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Limerick Fire and Rescue Service acquire new fire truck and rescue boat

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Limerick City and County Council announced this week that Limerick Fire and Rescue Service have received a new fire truck and river rescue boat.

Limerick Fire and Rescue Service has acquired some new equipment to help protect the lives of Limerick citizens

Limerick Fire and Rescue Service has acquired some new equipment to help protect the lives of Limerick citizens
The naming of the boat as “Des Fitzgerald” is an apt tribute to a firefighter who was held to such high regard by his peers and community.

Limerick City and County Council announced this week that Limerick Fire and Rescue Service have received a new fire truck and river rescue boat which has been named in honour of much-loved firefighter Des Fitzgerald who passed away in 2021.

The ‘Des Fitzgerald’ replaced an older river rescue boat and will make it easier for the river rescue team operate in the tidal and fast flowing waters of the River Shannon.

With a bigger engine and more space the new boat will make it more efficient for rescuers administering medical attention during a rescue. The boat, operated by three SWIFT-trained crew, can carry up to five additional passengers with its larger space and the engine allows the boat to operate better in the tidal river as well as in shallow waters.


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The naming of the boat as “Des Fitzgerald” is an apt tribute to a firefighter who was held to such high regard by his peers and community.

Being a firefighter was not a job to Des Fitzgerald, it was a way of life and of preserving life. Mr Fitzgerald rescued a number of people while both on and off duty and received medals for his life-saving actions. He worked for Analog and Mr Binman before joining the service in November 2011.

In those 10 years, Des made a huge difference to many people’s lives and was commended in 2013, when he was awarded a special bravery medal after risking his life to save a man who jumped into the river.

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