Calling out the fire brigade? Make sure to have €500 handy

Members of Dublin City Council voted in a new 'fire service charge' last night and no-one seems too pleased.

The “controversial” new charge will see householders in the Capital fork out a minimum €500 fee for calling out the fire brigade if their house is up in flames or for any other reason. We’re guessing there’s going to be a lot more cats stuck in trees – for €500, you could just buy a new one anyway.

The new fee is being strongly opposed by fire fighters with the SIPTU union. Don’t think you can just slip the lads the €500 and think that’s that. The €500 is a “first-hour rate” according to the Irish Times.

If your car or chimney is ablaze you can then expect to fork out up to €610. The new charges also includes a first-hour fee of €610 for road traffic incidents.

Dublin Fire Brigade SIPTU convenor Gerry Harris said the charges could cost lives, reports the Irish Times. “A person who cannot afford to pay a charge might attempt to put out the fire themselves and that could put their lives at risk and put fire fighters’ lives at risk, as the fire would be more developed when they got there.”

According to the Irish Independent, the changes were introduced as it emerged that householders around the country are refusing to pay council charges for fire fighters putting out fires in their homes.

The new fees are expected to come into affect early next year.