'FIRE BRIGADE JOURNAL'
Christmas 2007

STRESS MANAGEMENT
The new Critical Incident Stress Management system is designed to help fire authorities and firefighters tackle stress. However, will this really make a difference and how exactly do most of those in the fire service deal with the stress? JJ Worrall reports.

EMERGENCY TENDERS
A verdict of the European Court of Justice that could see emergency ambulance services in Dublin put out to tender is imminent. The case came before the court on foot of a complaint by an Irish private ambulance firm and is set to have European-wide significance, writes Eoin Bassett.

AIR CORPS
The Air Corps Fire Service is currently in the process of developing a new training ground, purchasing new equipment and meeting the demands of international best practice. Eoin Bassett landed in Baldonnel recently to catch a bird's eye view of the fire crew in training.

ROAD TUNNELS
On the day that a tanker carrying aviation fuel emerged from the Dublin Port Tunnel billowing smoke and catching fire on the side of the road, one of Europe's foremost experts on tunnel fires was addressing the 50th annual Chief Fire Officers' Association Conference in Killiney. Eoin Bassett reports.

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY
Norway has rolled out the pilot phase of its multi-agency digital radio system for the country's fire services, police force and healthcare sector. This differs greatly to the TETRA projects in the UK and now Ireland, where the police forces are the first to tune into the system. Report by Grace Heneghan.

COMMUNITY ARTS
In 1991 a long-term lease was signed on the building that once housed Dublin's Buckingham Street Fire Station. The lease was taken by the Arts Council which has, in the intervening years, turned the building into studio space for artists to work, learn and live. JJ Worrall reports.

STRATEGIC ROLE
David Johnson, CFO, Essex Fire and Rescue Service, addressed the 50th Chief Fire Officers' Association Conference in Killiney, Co. Dublin, on the strategic role of the chief fire officer in leading change in response to service needs.

ROAD SAFETY
Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service has become the first service in Europe to receive the prestigious European Road Safety Charter, due to its commitment to help reduce the number of road traffic collisions, deaths and serious injuries on northern roads.

WILDFIRE 2007
The implications of climate change, wildfire forecasting systems and the development of the EuroFire pilot project were just some of the topics discussed by UK and international experts at 'Wildfire 2007' conference in North Yorkshire in June.

FIREFIGHTER FUNERAL
There were widespread pleas for people to take more responsibility for safety on our roads after the tragic deaths of two members of the emergency services after they were hit by a car while attending the scene of an accident in Limerick.

NORTHERN IRELAND
With the exception of a few dissenting voices, the smoking ban seems to have been welcomed in Northern Ireland. JJ Worrall reports on how the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service feels the ban will affect their work.

SERVICE RETIREMENT
Athy's fire station officer Tim Dunne has retired after 41 years of service to the brigade - a retirement that ends an almost 100-year family tradition in the Dunne family as his late father and brother also served in Athy Fire Brigade.

FIRE SAFETY ENGINEERING
Delegates at this year's Chief Fire Officers' Association (CFOA) conference heard that buildings are becoming increasing large and complex, creating challenges for the emergency services, fire safety engineers and those responsible for building codes.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Eoin Bassett
Editor
Emergency Services Ireland
Ocean Publishing Ltd
14 Upper Fitzwilliam Street
Dublin 2
Tel: 01-6477105
Fax: 01-6785191
Email: grace@oceanpublishing.ie
Website: www.oceanpublishing.ie