Fire fighters complete first aid training

Last Updated on Saturday, 26 December 2015, 21:01 by GxMedia

Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee, and Chief Fire Officer Marlon Gentle with French Guiana Fire Officers and ranks of the Guyana Fire Service who were trained in first aid

In an effort to improve the Guyana Fire Service’s response capability, 25 of its ranks completed first aid training programme in fire and road accidents, conducted by firefighters from French Guiana.

In an address to those gathered at the closing ceremony which was held at the GFS central station, Stabroek, Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee expressed gratitude to the French Government for making the training available to local firefighters. This he said complements the ministry’s efforts to further improve the GFS.

Demerara Waves Online News (www.demwaves.com) was told that four Guyanese fire fighters are due to travel overseas for advanced training by the French authorities.

Minister Rohee praised the leaders of the fire service for recognising the need and importance of such training. “If the leaders of the Guyana Fire Service   were not convinced and onboard with respect to the need of this type of training, it would not have happened,” he said.

He emphasised the need for cohesion and a smooth working relation with the Ministry and the Joint Services to successfully implement these programmes.

“We need to have at all times, in every one of the joint services, the support of each other… the leaders must recognise that these training are necessary,” Minister Rohee said.

In the transformation of the GFS to the Guyana Fire and Rescue Service, he said this type of training is vital, as he referred to the recent showdown in Parliament to introduce the name change.

However, he told those gathered that they need not be disappointed, but remain optimistic. “In practice the fire service will inevitably have to move in this direction and it has already started with this training,” Minister Rohee.

The service has improved tremendously over the past years in terms of training and movable assets, as Government continues to invest in ensuring the service continues to serve accurately.

Minister Rohee encouraged the leaders of the Joint Services to continue their collaboration with their international partners to further improve their capacity.

Fire Chief, Marlon Gentle acknowledged the bond between Guyana and French Guiana in terms of training.  He said that the GFS was designed to save lives, prevent fires and render humanitarian services to all Guyanese and embraced the name change imitative of the service. He said that as Guyana develops, emergencies will occur and, thus, the training programmes are necessary.

Thus far, 115 firefighters have been exposed to this particular type of training since its establishment in 2010. “That also speaks of the achievement that we have…as we move to develop we are grateful for these training (sessions)”, he said.

Gentle also expressed gratitude to the French firefighters for the knowledge they have imparted to their local counterpart.

In October last year, 25 ranks of the GFS underwent an intense training programme, which was spearheaded by French Security Attaché to Guyana and Suriname, Jean Le Clech.

The training was aimed at improving the GFS’s response capabilities and forms part of a wider programme whereby, the Government of France is assisting to boost Guyana and Suriname’s overall internal security.