Nobber Fire Station officially opened

The newly upgraded Nobber Fire Station was officially opened by Meath County Council Cathaoirleach Cllr Nick Killian this morning.

The €1.1m project includes a new appliance bay to accommodate both vehicles attached to the station, a drill yard and training tower, training rooms, canteen facilities and modern changing rooms.

The state-of-the-art building creates an impressive focal point as you enter the village and the design also incorporates the Turlough O'Carolan monument, greatly enhancing the streetscape.

The original station, which dated back to 1965 was no longer fit for purpose, and its redevelopment was funded by the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

The project team included Doohamlet Construction Ltd and Node Design team.

The station, with its ten personnel, operates as part of Meath County Council Fire and Rescue Service, along with brigades from six other stations. The station provides the base for immediate response to approximately 80 emergency incidents annually.

Speaking at the official opening, Cllr Nick Killian said: “Much has changed since the original Nobber Fire Station was opened in 1965. It was recognised that the old station was no longer fit for purpose. This upgraded station is an excellent facility that has been completed to the highest standard. I welcome this investment in the fire service that will support personnel to respond to emergency incidents with maximum efficiency.

"We are very fortunate to have such a good fire service here in Co Meath. The work of our brave and dedicated firefighters is crucial and I want to commend the local crew here in Nobber for the work they carry out on a daily basis, 365 days a year."

Minister of State Thomas Byrne also paid tribute to the personnel of the fire service who he said work "heroically" when called upon.

"We often see fires and tragedies and road accidents in the news and we all feel immense emotion and shock at times as well but it is very important to remember those people who are there at the scene, actually responding. It is very important that we don't underestimate the work that you do and the danger that you put yourselves in," he said.

Cllr Eugene Cassidy, Cathaoirleach of Kells Municipal District, said: “This fire station means a lot to the parish of Nobber. It is key to everybody who lives in the North Meath area. It is an absolutely stunning building that is fit for purpose with training facilities and I know that already fire services from other parts of the country have come up to look at it with a view to replicating the design in their own areas."

Jackie Maguire, Chief Executive of Meath County Council, said: “This newly extended station will give the personnel stationed here much more room to accomplish their tasks. The station will provide Nobber and the wider area with a greatly improved facility to ensure the continued delivery of an effective emergency and fire safety response to the community for future generations. I look forward to this station and those who work here making a valuable contribution to the local community in Nobber and surrounding areas for many years to come.”

She went on to say: "It is a fine building but it is only a building. It is the people in the building, the fire personnel, that make it all work."

Station Officer Michael Finegan thanked all involved in bringing the project to fruition and also paid tribute to the crew for their dedication and commitment.

Sheila Broderick, Meath Chief Fire Officer, said: “The completion of this project represents a very positive development for the Fire Service as well as all of the people who live in, work in, and visit Nobber.”

She also paid tribute to the firefighters who she described as the "cornerstone" of the service.

Meath County Council Fire and Rescue Service currently is made up of 81 staff, including firefighters, officers, administration and maintenance personnel.

County Meath’s seven fire stations are located in Navan, Trim, Kells, Dunshaughlin, Ashbourne, Oldcastle and Nobber.