Graduates, trainers and members of the examination committee.
PHILIPSBURG--The St. Maarten Fire Department recently increased its team of firefighters with thirteen new recruits after all successfully completed and passed the examination process on March 31.
The Fire Department received over 100 applications and the applicants had to complete a general knowledge test and perform a physical test. Twenty of the applicants were qualified and had to provide a medical declaration and a police record. Thirteen of the 20 eventually went on to complete the training and examinations along with two other firefighters already working at the Fire Department.
Some unexpected challenges were experienced due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the recruits remained determined to complete the process. The majority of Fire Department personnel were involved in the recruitment process as instructors, examiners, coaches, trainers and other functions that were essential to the overall success of the recruits’ course completion.
The course completed was the latest basic firefighter course (“Manschap A”) which is developed and recognised by the Institute of Physical Safety IFV and the Dutch Caribbean Fire Departments. IFV develops and manages knowledge and education for the Dutch Caribbean Fire Departments and the 25 safety regions in the Netherlands.
Stichting Brandweeropleidingen BOGO, a firefighting training institution, prepared and assisted the entire local training staff during the course. BOGO, which renders similar support to Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius, is also responsible for the training of six safety regions in the Netherlands.
BOGO has been assisting the St. Maarten Fire Department over the last five years by updating the local instructors with the latest developments in firefighting and assisted the local administration’s transition from class-based to combined learning (online and practical).
The course provided an online learning environment and instructors who then helped and reviewed the recruits’ different online assignments. Every theoretical module included practical trainings and the main modules were firefighting, search and rescue, hazardous material incident response, aircraft firefighting support and industrial incidents.
The exams were administered by an exam board that consisted of local examiners and was chaired by Senior Fire Officer Anagertrudes Rodriquez of the Curaçao Fire Department.
After completing and passing all examinations, the recruits have now entered a trial period where they will be working on shift, gaining experience and applying all knowledge obtained from the courses.
Fire Chief Clive Richardson said he would like to wish all new recruits much success moving forward as firefighters. He extended special congratulations to Shanella Jeffrey, Ricardo Cannegieter, Edermar La Cruz, Renaldy Delice, Hakeem Holaman, Jurich Johnson, Vannessa Eusebius, Shawn Peterson, Niesha Paul, Charles Pierre, Edwin Ruan, Kito Thomas, Sherwin Villarreal, Eloy Vlaun and Oswaldo Wigley.
The Fire Department has continued to improve the services provided to the people of St. Maarten by ensuring that both new and old personnel remain up to date with the current global safety demands. Other Fire Department personnel have also been actively enhancing their education within the various fields over the past years.
Material and Logistics acting section head Shanell James completed the Vakofficier van Dienst OVD course in Curaçao in 2017 and obtained his HOvD certificate in 2020 after completing the necessary course also in Curaçao.
Marvin Dollison and William York both obtained their OVD diplomas in Bonaire in 2016 after completing various trainings and other required courses. The course was the first of its kind to be held in this part of the Dutch Caribbean, where participants hailed from St. Maarten, Saba, St. Eustatius, Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao.
After successfully obtaining an OVD diploma, participants are qualified and rank as “officer on duty”, where they are able to coordinate large incidents by means of a peloton, which consists of four fully-manned fire trucks, one rescue vehicle, one communication vehicle and one submersible pump on top of a hook-lift vehicle. They are also trained to be the head of the Command at the Place of the Incident (COPI) of large calamities.
The Fire Department believes in the continuous learning cycle and will therefore continue to encourage and aid all personnel with enhancing their skills and knowledge by participating in regional and local training courses. The Fire Department wants to continue to ensure that St. Maarten remains safe and secure, as it is a duty of the department to promote excellence in safety and preparedness.
