Carlow Fire and Rescue Service excels at national competition
The County Carlow Fire and Rescue Team which placed second overall at the National Rescue Organisation Ireland Challenge: Mick Tobin from Rescue Organisation Ireland, firefighter Ronan Boyle, senior station officer Eddie O’Hara, firefighter Niall Foster, senior station officer Danial Fitzpatrick, firefighter Artur Bienko, firefighter Andrew Fisher with Anthony Byrne and Mick Gahan, National Rescue Organisation Ireland
CARLOW COUNTY Fire and Rescue Service proved once again that their expertise and skill are among the best in the country, by securing second place in a National Rescue Organisation Ireland (ROI) competition.
The team, consisting of senior station officer Danial Fitzpatrick and firefighters Ronan Boyle and Artur Bienko from Carlow Fire Station, along with senior station officer Eddie O’Hara and firefighters Andrew Fisher and Nial Foster from Bagenalstown Fire Station, competed in two challenging staged road traffic collision scenarios involving live casualties trapped in the vehicles, as well as two trauma scenarios, again involving live casualties presenting various traumatic injuries. The team members were assessed on their performance in incident management, health and safety, technical extrication and medical interventions.
Carlow County Fire and Rescue Service competed against teams from Dublin Fire Brigade, Kildare Fire Service, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, Civil Defence units and teams that travelled from Luxembourg and Belgium to the competition at Dublin Fire Brigade’s training centre.
Overall, Carlow County Fire and Rescue Service placed second in the competition and achieved first place with firefighter Ronan Boyle in the CPR event.
“Our team have been putting a lot of time and effort into preparing for this event and to represent our county fire and rescue service at a national level,” said acting chief fire officer Ben Woodhouse.
“I’m very proud of their performance competing at this high level and wish to congratulate and acknowledge the efforts of all team members and the support given to them in their preparation by senior officer Darrell Hayden (Carlow Fire Station), retired Carlow town senior officer John Comerford and retired HSE National Ambulance Service paramedic Mick Tobin. Not only do the team get to put their skills to the test in a national competition but these skills also translate to fire station level when our crews respond to real emergencies using their skills, our fleet and equipment helping those in need involved in road traffic collisions.”
