Uploaded June 2023 | Updated September 2026, 22 hours ago
SIPTU Shop Steward Tom Kitterick is 15 years in the service and feels it is his duty to warn the public the fire service is facing collapse.
"It is proving impossible to attract and keep retained firefighters. You must always be within a few kilometres of your station 24 hours a day, seven days a week and ready for service unless you’re on holiday. The renumeration is too low to attract people into the service with such curtailment of your normal life.
The only thing that is keeping this vital emergency service from collapse is that ire ighters are committed to their communities. These are the reasons why we have voted for thefirst national strike in the history of the service.”
SIPTU Shop Steward Tom Kitterick is 15 years in the service and feels it is his duty to warn the public the fire service is facing collapse.
"It is proving impossible to attract and keep retained firefighters. You must always be within a few kilometres of your station 24 hours a day, seven days a week and ready for service unless you’re on holiday. The renumeration is too low to attract people into the service with such curtailment of your normal life.
The only thing that is keeping this vital emergency service from collapse is that ire ighters are committed to their communities. These are the reasons why we have voted for thefirst national strike in the history of the service.”
