Funding for training 20 new recruits a small step to supporting Dublin Fire Brigade staffing levels
At last night’s Dublin City Council annual Budget meeting the DCC Labour Cllr Group secured an amendment to the proposed 2018 Dublin City Council Budget to provide €475,000 funding for the training of 20 new recruits for Dublin Fire Brigade and Ambulance Service. Cllr Alison Gilliland said:
“This funding is a small step to supporting Dublin Fire Brigade staffing levels. The training will commence in June 2018. It will allow 10 external panel recruits and 10 Emergency Service Controllers to proceed to full training.’
“Staffing in Dublin Fire Brigade and Ambulance Services is currently under pressure with daily shortages being experienced, often resulting in officers being pulled from scheduled training to cover station shortages”
To address this issue Cllr. Gilliland, Chairperson of the Dublin City Council Special Committee for Fire and Emergency Services and Emergency Management has set in motion a review of staffing levels – training is vital for our officers to maintain their high level of expertise and to learn new skills. “It’s unacceptable, both for efficient operational management and for officers’ on the job safety, that this vital aspect of officer professionalism is being compromised.”
“We must also remember that emergency medical calls in the city have increased year on year resulting in the need for 4 additional ambulances.
Persistent calls from Cllr. Gilliland to fund this significant shortfall has fallen on deaf ears in the Department of Health calling into question Minister Harris’ commitment to pre-hospital emergency care.