To learn all about Northern Irelands Fire & Rescue Service which is part of the the UK fire service you should visit their excellent site at www.nifrs.org

A Brief Overview

Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) serves the entire population of Northern Ireland, an area of over 5,500 square miles, with a population of 1.71million, providing them with a range of fire and rescue services.

NIFRS is managed by the Chief Fire Officer, who is also the Chief Executive, assisted by the Deputy Chief Fire Officer, 2 Assistant Chief Fire Officers and 3 non-uniformed Directors, collectively known as the Principal Officers and Directors’ Group.

NIFRS is divided into 4 operational Command Areas – Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western.  Area Commander, each responsible for one of the 4 Area Commands, manage operational activity on a day to day basis and report to the Deputy Chief Fire Officer. The 4 Area Commands are supported by 14 Districts, strategically placed across Northern Ireland and which create a community focus for NIFRS activities. District Command are responsible for the Fire Stations in their District.

There are 68 Fire Stations throughout Northern Ireland serving their local community.

NIFRS Headquarters is situated in Lisburn, Co. Antrim and the Fire & Rescue Training Centre is currently situated at Boucher Crescent, Belfast.

Brigade H.Q and Control rooms:

Seymour Street, Lisburn.

Brigade Training Centre:

Boucher Road, Belfast.

Eastern Command (Belfast):(All wholetime)

South and East Belfast.

E11 Knock

E12 Central (Area H.Q)

E13 Cadogan

North and West Belfast District.

E21 Whitla

E22 Westland

E23 Springfield

Northern Command. All retained apart from * which are wholetime/retained

Ballymena District.

N11 Ballymena (Area H.Q) *

N12 Kilrea

N13 Cushendall

N14 Carnlough

N15 Larne

Coleraine District.

N21 Coleraine

N22 Portstewart

N23 Portrush

N24 Ballymoney

N25 Ballycastle

N26 Rathlin (Volunteer)

Glengormley District.

N31 Glengormley *

N32 Antrim

N33 Ballyclare

N34 Carrickfergus

N35 Whitehead

Lisburn District.

N41 Lisburn *

N42 Crumlin

Southern Command. All retained apart from * which are wholetime/ retained.

Portadown District.

S11 Portadown (Area H.Q)

S12 Armagh

S13 Banbridge

S14 Lurgan *

S15 Keady

S16 Dromore (County Down)

Bangor District.

S21 Bangor *

S22 Comber

S23 Donaghdee

S24 Ballywalter

S25 Holywood

S26 Newtownards

S27 Portaferry

Newry District.

S31 Newry *

S32 Crossmaglen

S33 Rathfriland

S34 Warrenpoint

S35 Newtownhamilton

Downpatrick District.

S41 Downpatrick

S42 Kilkeel

S43 Carryduff

S44 Newcastle

S45 Ballynahinch

Western Command. All retained apart from * which are wholetime

Derry/ Londonderry District.

W11 Crescent Link *

W12 Northland *

W13 Strabane

W14 Limavady

W15 Dungiven

Omagh District.

W21 Omagh

W22 Dromore (County Tyrone)

W23 Castlederg

W24 Fintona

W25 Newtownstewart

Cookstown District.

W31 Cookstown

W32 Pomeroy

W33 Maghera

W34 Dungannon

W35 Magherafelt

Enniskillen District.

W41 Enniskillen

W42 Irvinestown

W43 Beleek

W44 Lisnaskea

W45 Clogher