Ballymena’s Emer McLernon among 18 new Wholetime Firefighters graduating from NIFRS

Pictured (L-R) Wholetime Firefighters from Antrim area, Emma Hutchinson from Carrickfergus, Daniel Richey from Ballyclare and Emer McLernon from Ballymena.

Ballymena’s own Emer McLernon is among 18 new Wholetime Firefighters who graduated today from the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) Learning & Development College (LDC), marking the completion of an intensive 18-week training programme and the beginning of their operational careers serving communities across Northern Ireland.

McLernon, alongside Emma Hutchinson from Carrickfergus and Daniel Richey from Ballyclare, was part of the latest cohort to finish training at the state-of-the-art £50 million LDC, which opened in May 2025 and continues to represent a major investment in the future of Fire Service learning and professional development.

This is only the second cohort of Wholetime recruits to graduate from the new college, which provides world-class training facilities designed to prepare Firefighters for the full range of incidents they will encounter — including structural fires, road traffic collisions, water rescues and hazardous materials incidents.

(NIFRS December Graduation Cohort) All Trainees – It was a momentous day (Thursday 4 December 2025) for NIFRS as it celebrated the graduation of 18 New Wholetime (Full-time) Firefighters from its LDC, Cookstown.

The graduating class, comprising 13 men and five women, will now take up posts in Fire Stations across Northern Ireland, where they will continue to develop their skills and support emergency response teams serving local communities.

NIFRS Chief Fire & Rescue Officer, Aidan Jennings, praised the dedication shown throughout the recruits’ training.

“I am incredibly proud to welcome this latest cohort of Wholetime Firefighters to NIFRS. Their graduation today marks the culmination of months of dedication, teamwork and determination. They have shown outstanding commitment to developing the skills and values required to serve our community safely and effectively.”

Pictured (L-R) Wholetime Firefighters from Antrim area, Emma Hutchinson from Carrickfergus, Daniel Richey from Ballyclare and Emer McLernon from Ballymena.

He added:

“The success of our 18 new Firefighters would not have been possible without the unwavering support and guidance of the dedicated training team at our college. Their experience and enthusiasm for developing others has been crucial in ensuring that this cohort of new Firefighters is fully prepared for the operational incidents they will face when they join us on Fire Stations across Northern Ireland in the next few weeks.

“Our new college offers world-class facilities that ensure our Firefighters are trained to the highest standards. The graduates now join a proud organisation with a long tradition of service and excellence. They represent the future of NIFRS, and I have every confidence that they will uphold our commitment to keeping the people of Northern Ireland safe and making a difference in the community we serve.”

(L-R) – NIFRS Chief Fire & Rescue Officer, Aidan Jennings; Firefighter Paul Totten; Firefighter Lorraine Lyons and NIFRS Chairperson, Jay Colville.

Award Winners (L-R) – NIFRS Chief Fire & Rescue Officer, Aidan Jennings; Breathing Apparatus (BA) Award Winner, Firefighter Arron O’Hagan; Top Trainee Award Winner, Firefighter Paul Totten; Top Trainee Runner-Up Award Winner, Firefighter Callum Wonnacott; Road Traffic Collision (RTC) Award Winner, Firefighter John Allen and NIFRS Chairperson, Jay Colville.

NIFRS Board Chairperson Jay Colville also extended congratulations to the new graduates.

“On behalf of NIFRS Board, I would like to congratulate each of our new Wholetime Firefighters graduating today. Their commitment to public service and willingness to put others before themselves embodies the very best of what NIFRS stands for.

“Today’s graduation is a significant milestone, but it is not the end of their journey. As a Service, we remain deeply committed to investing in our people. Our graduates will continue their development, both on Station and through ongoing training at our college.

“Today is a day of great pride for our graduating Firefighters, their families, and for NIFRS as a whole, and I wish them every success in their future careers.”

Graduating firefighters taking part in a number of live demos

The graduation marks an important step not only for the new Firefighters but also for NIFRS as it continues to invest in cutting-edge training to support the next generation of emergency responders.