State-of-the-art fire engine boosts emergency services in Kilkenny

Padraic Keely (Senior Assistant Chief Fire Officer), Cllr Mary Hilda Cavanagh, Cllr Pat Fitzpatrick, Liam Joyce (Emergency 1 UK), Jason Bowden (Station Officer, Freshford), Cllr John Brennan, Fiona Deegan (Director of Services), Cllr Michael McCarthy, Frank Dunne (Chief Fire Officer). Also shown are members of Kilkenny County Council Fire & Rescue Service – Freshford Brigade | Kilkenny County Council

placeholder image — Padraic Keely (Senior Assistant Chief Fire Officer), Cllr Mary Hilda Cavanagh, Cllr Pat Fitzpatrick, Liam Joyce (Emergency 1 UK), Jason Bowden (Station Officer, Freshford), Cllr John Brennan, Fiona Deegan (Director of Services), Cllr Michael McCarthy, Frank Dunne (Chief Fire Officer). Also shown are members of Kilkenny County Council Fire & Rescue Service – Freshford Brigade | Kilkenny County Council

Kilkenny County Council Fire and Rescue Service welcomes new €500,000 fire engine to Freshford Fire Brigade

Freshford Fire Brigade has received a major boost to its firefighting capabilities with the arrival of a brand-new fire engine costing more than €500,000.

Kilkenny County Council Fire and Rescue Service has taken delivery of the new Class B fire engine for its Freshford brigade, replacing an ageing fire tender that has served the local community for the past 20 years.

The state-of-the-art vehicle was manufactured by UK-based Emergency One and has been specially designed by Fire Service staff to meet the demands of modern-day firefighting.

The new engine, which cost in excess of €500,000 to manufacture, was fully funded by the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management.

A key feature of the new fire tender is its improved safety measures, with the design specifically focused on protecting firefighters from exposure to harmful carcinogens while carrying out their duties.

The vehicle has also been equipped to support modern data management requirements, while providing firefighters with a safer, more reliable platform when responding to emergencies.

The investment represents a significant upgrade for Freshford Fire Brigade and will help ensure crews are equipped to tackle the increasingly complex challenges associated with fires and emergency incidents.