Fire Station Officers promoted

Twenty-six acting Fire Station Officers were yesterday confirmed in their positions after waiting for several years. Letters of confirmation were given to the Fire Station Officers at a ceremony held at the Fire Service’s Wrightson Road headquarters. The officers, who hailed from various divisions throughout the country, were congratulated by senior officers of the Fire Service, including Chief Fire Officer, Lennox Alfred. Alfred, in his address to the newly appointed Fire Station Officers, called on them to take their new roles seriously, reminding them that their subordinates were looking up to them.

He sounded a warning to them saying: “You all are here to provide a service and you ought to do it efficiently, so that the country would benefit. However, there are things going on within the organisation which cannot be considered as right. Some people tend to turn a blind eye, but when this is done, it is unacceptable. Condoning irregularities only brings down the administration, and in the long run, you will be held accountable.” Alfred also called on the officers to educate themselves and to be prepared for the changing times. “You need to know exactly what to do and who to look for because if you are not knowledgeable enough, you will not be able to lead your subordinates.

You are to empower yourself and develop your minds, because you have to be prepared to deal with terrorist activities, changes in technology, changes in the industrial sector and accidents,” said the Chief Fire Officer. Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Carl Cipio, called on the officers to also take a human approach to their jobs, saying their positions do not isolate them from anyone else. The newly appointed FSOs, who will be elevated to wearing khaki uniforms, had their rank bands pinned on to their old uniforms by their seniors to mark their appointments.