DONEGAL Fire Service dealt with a six bonfires over Halloween weekend. 

 

On Monday, a Halloween bonfire was dealt with in Lettekenny, while one was attended to in Stranorlar and another in Moville. Two fires were also dealt with in Carndonagh. There was also a call out on Sunday. 

 

Speaking to the Donegal News,  Donegal’s Acting Chief Fire Officer, Joseph McTaggart, said that while the number of bonfires attended to around the locality this year were on par with figures for other years, he admitted the message of safety is not hitting home with everyone. 

 

“Until midnight on Monday we attended five bonfires and one on Sunday night. The call-outs are on par with responses from other years. 

 

“The calls were of a short duration, less than one hour. From the Fire Service perspective, these calls do have an impact on the fire service in that when a brigade is responding to a bonfire it is not immediately available to respond to other requests where life and property may be at risk.”

 

Ahead of Halloween, a campaign to raise safety awareness around bonfires had been driven forward, however, despite this, Mr McTaggart believes not everyone took heed of the message. 

 

“I would hope the message of safety is being driven home but bearing in mind numbers are on a par with recent years – meaning there has been no reduction – I’m not sure if it is. 

 

“It is unfortunate as so much is done to try to get the message out there on the impact of bonfires on the fire service and the community at large.”