A FORMER Ballynahinch fireman, who died suddenly earlier this year, has been honoured for his many decades of service and commitment.
Watch Commander Stephen Barr’s wife Cindy and their children, Stephanie and Jason, were amongst the guests of honour at the NI Fire and Rescue Service’s event.
During the Long Service and Good Conduct Awards Ceremony, which was held for employees based in the Southern Area Command, which covers most of County Down along with County Armagh, the Barr family was presented with a clasp marking 30 years of service.
Stephen, at the time of his passing, had almost 40 years’ service, all of it at Ballynahinch Fire Station. For 27 of these years, he had held the rank of Sub Officer, a role more recently known as Watch Commander.
Following the well-known local man’s passing, in January, a senior member of NIFRS described him as a “dedicated” firefighter.
Speaking with the paper at the time, the service’s Southern Area Commander, Dermot Rooney, said Mr Barr was “a very popular, well-known and respected” member of staff within the emergency service.
Charting Mr Barr’s fire service career, the area commander explained Mr Barr was an ‘on call’ firefighter, responding to incidents as and when required, and that after joining in May 1985, earned several promotions; first to Leading Firefighter in February 1991 and then on to Sub-Officer, a role now referred to as Watch Commander, in January 1997.
“Stephen held the position of Watch Commander for 27 years until his untimely death on 30 January 2024,” he said, adding that Mr Barr “dedicated over 38 years’ service to NIFRS, the community of Ballynahinch and its surrounding areas.”
Mr Rooney continued: “Stephen was a very popular, well-known and respected member of staff within the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, known and much respected for his friendship, leadership skills, efficiency and operational competence, both locally and across the entire Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service.”
He added that the esteem in which Mr Barr was held was reflected in the hundreds of firefighters – both serving and retired – who attended the funeral service to pay their last respects.
And Area Commander Rooney was one of the fire service’s high-ranking officials who attended last week’s awards ceremony.
Speaking after the event, he said every recipient of the Long Service and Good Conduct Award “has made an invaluable contribution to our organisation and the service we provide to the public” and acknowledged “the support that families provide for our staff, especially for our operational staff in preparation for and in the aftermath of the difficult, demanding and often dangerous work they do in protecting the public.”
He added: “We were honoured at this awards ceremony to welcome the family of our much-missed colleague Stephen Barr, who tragically passed away at the age of 58 earlier this year.
“Stephen was Watch Commander at Ballynahinch Fire Station and so it was a poignant moment to see his wife Cindy, daughter Stephanie and son Jason presented with his clasp for 30 years of service. Stephen at the time of his passing had almost 40 years’ service.”
Ballynahinch came to a virtual standstill for Mr Barr’s funeral, with businesses closing as a mark of respect, whilst NIFRS personnel from various stations formed part of the cortege which made its way to Edengrove Presbyterian Church.
Away from his fire service duties, Mr Barr was extremely popular with colleagues and customers at his family-owned Stewart and Gibson business, at Main Street.