Meath County Council is responsible for the provision of a wide range of services for the people of County Meath, including the provision of fire-fighting and fire prevention services.
The Council now requires additional members for the retained Fire Service (retained being part-time and on-call personnel).
The Fire Service responds to all emergency calls from the public for assistance, primarily to protect life and save injury to individuals, but also to prevent and restrict damage to property. Many emergency calls are not just in relation to fires, but can be to incidents involving road traffic collisions, incidents involving chemical spillages or toxic emissions, and river rescues, etc.
To deliver this service to the public the Fire Service develops operational plans, including the provision of adequate water supplies for fire-fighting; ensures that effective arrangements exist to receive emergency ‘999’ calls and mobilise resources; implements effective operational communication systems throughout the Fire Service; enforces, promotes and encourages fire safety within the county by programmes of inspection and publicity; conducts effective training to develop the skills and abilities of personnel; and provides, maintains and repairs its premises, vehicles, plant and equipment.
Fully qualified fire-fighters are skilled personnel capable of using the most modern equipment, methods and techniques to undertake the full range of duties such as fire-fighting, rescue, road traffic collision extrications and other emergencies.
A fire-fighter’s work and training is geared towards responding safely and effectively to emergency calls, regardless of weather conditions or the time of day or night. Every time fire-fighters are called to the scene of an emergency, they must be prepared to deploy the skills in which they have been trained and respond to the instructions and commands of their Incident Commander.
In order to function effectively in emergencies fire-fighter’s must demonstrate the following characteristics:

• Courage and physical strength;
• A capacity for rapid, intense and sustained effort;
• An unquestioning acceptance of orders in emergency situations;
• A capacity to use their own initiative when alone;
• Complete and automatic familiarity with the equipment and tools of the profession (which may range up to major items of plant such as fire-fighting appliance vehicles);
• A practical understanding of the basis of a wide range of subjects necessary to anticipate and overcome hazards;
• Empathy with victims of emergency situations;
• An ability to carry out their function in what may occasionally be emotionally difficult and harrowing circumstances.

Some of the key duties of a retained fire-fighter are:

• To be available to respond to and deal with emergency calls immediately and safely within the station fireground area;
• To work effectively and efficiently as a member of a team;
• To be available and undertake all training as required;
• To acquire and maintain knowledge to enhance professional skills in all areas relevant to the position including: Topography; Hazards and special risks; Water supplies and fixed fire-fighting systems, etc.
• To maintain, clean, repair and test fire-fighting and emergency equipment as required;
• To uphold the Fire Service’s high standards and reputation with particular regard to appearance, dress, conduct, behaviour and demeanour;
• To maintain a level of health and fitness commensurate with your duties as a Fire-fighter;
• To understand, comply with and implement all relevant policies of Meath County Council and the Meath County Council Fire and Rescue Service, including Health and safety policies and procedures and Grievance and Disciplinary, Dignity at Work, etc.
• To undertake routine administrative duties, including the use of information technology, as required;
• To carry out any other duties as reasonably required by the Chief Fire Officer.