Firefighters in Letterkenny and Buncrana have spoken out about a crisis within Donegal’s fire services, where cuts to crew numbers and the removal of essential equipment are threatening public safety.
Under resourcing will lead to slower response times to emergencies and “the consequences could be deadly,” the Donegal Firefighters Association has warned.
It’s claimed that downgrading plans involve the removal of the second fire tender at Buncrana which would lead to a significant cut in crew numbers, and, in the case of Letterkenny, the loss of the vital water tanker and incident command vehicle.
Letterkenny Fire Station is reportedly operating a new rostering system without a corresponding increase in staff. With only 14 firefighters, shifts are limited to seven personnel, making it impossible to fully staff both fire appliances and
specialist vehicles to respond effectively to large-scale incidents, unlike the previous system which allowed for two fully staffed crews.
DFA members in Letterkenny and Buncrana claim there is a “deliberate under-resourcing of emergency services by senior management” which they say that management has attempted to justify by pointing to firefighters’ efforts to secure a fair work-life balance.
A statement from the DFA said: “Every second counts in an emergency, and the impact of these cuts will be measured in lives lost. Reduced crew numbers mean slower response times. Fewer available firefighters mean that vital emergency vehicles, can no longer be mobilised, not because they are unnecessary, but because there simply won’t be enough personnel available to operate them. Complex incidents requiring multiple crews will now be met with only a fraction of the necessary personnel and equipment.
“This is not just an inconvenience—it is a direct threat to public safety. House fires, road traffic collisions, industrial accidents—every one of these emergencies will now be met with a weaker and more vulnerable fire service.”
Mayor of Letterkenny, Cllr Gerry Mc Monagle is calling for clarification from the Donegal Fire Service Management to the claims by firefighters representatives.
He said: “I think it would be important for Fire Service Management to issue a statement on these issues and to reassure the public that our Firefighters will have the necessary resources to respond to any emergency that may arise and that the public’s safety is paramount.
“Our Firefighters deserve better, the bullish attitude and disrespect shown to Firefighters by Management is concerning.
“I would therefore call on Donegal Fire Service Management to deal respectfully and in a meaningful way to resolve these matters.”
