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The Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service is the fire brigade of the Isle of Man Government, providing fire and rescue cover throughout the Isle of Man, an independent Crown dependency located in the Irish Sea between England and Ireland. The service operates under the Department of Home Affairs.
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| Operational area | |
|---|---|
| Country | Isle of Man |
| Address | Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service
Department of Home Affairs Headquarters Tromode Road Douglas IM2 5PA |
| Agency overview | |
| Established | 1940 |
| Employees | 163 |
| Chief Fire Officer | Mark Christian |
| Facilities and equipment | |
| Stations | 7 |
| Website | |
| www | |
History
editThe Isle of Man received its first two fire engines from England in October 1803. These were independently operated by an insurance company and were horse-drawn and hand-operated. In the late nineteenth century, legislation was introduced permitting town commissioners to establish local fire brigades. The Peel commissioners did so in 1884, followed by Port Erin in 1903 and Laxey in 1920. Some larger settlements, such as Ramsey and Douglas, had entered into local arrangements with the military or with the privately owned insurance company fire brigades, for local fire cover. The outbreak of war brought calls for a unified fire brigade. In February 1940, the Local Government (Fires) Act was implemented, establishing a single Isle of Man Fire Brigade, with seven fire areas - Douglas, Laxey, Ramsey, Kirk Michael, Peel, Rushen and Castletown. These fire areas are the same today.[1]
Structure and ranks
editA total of 110 retained (part-time) firefighters are stationed across all seven of the island's fire stations. Douglas fire station has a permanent watch of full-time firefighters, numbering 32 in total, working in shifts. The service is headed by a Chief Fire Officer (Mark Christian, appointed 2023), and has a rank structure based on that of the United Kingdom.
| Current title | Chief fire officer | Deputy chief fire officer | Divisional officer | Assistant divisional officer | Station officer | Sub-officer | Leading firefighter | Firefighter |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Fire stations and appliances
editThe service has seven fire stations. The largest, at Douglas, is crewed by both wholetime firefighters and retained firefighters, whilst the other six stations at Laxey, Ramsey, Kirk Michael, Peel, Rushen and Castletown, are staffed by retained crews only.[2] Retained firefighters make up around two thirds of the total complement of just over 150 firefighters.[2]
Ronaldsway Airport Fire and Rescue Service
editIn common with most international airports, the Isle of Man Airport, historically known as Ronaldsway Airport, maintains its own independent fire service. This service cooperates closely with the Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service. The airport fire station is now considered too small for its current appliances and crews, and a contract has been awarded for the construction of a new £200,000 fire station, starting in 2022-2023.[3]
Emergency services on the Isle of Man
editReferences
edit- ^ The full history is available here Archived 2013-08-18 at archive.today.
- ^ a b "Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service". Isle of Man Government. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
- ^ "Airport fire station tender won on appeal". Tindle Newspapers Ltd. 27 November 2020. Retrieved 14 July 2021.