Firefighters stationed at Enniskillen have raised concerns about their future amid speculation about the withdrawal of services as part of cost cutting measures.
Speaking to this newspaper, close sources said rumours have been circulating for the past number of months.
It is believed that the whole-time firefighters who are based at the station Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm could be relocated to other stations around Northern Ireland with only retained firefighters manning the station if measures are taken to cut running costs.
This would result in firefighters currently working in the station, travelling to other stations in Northern Ireland, while Enniskillen would be manned on a part-time basis.
In a statement, released to The Impartial Reporter by firefighters at the Enniskillen station, they pointed out the negative impact this would have on the ability of the fire service to respond to emergencies in the local community.
“As firefighters in Enniskillen we are deeply concerned about the uncertainty surrounding our future, amidst rumours of the service withdrawing its whole time status as a cost cutting measure.
“Crews here have been hearing the rumours for several months but as of yet nothing has been clarified.
“Fermanagh was the only county without a whole-time fire service for many years and to lose this status would have a detrimental effect not only to ourselves but also to our part time colleagues who some already struggle to make themselves available during daytime hours.
“But fundamentally it’s the impact it would have on the local community, our community, that is the biggest worry due to response times,” said the statement.
In response to queries about the future of full-time firefighters in Enniskillen, a Northern Ireland Fire Service (NIFRS) spokesperson told this newspaper: “While there are no plans at present to change the current crewing model at Enniskillen Fire Station, we continually review our operating model to ensure effective service delivery to protect the community across Northern Ireland.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here