Members of the Cork Airport Police and Fire Service have made a little bit of history by becoming the first ever accredited airport wildlife controllers in the world.

The group received their ICAO validation certificates after undergoing a newly-developed training course with the Dublin International Aviation Training Academy (DIATA).

Last summer, Kieran O’Regan, a Station Officer with Cork Airport Police undertook a DIATA project, under the stewardship of Eoin Ryan, to draft a new worldwide document for ICAO on the training of airport wildlife control operators.

As part of the ICAO validation process, a course was subsequently delivered to members of the Cork Airport Police Fire Service by Kieran and Airport Fire Officer Kevin Dunne in their capacity as an ICAO instructors.

The course is due to be rolled out to other airports worldwide shortly.

To mark this special achievement, DIATA Senior Vice President Kevin O’Driscoll and Vice President Eoin Ryan attended the certificate presentation ceremony to the newly qualified APFS wildlife controllers.

Speaking at the presentation event, Kevin Dunne said ‘We are very proud to have had the opportunity to be associated with this ICAO course and the manner in which our members have embraced the chance to enhance their expertise and knowledge in this area, which is a core function of the Fire Service at Cork Airport.”

Pictured above: The newly certified ICAO airport wildlife controllers, from left, Pat Collins, Michael Mehigan, Mark O’Halloran, Pat Kelly, Fergal Sargent and Ger Tobin.

Pictured Above: At the presentation event in Cork, back row, Kieran O’Regan, Michael Mehigan, Pat Collins, Pat Kelly, Kevin O’Driscoll, and Eoin Ryan. Front row, Fergal Sargent, Ger Tobin, Mark O’Halloran and Kevin Dunne.