About the fire service
The Galway Fire and Rescue Service (Irish: Seirbhís Dóiteáin agus Tarrthála na Gaillimhe) is the official fire and emergency response service for Galway City and County. It operates under the authority of Galway County Council and is responsible for a wide range of emergency services including fire-fighting, road traffic collisions, technical rescue and dealing with hazardous materials. Galway Fire and Rescue Service carries out its functions under four main sections, namely Operational Fire Services, Technical Fire Safety or Fire Prevention, Major Emergency Management and Community Fire Safety.
Operational fire service
Galway Fire and Rescue Service provides a 24/7/365 Operational Fire service from eleven fire stations strategically located throughout the City and County of Galway. Each fire brigade is under the command of a station officer, who has a sub-officer to assist and deputise for him/her in their absence. Each brigade has one or more driver mechanics, depending upon the number of appliances at a particular station. All members of the County brigades are employed on a part-time retained basis with the Galway City Station employing full-time and retained fire-fighters. If you are interested in becoming a retained firefighter you can check out more information by clicking the following link: Vacancies
Technical Fire Safety / Fire Prevention
The role of the Fire Authority in the Provision of Fire Prevention / Safety services is to provide expert advice, promote and develop a fire safety culture in the community and to exercise the regulatory controls required by the Fire Services Act, Building Control Act and the Dangerous Substances Act. Galway Fire and Rescue Service employ Technical Fire Officers to assess Fire Safety Certificate applications, Disability Access Certificate applications, Intoxicating Liquor Licences and Dangerous Substances Licences. Fire Officers carry out inspections of buildings under the various Acts, and carry out regular inspections of all premises types throughout the City and County.
Major Emergency Management (MEM)
Galway Fire and Rescue Service assist in the coordination of the Galway County Council Major Emergnecy Plan combined with the coordinated plans of the Principle Response Agencies (Local Authority, Health Service Executive and An Garda Síochána). The Framework for Major Emergency Management outlines the procedures to be followed in a major emergency and the functions to be undertaken by each respective service.
Community Fire Safety
Galway Fire and Rescue Service is committed to promoting fire safety awareness in its functional area through a range of Community Fire Safety (C.F.S.) activities and initiatives the aim of which is to involve the community in preventing death and injury resulting from fire and other incidents.These C.F.S. initiatives are co-ordinated by a team of Senior and Junior fire officers and implemented with the assistance of the local fire brigade personnel, all working together as part of a team and reaching out to the community in which they serve.