Michael Gallen joined the Fire Service in 1979. He became Sub Station Officer in 1987, when Brendan McNulty was Station Officer. In 1990, Michael became Station Officer. He recalled that S&B Fire Brigade provided backup support for Letterkenny Fire Brigade; "If their two units were out, we would have been on standby."

He pinpoints the time of the Stardust fire in 1981 as a period of radical changes in the Fire Services. Bleepers were introduced shortly after this horrendous fire, which involved the loss of life. In 1981, the Fire Service Act gave the new Fire Authorities more power.

He remembers McElhinney's fire in 1987. He said that it was a huge floor area to search, wearing breathing apperatus, but with the use of guidelines, no area is too large to search. He said that if proper procedures were followed, there was no reason any fireman should be lost. Michael attended the fire in Options, Navenny Street, Ballybofey. Wearing breathing apperatus, Michael and Andrew Gallagher were searching the third floor of the building. Michael almost fell through a hole in the floor, but thankfully, was caught by Andrew.