AC’s four decades on call for community

Trim Station Officer Adrian Caldwell - known as AC - hung up his helmet for the last time on Sunday, marking the end of a career spanning almost 37 years in Meath Fire Service.

AC joined Trim Fire Service in 1987, serving initially as a firefighter before being promoted to driver/mechanic and then sub officer, a role he held for 26 years. Three years ago, AC was appointed station officer over a crew of 10 covering a large area stretching from Ballinabrackey to the Delvin side of Athboy.

Alongside his career in the fire brigade, AC is also a panel beater starting out with his brothers before setting up his own crash repairs and panel beating business in 1995, which is based at Longwood Road, Trim.

His son Ian works with him in the crash repairs business and also joined Trim Fire Service, while his nephew Mark Caldwell is a member of Dunshaughlin Fire Service.

AC recalled that when he joined Trim Fire Service in 1987, they were still in the old station beside Trim Courthouse but moved to the new purpose built station at the Ring Road in 1989. A lot has changed in the three decades, with huge advances in equipment and training.

"The equipment we would have had back then, would have been very basic. The fire kit we had would have been plastic pull ups, and a jacket, like a donkey jacket. Then it, progressed into the fire kit we have now, which is fire protective. The breathing apparatus we used would have been older sets, not lightweight like the ones we have now."

He said the equipment they had when he started out would have been "scarce" but it was great to see how the equipment evolved and Meath County Council had been very proactive in making sure they had all the best tools for the job and kitted them out well.

Apart from the town of Trim and surrounding area, Trim's fire ground also includes towns and villages like Athboy, Summerhill, Ballivor, Enfield, Clonard, Longwood, with their area stretching as far as Ballinabrackey.

Over the years AC says it has got a lot busier going from about 200 calls in a busy year to an average of 260 to 270 calls annually now.

They deal with a wide variety of calls and AC said once the alerter goes off, you never know what you are going to until you get the printout in the station. Some calls can be very tough like fatalities and he said there are calls where you would shed a tear at but "you have to take the good with the bad".

One of the most challenging calls in terms of resources were the bog and forest fires during the dry summer of 2018.

"The forest fire Brannockstown and the bog fire at Frayne took a long time to get under control. It was one of the worst fires from an environmental point of view and was spread over such a big area.

"It was a big challenge. With the resources we had, we still had to look after community as well, you couldnt just tie up everyone with one job," said AC.

Another big fire in recent years was the fire at Timeless Sash Windows in the Eamonn Duggan Industrial Estate in April of last year. The fire destroyed the Callaghan's premises but fire crews managed to prevent it from spreading to the adjoining Trimfold premises.

In recent years, AC has always been involved with Rescue Organisation Ireland (ROI) and has taken part in extrication challenges in Romania, South Africa, France, Germany and Miami, representing Meath Fire Service in the competitions.

Last year, the Meath Fire Service team finished third in the world in the Intershutz, a huge event AC said is on the scale of the Ploughing Championships here but about five times bigger.

In recent months, firefighters across the country took to the picket line on rolling strikes in their campaign for better pay and conditions to address a recruitment and retention crisis in the service. "It was tough, " said AC. " The alerter would go off and we should be going to calls but we had to make a stand.We need better terms and conditions for firefighters to attract new blood into the service and keep the members we have."

Thankfully AC said they have never had to struggle to recruit firefighters like the way other fire stations had around the country have and he generally always had a crew of 10.

Firefighters are on call 24/7 and AC said he has got so used to carrying his pager and always being on alert for the next call, that it will now take a bit of adjustment.

While he is looking forward to spending more time with his wife and grandchildren, Leon, Lily and Isla, AC said he will miss the fire service and the lads.

"It's bittersweet. I've done it for so long it will take a bit of adjustment, but I think it is time to go. I have it in my head now and for my wife Vivenne, she has been with me through the whole journey. We have three grandkids and it is nice to make time for them as well. It will be nice to head off on a Sunday, not have to be back at a certain time or go to a concert without worrying about cover."

At the end of his last training session on Wednesday night ahead, AC was joined by his crew in Trim, colleagues from the other stations in the county including the six station officers, Chief Fire Officer Sheila Broderick and Senior Assistant Chief Fire Officers Barry Quinn, Padraig O Longaigh and David Whelan, who came along to wish him well in his retirement and thank him for his years of service. His wife Vivienne, sons Paul and Ian, daughters Aoife and Amy and grandchildren Leon, Lily and Isla joined him for his milestone.