Donegal County Council say that there is ‘no proposal to downgrade the voluntary fire service on Arranmore Island’.
In a statement to Highland Radio News the council says it remains committed to supporting the island’s Fire Brigade and is now recruiting new volunteers.
The Council says national policy for inhabited offshore islands focuses on community fire safety measures, including smoke alarms, fire extinguishers, training and public information.
It says those measures are already in place on the island, with a second phase of the fire safety scheme now underway that will see smoke detectors installed in every accessible home.
The Council says the Arranmore voluntary fire brigade will continue to be supported through recruitment and training, adding that the level of support provided exceeds national policy requirements.
The five-member brigade is equipped with a midi fire appliance and, according to the Council, its firefighters have completed specialist training to deal with both offensive and defensive firefighting. Two members are also trained as Emergency First Responders.
With one firefighter recently retired and another expected to retire later this year, the Council says five people have already come forward to join the brigade, with suitability assessments now being organised.
It also points out that because the firefighters are volunteers, island residents are not charged for fire service call-outs.
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Statement in full –
At the outset, it is important to state that there is no proposal to downgrade the voluntary fire service on Oileán Árainn Mhór.
The National Policy with respect to fire cover on inhabited offshore islands is a non-blue light response with a focus on the provision of fire detection equipment, fire extinguishers, fire
blankets, training and public information, as part of a community safety focussed capability. Donegal County Council Fire Service has provided the referenced equipment, training and information in compliance with this policy to the inhabitants of all of the inhabited offshore islands. A second iteration of the Islands Fire safety scheme is currently in the process of being rolled out where every accessible home will be fitted with smoke detectors.
Donegal County Council Fire Service has no plans to change the current system of a voluntary fire service on Oileán Árainn Mhór. This service will continue to be supported by Donegal
County Council by way of recruitment and basic training to allow the voluntary service to meet the fire service response need on the island. The support provided by the Donegal County Council Fire Service exceeds the requirements set out in government policy.
Oileán Árainn Mhór Voluntary Brigade has a compliment of five voluntary fire fighters and a- midi fire appliance that has in essence the same functional capability as those in the retained
brigades, save that it carries a reduced quantity of water and does not carry 13.5m ladder.
Each member of the brigade has completed the Retained Recruits course, the Breathing Apparatus Initial Wearers course and the Compartment Fire Behaviour Course. In addition,
two members of the brigade are trained to Emergency First Responder standard. Refresher courses are held at the required frequency. The training and the equipment give the brigade
the capability to engage in both offensive and defensive firefighting.
To maintain the compliment numbers, in the context of one recent and one pending retirement later in 2026, Donegal County Council Fire Service has identified 5 persons on the island
who wish to join the Volunteer Service. Suitability testing is in the process of being organised.
It should also be noted that as members of the Brigade are not paid for responding to incidents service recipients/service beneficiaries are not invoiced on the island.
