Tyrone duo graduate as firefighters

TWO local men have graduated as full-time firefighters in what was described as a ‘landmark day’ for the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS).

The event marked a pivotal moment in the careers of Jason Aiken from Omagh and Damian Sheenan from Clogher, while coinciding with the final graduation ceremony at the fire service’s learning and development centre in Belfast before the unveiling of its state-of-the-art training facility in Cookstown.

Damian Sheenan’s decision to join the fire service was driven by a desire to contribute to the well-being of others.

“The public have a lot of respect for the role we do which gives me a huge sense of pride,” he remarked.

Commenting on his first few weeks with the fire service, Mr Sheenan continued, “It has been intense, with lots of new experiences and challenges, but it has all been enjoyable, and exactly what I was expecting.”

For Omagh man, Jason Aiken, his journey to becoming a full-time firefighter harks back to his grandfather, Crawford McFarland, whose experiences with the Fire Authority ignited Jason’s passion for the profession.

“Hearing grandad’s stories from the Fire Authority years ago always gave me the drive to become a firefighter,” he shared.

Jason had been an on-call firefighter in Omagh Fire Station for nine years.

Speaking of the most rewarding aspect of the job, he continued, “Working for the NIFRS is the most soul-satisfying work I have ever done.

“The most rewarding part of the job is being there for the community, whether that is incidents during their time of need, or helping with prevention by educating the community such as school talks and home fire safety talks.”

The graduation ceremony welcomed a total of 36 graduates, each equipped with specialist knowledge and practical skills essential for firefighting roles.

From tactical firefighting techniques to responses to road traffic collisions, the training modules prepared the graduates for a range of scenarios they may encounter in the line of duty.

Jay Colville, chairperson of NIFRS, commended the graduates for their dedication to community safety, remarking, “It is an honour to witness so many passionate firefighters who are devoted to keeping our community safe.

“Their graduation ceremony is an important milestone and as a service we continue to invest in our people.”