Official Handover of New Fire Appliance

Friday 16 February 2018

Photo: Marina McMullan

On Tuesday 13 February, the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service performed the official handover of a brand new purpose-built fire appliance for use on Rathlin. The vehicle was designed and built to suit the specific needs of the island with its narrow roads, tight bends and inaccessible laneways. Crucially, the appliance, although smaller, still retains the same water carrying capacity as previous vehicles, and now also carries foam.

Many members of the community turned out to welcome the new addition to the island's fire fighting service, and the pupils of St Mary's Primary School enjoyed exploring the new vehicle.

The Fire Service committed to a process of listening to the experiences of the Rathlin fire fighters and others on the island, and this engagement with the community helped produce the excellent modern vehicle that is so well suited to conditions on the island.

The Committee of the RDCA would particularly like to express its gratitude to the NIFRS for their investment in not only the safety of the island's residents and visitors, but also in the future of the island. Having a truly fit for purpose fire appliance on the island is a great reassurance for everyone living on and visiting Rathlin, and gives added confidence and security to a growing community.

The full statement from the NIFRS is available here.