Council to confer Freedom of Ards and North Down on Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service

Ards and North Down Borough Council is set to confer its highest honour - the Freedom of the Borough - on Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS). This is in recognition and appreciation of the Service's unwavering dedication to duty and selfless service; its bravery in the face of danger; for saving lives and for protecting our community with great honour and distinction.

The formal ceremony to bestow the Freedom will take place on 14 September 2024 and include a public display of firefighting skills by Firefighters from the local area at Bangor City Hall.

Commenting on the decision, Mayor of Ards and North Down, Councillor Jennifer Gilmour said: "The Freedom of the Borough is the highest honour that the Council can bestow. We confer it only on those whom we deem to have delivered outstanding service in their field and Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service is without doubt a deserving recipient. There are seven stations in our Borough so we know this honour will be welcomed by many families in the area."

NIFRS respond to fires, road traffic collisions and specialist rescue incidents, including flooding, chemical incidents, collapsed buildings and other types of emergencies to make Northern Ireland a safer place. In addition, NIFRS delivers a range of community engagement initiatives and provides advice on how to stay safe from incidents it responds to.

Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service Chief Fire & Rescue Officer, Aidan Jennings said: "We are honoured to accept the prestigious Freedom of the Borough from Ards and North Down Borough Council. This is a testament to our Fire & Rescue Service and in particular to all of our Firefighters and support employees in the Ards and North Down area who serve the local community. It's a privilege for us to keep our people safe delivering a service that protects the community.

"We would like to extend our thanks to the Council for dedicating this achievement to NIFRS and recognising our role in society. This acknowledgement pays tribute to the work of our colleagues across the Borough and I am delighted to share this success with them."

The Council has bestowed the honour only three times since it was formed in 2015 - to staff from Health and Social Care in September 2018, to the Irish Guards in 2022 and to Gary Lightbody, also in 2022.