Cork City Fire Brigade has begun a recruitment drive to hire an additional 20 fire fighters to coincide with the centenary of the Burning of Cork.
The fire service says it is hoping the recruits will reflect the way that the city and fire fighting have changed through the decades.
Cork City Fire Brigade has enjoyed a long relationship with the city it serves, even going back before the burning of Cork, 100 years ago this year, when a huge part of the commercial heart of the city was destroyed in fires set by British forces during the War of Independence.
Today, while fire fighting has changed, the fire service remains proud of its long tradition.
John Ryan joined Cork City Fire Brigade in 1991. He is now the brigade's Chief Fire Officer.
"We have always been part of Cork - we have been here for all of Cork's dramas and its tragedies," Mr Ryan said.
"The fire brigade has always responded as part of a team effort, and we look forward to continuing that into the future and improving our service. The people who join will be part of that team."
Irene Wallace is a 46-year old mother of two and a firefighter for 26 years.
She is Cork City Fire Brigade's only female firefighter and has done every job there is to do in the fire service, working her way up through the ranks.
Today she serves as Station Officer in Ballyvolane Fire Station.
This recruitment drive aims to put more women in Cork City Fire Brigade, which Ms Wallace welcomes, saying that the service has a lot to offer women.
"There is a call for women here, because it's all team work," she says.
"The fire brigade isn't just a stereotype of one type of person. It tackles every type of person to be part of the fire service."
At 29, Ger Dolan is the youngest firefighter in Cork City Fire Brigade.
From Galway, Mr Dolan is a former League of Ireland footballer and joined Cork City Fire Brigade seven years ago during its last recruitment drive.
When he joined the service at the time, he became the fourth generation of his family to become a firefighter.
Mr Dolan describes fire fighting as the best job in the world.
"You are meeting people in their time of need," he explains.
"You are trying to help them in their time of need. You are meeting them at their most vulnerable, and you are trying to help them out of that. The satisfaction from that is absolutely amazing."
Recruitment to Cork City Fire Brigade is now open and will close on 25 September. Details are available here.
