Calls for extra security at Tipperary stations after firefighters tackling wildfire had cars broken into
Following reports that Tipperary firefighters responding to the Slievenamon wildfire had their vehicles broken into, a local councillor has called for improved security at fire stations.
Firefighters from across Tipperary have been responding to the fires which have burned for the last week.
On Saturday, gardaí responded to reports that vehicles parked at Cahir Fire Station had been broken into. Tools belonging to firefighters were stolen and several vehicles were damaged.
At the July meeting of the Tipperary-Cahir-Cashel Municipal District, councillors paid tribute to the emergency services staff for their work over the past week, and condemned the thefts from the members.
Speaking at the meeting, independent councillor Andy Moloney said it was “disappointing” that someone had broken into the cars, and said that security at fire stations should be reviewed as a result.
“Is there any facility for us, when our members are out on a call, that there would be cameras or CCTV or some kind of a lock-up facility for them that the last member could go out and pull the gate behind them so that their vehicles are secure?” Cllr Moloney asked.
“It wouldn’t be a big cost to us as a council, but I do think we should be making some sort of moves toward this because most of our stations have plenty of room.
“A lot of the members do work for themselves and they arrive on in their vans with their tools and then go into the fire appliance and take on the emergency, and their vehicles should be safe,” the independent councillor added.
“We should be looking at our premises to make sure they’re safe, whether it would be Government funded or not, I don’t know, but it would be a small measure for the work that they do just to show our appreciation,” Cllr Moloney said.
Agreeing with Cllr Moloney’s calls, Fianna Fáil councillor Micheál Anglim said it was “plain wrong” that the fire service members vehicles were targeted.
“Some people and organisations used the situation to have a cut at the council,” he said.
“I know, visually, to look up at the wildfires, it would frighten people living near, but they had it under control. It kept burning, but they were keeping people safe and to have a cut at people out there, giving it their all, and then to come back and see their cars broken into, that’s just plain wrong,” Cllr Anglim said.