Fire Service strength now 1,907

“It must be remembered by all members that self-empowerment, commitment and dedication of staff towards a high standard of performance and ultimate service delivery are important factors for achieving organisational success,” Alfred said.

“The Fire Service as encapsulated in the Ministry of National Security book which is its road map for Vision 2020, is created to provide the best value to a discerning public in the areas of rapid emergency response, fire suppression, protection and early extinguishing of fire.

“To successfully meet this objective and satisfy the public demands, we in the Fire Services must always be seen to be economical, effective and efficient as we respond to fire calls, chemical incidents, anti-terrorist activities, flooding, accidents and other natural or man made disasters and assist in several other critical areas,” he added.

CFO Alfred told the recruits during a “passing out” ceremony at the Chaguaramas Heliport that in order to achieve these goals, they must acquaint themselves with the role and function of the Fire Services.

“Be also knowledgeable on the numerous legislation, regulations and administrative directives that govern your daily operations and assert your goals and become a high achiever.

“The sky is the limit to your success and there are numerous opportunities to ensure self-fulfillment,” the CFO said.

He also advised recruits to take an active role in their communities and assist the youths as they uphold the motto “In the service of the people.”

Minister of National Security Martin Joseph who gave the feature address also congratulated the recruits on their achievement and admitted his Government was aware of the challenges facing the service.

He reaffirmed government’s promise in February to increase manpower, new and additional training and development of infrastructure.

The current strength of the Fire Services stands at 1,907 officers.

The new training strategies added to the Fire Services School, revised training programme, the upgrading and purchasing of new equipment and the upgrading and building of fire stations were also noted by the minister.

In ending he also congratulated the service for its roll in the flooding issues this year and called for their continued commitment.