career progression opportunities, both within their own employment, as well as within the Fire Service.”
Thousands of people are employed within Shannon and the Council urged employers to be flexible.
“We also ask employers to consider allowing members of staff to join the Fire Service. While there is a commitment required, both from the individual and from the employer, there are considerable advantages in having a Retained Firefighter on their staff.
“Firefighters become very adept at handling emergencies, and develop good problem-solving skills, qualities that can be carried through to the work environment.
“In addition to the skills training provided, officer training develops leadership and management skills that can be a bonus in the workplace.”
Applications are being accepted through the Clare County Council website until December 30.
Owen Ryan has been a journalist with the Clare Champion since 2007, having previously worked with a number of other publications in Limerick, Cork and Galway. His first book will be published in December 2024.