People 'Eager To Join Fire Service'

The Barbados Fire Service may be experiencing a manpower drain but it is flooded with applications from people eager to join the service.

Acting Chief Fire Officer Randolph Cox told the DAILY NATION that it was proving to be a challenge to respond to the many applications which they receive almost on a daily basis.

"We are bombarded . . . actually swamped. There is no shortage of people who want to join the service and our civilian staff are hardpressed to acknowledge all of the applications," he said.

Only last Friday, Cox lamented that the service had lost five senior officers in the last 15 months and this had led to a gap in experience in the department.

But he said both men and women were lining up to join the service and he expected that some would be hired when the new fire station at Six Roads, St Philip, was built.

However, it seems that temporary fire officers are peeved that four years after joining the service they are still acting.

The officers complained that they were told after their recruitment that they would be appointed but up to now they have heard nothing.

Cox confirmed that there were a number of officers in temporary positions but he said that appointments will be made in due course.

President of the Fire Officers Association, Clarence Hinds, said a number of the temporary officers had complained to the association about their status. He said this was a recent development for the Fire Service and he attributed it to changes in Public Service legislation.

However, he pointed out that the association had received word that Services Commission, which makes the appointments, was dealing with the matter.

Hinds also confirmed that there was a growing attraction to the Fire Service and he said this usually started with children as young as 12 years old.

He said he did not know if it was the tough economic times which was leading to the service being inundated with applicants. (MB)

Manpower Drain Concern For Fire Chief

The "constant depletion" of human resources is of concern to the Barbados Fire Service.

Speaking at the Chief Fire Officer's Parade and Awards Ceremony at the Arch Hall Station, St Thomas, yesterday, Acting Chief Fire Officer Randolph Cox said the service had lost five senior officers in the last 15 months due to retirement.

"In addition to the senior officers and the failure to fill noted vacancies, the departure of these officers has left a gap in experience in the department and a deficit in the human resources," Cox said

The five who retired had 200 years of combined service between them.

He was referring to Chesterfield Mayers, Anthony Blackman, Eric Rice, Patrick Blackman and Wilfred Moseley who all received gifts in recognition of their service.

"The deficit of experience will have an impact on the overall organisation especially in the area of management, since the fire fighting experience that these officers have left with cannot be obtained overnight," he said.

Even though he expressed the department's concerns about the situation and the fact that the "shortage is having an adverse effect on the smooth operations of the department", Cox said the officers had risen to the task.

The acting chief also used the opportunity to encourage the officers to be disciplined and maintain high standards at all times.


"I want to remind you, that the discipline of the Barbados Fire Service must be maintained by personnel at all times whether off [or] on duty. The administration of the department will not condone any acts of indiscipline by any officer," he warned.

In addition to acknowledging the contributions of the five senior officers a number of officers and junior cadets also received prizes for various things.

Among them were cadets Kyle Hamblin and Dario Blackman who took the Instructor's Trophy and Most Improved respectively. (YB)

Barbados Fire Service Marks 54 Years

The Barbados Fire Service marks 54 years of ardent assistance to the nation with renewed commitment to “build and maintain relationships within our community”.

Vows from the men and women of the fire service will be made during a 9:45 a.m. thanksgiving service today Sunday, September 27, at the Mount of Praise Wesleyan Holiness Church on Tudor Bridge in St. Michael.

Acting Prime Minister, Attorney General and Minister of Home Affairs the Honourable Freundel Stuart will address the congregation and take the salute at the parade following the church service.

At 10 a.m. on Monday, a memorial service at Probyn Street Headquarters, Bridgetown will honour fallen firefighters.

During the week, celebrations will centre on fire-readiness, fire-fighting, fire prevention and community relations proficiency in the interaction between the public and the Barbados Fire Service.

Activities will peak with Fire Officers’ Professional Day, a team-building programme, at Higher Heights in St. Joseph on Wednesday and the Chief Fire Officer’s Parade and Awards Ceremony at 3 p.m. on Friday, October 2, at the Arch Hall Fire Station, Arch Hall, St.Thomas.

The annual family-fire-fair brings down the curtain on the activities from 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 3, at headquarters. Attractions include special video presentations, tours of fire trucks, jumping tent, face painting and lucky dip.

