The Northern Ireland Fire Brigade
The Freedom of the Borough of Ballymoney was conferred on the Northern Ireland Fire Brigade on 4th May 2002 in recognition of the outstanding public service which it provides and the devotion to duty of its officers in protecting life and property, often in situations of great personal danger.
Background and History
The present Northern Ireland Fire Brigade came into existence on the 1 April 1974. The Fire Brigade serves the whole community. It has its headquarters in Lisburn with area command headquarters in Ballymena, Belfast, Portadown and Londonderry.
The Fire Brigade in Ballymoney
In April 1936 Ballymoney Council, in order to provide fire services for the town, purchased a trailer pump, essentially a fire pump on a two wheel chassis pulled by hand, car or lorry to the scene of the fire. The pmp served the town until 1942, when towns' fire services were incorporated into the National Fire Service in order to provide fire services for the whole of Northern Ireland. Fire services expanded and by 1943 sixteen personnel were serving at Ballymoney. After the war fire services were returned to council control, initially the Northern Fire Authority 1948, then the Northern Ireland Fire Authority in 1950. At this time Ballymoney station was situated in Townhead Street, using and Austin tender with a Harland trailer pump. In 1954 a new station was opened in Market Street and was equipped with a Dennis F8 Ulster fire engine. In 1989 following a review of fire cover Ballymoney station was provided with a second fire engine and firefighting personnel increased to twenty.
Ballymoney fire fighters have always served their community with dedication and professionalism, facing many dangers at a wide range of operational incidents. Those dangers were graphically brought home with the tragic death of Leading Firefighter Robin Neill at a rescue incident on 9 September 1995. His name is recorded on the memorial statue at Brigade headquarters, where commemorations are regularly held to mark the sacrifices made by Robin and other Northern Ireland fire fighters.