Dublin Fire Brigade has been providing the city area a fire, rescue and ambulance service for over 100 years.
Dublin Fire Brigade is the only one in the country that also operates an ambulance service.
In 1899, two fishermen were seriously injured onboard a trawler off Dublin Bay. Fire Officer Frank Kiernan tells the story of how the rescue unfolded. His great grandfather retired in 1914. His family have been in the Dublin Fire Brigade and Ambulance Service for four generations. Frank Kiernan joined the service in 1985.
The ambulance service was initially set up to cater for Dublin Fire Brigade's own injured firefighters. Soon, the people of Dublin were calling the service to deal with emergencies around the city.
Firefighters lived with their families in the fire station and the carriages were horse drawn. When emergency bells rang, horses were trained to reverse into the harness and be ready for the off.
Dublin Fire Brigade now runs 11 ambulances with an additional four operated by the Eastern Health Board. The largest full-time brigade in the country as well as fighting thousands of fires also respond to over ninety thousand emergency ambulance calls every year.
Third Officer Stephen Barriscale outlines how the crew have a dual role as firefighters and emergency medical technicians.
While times have changed a hundred years on, the commitment of firefighters has remained constant.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 9 April 2001. The reporter is Eileen Whelan.
