Major €3m revamp of local fire station set to proceed

Funding of almost €3m has been allocated for an extension and refurbishment of Athlone's Fire Station.

Westmeath Fire & Rescue Service recently received a capital funding allocation of €2.965m for the project from the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM) section of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

Mr O'Neill said funding of some €365,000 for a new Class B fire appliance has been approved for Athlone, along with €140,000 for a 8,500 litre water tanker and a €180,000 for a new heavy rescue emergency tender, used in road traffic accidents. Westmeath Chief Fire Officer Alan O'Neill said the works would allow the fire service both to “improve the fleet and to enhance the service” and to provide improved facilities for staff.

Fire safety and disability access certificates are currently being prepared for the extension and refurbishment and it is expected that tendering for the contract will commence in early September.

Plans to revamp the station were first published in 2016 and granted planning approval the following year through the Part VIII process by which local authorities enter public consultation on its own projects.

The current project will involve the addition of a four-bay extension to the rear of the building, converting the existing building into an eight-bay station (capable of housing eight fire tenders).

The building will also be fully revamped and refurbished to provide access for all, diversity and inclusion, including disability access and gender neutral facilities.

The station on Coosan Point Road, which was built in 1984, can currently accommodate four trucks and three smaller vehicles, such as jeeps.

The planned expansion to the rear of the existing station will extend the appliance bay by 160 sq metres into the existing yard and relocate the roller doors to the new elevation. By increasing the length of the appliance bays, two trucks can comfortably park, front to rear, ready for dispatch.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that equipment for use for severe weather events, including flooding, could be located in Athlone. Westmeath Fire & Rescue Service is part of a national group, including Cork, Dublin and Galway, examining the provision of high-capacity pumping equipment for severe weather events, along with the Office of Public Works and NDFEM. Equipment of up to €20m is expected to be strategically located in the four locations for use regionally.