Hacketstown fire service was established in 1951 by one man John Willoughby R.I.P. At first the firefighconsisted ting equipment solely of a hand pump and stand,this maned the branch until the arrival of a fire appliance from Carlow town. Carlow's appliance then was IC 2000.

In 1952 Hacketstown progressed with the provision of a portable pump

on a trailer that station officer Willoughby towed around with hiscar.Then in 1953 the town acquired a new open back Thames that carried tenlengths of delivery hose and two branch pipes.This vehicle is still mobile but privately owned.

Eventually we got our own appliance a Bedford Angus class B tender.These days Hacketstown turnout two Dodge class B fire appliance's , both

of these being fully equipped to deal with almost any emergency .

There are nine retained firefighters in Hacketstown now and a new station

has been built which has greatly strenghten the brigade's resourses

Hacketstown provide cover for parts of Wicklow and is located on the main

route between Arklow port and the Midlands /west of Ireland. The traffic on

this road consists of petroleum, gas and chemical tankers for which the

station provides vital cover.

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