Randolph Cox Is The New Acting Fire Chief

Randolph Cox has been named the new acting Chief Fire Officer of the Barbados Fire Service (BFS). Cox took over from last Tuesday and is now in charge of a staff of nearly 244 uniformed officers and approximately 24 civilian support personnel.

A member of the fire department since 1973, Cox had been serving as Divisional Officer for the last few years. He succeeds Anthony Blackman, who was acting fire chief before retiring on August 28, 2009 and Eric Rice, who became interim chief immediately after.

The Barbados Fire Service operates from six stations and protects a population of 265,000. Its annual call volume is just over 2,000 fire calls.

Barbados Fire Service Celebrates Its 54th Anniversary

The Barbados Fire Service (BFS) will commence celebrations for its annual Week of Activities with a Thanksgiving Service at the Mount of Praise Wesleyan Holiness Church, Tudor Bridge, St. Michael on Sunday, September 27, 2009.

The Department will be celebrating its 54th Anniversary this year. During the week, the Fire Service has planned a number of events and is throwing open its doors to public visits at its Probyn Street headquarters, the Worthing, Arch Hall, St. James and St. John fire stations.

The week climaxes with a Family-Fire-Fair on Saturday, October 3 from 11:00 a.m. at Fire Service Headquarters, Probyn Street, Bridgetown. This event will feature special fire-fighting video presentations, tours of the fire station, jumping tent, lucky dip, face painting and the new rescue tender.

Source: http://bajanfirefighters.blogspot.com

Acting Fire Chief Anthony Blackman Retires

Acting Chief Fire Officer Anthony Blackman has retired after 41 years in the Barbados Fire Service. Blackman began his career with the Fire Service in 1968, and spent his last day on the job on Friday, August 28, 2009.

He became the acting Chief Fire Officer in 2008 after former Fire Chief Chesterfield Mayers retired from service. Blackman met with several members of staff on Thursday and conveyed his parting greetings and best wishes for the service.

Eric Rice will be acting as Chief Fire Officer with Randolph Cox acting as Deputy Chief Fire Officer.

Source: http://bajanfirefighters.blogspot.com

Early Morning City Fire Ravages Two Homes

Residents of Spruce Street, The City, awoke to find two homes in their neighbourhood engulfed in flames early yesterday morning. The fire completely destroyed an unoccupied house and extensively damaged another before fire officers could contain the blaze.

Ten officers with two fire tenders from Fire Service Headquarters under the command of Divisional Officer Lloydson Phillips and Station Officer Evans Morris attended the incident.

Two persons were reported to be displaced as a result of yesterday’s blaze.

Investigations into the cause of the fire are continuing.

Source: www.bajanfirefighters.blogspot.com

Firefighters Complete Marine Firefighting Training

Twenty-four firefighters from the Barbados Fire Service and two members of the Barbados Coast Guard created history on Friday when they successfully completed the first Marine Firefighting for Land-based Firefighters training course.

The one week training programme sought to expose the participants to firefighting techniques and concepts which would enable them to effectively mitigate incidents in a marine environment. The course was conducted by the Barbados Fire Service in collaboration with Hillsborough Community College and the Barbados Community College.

Course instructor Keith Williams commended the participants for the dedication and commitment shown during the training programme. He also urged them to utilise the knowledge and skills obtained from the course and encouraged them to pursue additional training in this area with a view to strenghening the fire departments capacity to respond to marine incidents.

The closing ceremony was held at the Barbados Community College Industry Services Unit on the Harbour Road, and was attended by Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs Ms. Dianne Campbell, acting Deputy Principal of the Barbados Community College Dr. Sylvia Hackett, Lieutenant Commander Shurland of the Barbados Coast Guard, acting Chief Fire Officer Eric Rice and other Fire Service officials.

Fire Officers Participate In Video Workshop

Four members of the Barbados Fire Service recently participated in a film and video workshop hosted by the Barbados Film and Video Association. The workshop was aimed at preparing persons in the fundamentals of working on a professional film or video shoot.

The training consisted of both theory and practical sessions, with actual scenes shot on a set by a professional crew. The workshop instructors were line producer and production manager on many international feature films, Beatrice Hallenbarter; and producer of documentaries and dramas, and script supervisor on international feature films, Penelope Hynam.

The knowledge and exposure gained by the fire officers will assist the Barbados Fire Service in developing content as it seeks to prepare educational video productions for the general public on safety issues. Some of this work can be seen on the department's internet television channel www.fireservice.gov.bb/webcast.