We’ve heard of passing out ceremonies for BDF Soldiers and Police, the disciplined bodies – but today we attended our first for the Fire Department. It’s not commonly known as a disciplined body – but today’s ceremony signalled that discipline is what they are after. I visited to see if they are getting there.
Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
You are looking at the new intake of fire fighters demonstrating some of the skills they have successfully completed over the past sixteen weeks. The last time we saw them in training was on the Yarborough Green on June twenty second, today twenty men and one woman passed out during a short ceremony at the headquarters of the National Fire Service. Training officer Kenneth Mortis says their goal in the next three and a half years is to increase the number of full time fire fighters to over two hundred.
Kenneth Mortis, Training Officer – National Fire Service
“2012 our vision is to have the country with a total of 256 fire fighters. We would like to see and this would include some new stations as well along the way so we would like to see 13 new fire fighters in these districts stations and a total of 39 stationed here in Belize. So our goal is 2012 at 256.”
Today the graduates received their certificates handed to them by the Minister of National Emergency Management Organization and the Fire Chief John Briggs. Special awards were also given to the first and second place recruit Allex Heredia and Theodore Chen. Most physical and social awards were awarded to Alvaro Kotch and Deon McFadzean. Allex Heredia was also rewarded for leadership qualities. According to top recruiter once he use to stand by the street side and watch fire fighters action without any knowledge of just demanding it and why n some cases they are easily unjustifiable criticized.
Allex Heredia, Top New Fire Fighter
“We didn’t know what fire fighting entailed, exactly but then
afterwards joining the training session, what I learnt about is fire hydraulics which is mainly about the amount of water the truck can discharge and many people have this mentality that the fire truck is always empty which is not so particularly. Even if I was a bystander looking at how fire fighters act I would say they came empty as well but learning about the basics and about firefighting, new techniques, strategies, I learnt that certain things aren’t as they seem and the training was really hard. As you see how I am dressed right now, it is really hot. If I take this off right now you’d see sweat inside and this is what we train in. Every morning we do training and running with the hose and the hose weighs a good amount, at least a good 20 to 25 pounds I would say more or less.”
But the high stressful job can also be just as exciting and that was what motivated him to start off as volunteer.
Jacqueline Godwin,
“Did you expect to top the class?”
Allex Heredia,
“Oh no I did not expect that. I really did not expect it but I did my best, I tried really hard and I think they noticed the input that I put into the training as well so I am happy for everything right now. I am satisfied and it is tough but interesting and fun as well.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
“And you’re ready now to put to test what you’ve learnt over the past sixteen weeks.”
Allex Heredia,
“Oh yes definitely ready and ready to go out there and do a good job for Belizean’s sake.”
We are not sure where Allex Heredia will be stationed but all of the new fire fighters will be dispatched at various locations across the country
Kenneth Mortis,
“Starting fourth May we had 25 and as the day progressed and the intensity of the training picked up, we had a few that fell along the way. From fourth May with 25 to today 21st August we have a total 21 which is more than what we bargained for. They will be deployed to different district stations. It is like the Minister said and the Fire Chief mentioned, the manpower of the volunteer fire service countrywide will step up. We have district stations where we still have one man working at any given time so with these 21 recruits, those district stations will be our primary target. We would like to have these district stations with at least two more. We can say that it was a job well done, it was a tedious task, but we are satisfied.”
An initial twenty five recruits were enrolled on the first day of training that started on May fourth but by the time it was all over four had dropped out of the programme.
