Health Minister has welcomed a major
investment in Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS),
including £11million for 31 new fire appliances, which will be
deployed to fire stations across Northern Ireland.
A total of 47 new specialist vehicles and appliances will be
rolled out to fire stations across Northern Ireland. The
investment, which totals over £16million, represents a
significant operational fleet upgrade to enhance emergency
response and support firefighters in protecting local
communities.
During his first visit to NIFRS Service Support Centre in
Belfast, Minister Butler met with Aidan Jennings, Chief Fire and
Rescue Officer and Paula White, Director of Finance and Support
Services, to hear more about the integration of the new
appliances, the impact of this investment and future plans for
the service. The Minister viewed the vehicles, which are equipped
with upgraded technology designed to improve firefighter safety,
enhance operational effectiveness, support crew welfare and
strengthen clean cab and contaminant management arrangements.
Minister Butler said the fleet upgrade will provide improved
protection and comfort for fire crews attending incidents across
Northern Ireland. This major investment ensures fire crews
have access to reliable, modern vehicles, equipping them to
respond quickly and effectively when communities need them most.
These modern appliances will help fire crews meet the demands of
the increasingly complex challenges they face every day and have
been designed with safety, resilience and efficiency at their
core, providing crews with the tools they need to protect people,
property and the environment.
Importantly, the vehicles also incorporate measures to support
firefighter health and wellbeing, including enhanced arrangements
for managing operational contaminants and reducing exposure to
harmful substances. This investment demonstrates our commitment
not only to maintaining an effective emergency response service,
but also to protecting the wellbeing of the firefighters who
serve our communities.
NIFRS Chief Fire & Rescue Officer, Aidan Jennings said: We
thank Minister Butler for supporting this significant investment
in the operational resilience of our service. The new Fire
Appliances and specialist vehicles strengthen our emergency
response, reduce maintenance pressures and ensure our
firefighters are equipped with leading-edge resources to meet the
challenges and demands on our service, when responding to
incidents. This investment is also about our people and our
ability to ensure that they have the right resources to continue
to deliver a professional and effective emergency response to
communities across Northern Ireland.
The investment includes funding for three new Command Support
Units, which will be introduced into frontline service next year.
These specialist units play a vital role in coordinating
responses to major incidents and help maintain a safe, efficient
and dependable emergency response capability.
