After an intense week of training sessions in first aid and road traffic accident emergency response with the French Guiana Fire Department, the Guyana Fire Service is now equipped to combat not only fires but the scourge of road accidents. But, it is crucial that the firefighters perfect the skills that they had acquired.

This was made clear by French Police Attache, John Yves Le Clech at the closing ceremony of the one-week training programme at the Guyana Fire Service Headquarters.
Yves Le Clech also announced that four outstanding firefighters in the course will be selected to train in rescue emergency in French Guiana for three weeks. He said that when the firefighters return to Guyana they will be qualified to coach their fellow firefighters. “This will be the beginning for Guyana to train the firemen to respond to accidents,” he told the Guyana Chronicle, speaking through an interpreter.
Minster of Home Affairs Clement Rohee underscored that training is the backbone for perfection in rescuing people and fighting fires.
“The Guyana Fire Service needs to be prepared and this can only be achieved through training…proper training is the difference between success and failure during emergency operations,” he reiterated, lauding the French Fire Department for reaching out to a fellow neighbouring country in a time when it is most needed.
With the rapid spurt in the economy with housing developments and vehicles added to the roadways every day, Minister Rohee said that a greater risk is posed for the fire department and it is critical that efficient and effective rescue and fire services be provided. He further asserted that it is inescapable that firefighters be prepared to provide such service. “Development comes with a price and this time that price is a risk,” he affirmed.
“The Fire Service is often called upon to respond to traffic accidents where persons have to be extricated from a damaged vehicle,” he said, underlining that it is therefore imperative that firefighters be trained in the correct and safe procedure for removing injured persons.
He added that this fact should never be understated, since it is critical for persons to be rendered medical attention when involved in an accident. He stated that the name change of the fire service to the Guyana Fire and Rescue Service would better equip firefighters to carry out their duties to every Guyanese.
Minister Rohee further praised the French Government for supporting Guyana through the initiative of the training programmes, which have benefited approximately 75 firefighters across the country. He said that the firefighters are eager to perform their duties and they are keen to continue working along with the French Fire Service.
He noted that this was the third such training session that was provided by the French Guiana Fire and Rescue Service and Guyanese firefighters have benefited tremendously from it. He also added that a few firefighters were taken to French Guiana in the past to be trained.
The Home Affairs Minister expressed sincere appreciation to the French Police Attache, the French Guiana Fire and Rescue Service and the French Government for their initiative. “I trust that this camaraderie continues to grow from strength to strength.”
Military Fire Instructor, Patrick Castello, who served as a firefighter in the Haiti earthquake disaster said that it is a challenge for the Guyanese firefighters to work under conditions where there are so many wooden buildings constructed close to each other. He asserted that firemen need to be well trained and equipped to combat such fires. However, he proposed that the Guyana Fire Service should implement preventative measures to deal with wooden buildings. “In France we did a lot of preventative work and we were successful and continue to be successful because we learned how to prevent fires,” he said through an interpreter.
He stated that in France, the fire service ensures that all infrastructural buildings, especially hospitals, clubs and pubs have installed fire extinguishers, fire detectors, and emergency exits that could accommodate the number of people allowed in the club.
He also noted that the Fire Department would make regular check-ups at buildings to ensure that the people comply with the law.
Castello also mentioned that the French Government had started a drive to educate families about fires and how to prevent them. He emphasised that the fire department would visit schools and speak to children and alert them. He further advocated that the Government of Guyana should focus on educating persons about fires and prevention techniques.
“I have confidence in these firefighters. In five days they have learned a lot and they have learnt how to apply themselves. And from what I understood from the minister’s speech is that the Guyana Fire Service is on a good road towards responding to traffic aid and I’m sure that once they start to provide rescue service to the Guyanese communities, it will give them a lot of satisfaction because there is nothing more important than a human being to rescue another human being.”
He stated that the firefighters are now equipped and skilled to check the state of a victim who has been injured in an accident, asserting that, “They will be able to check to see if the victim is conscious or unconscious…if there are any internal injuries, the breathing rate and the heartbeat of the victim.”

Rescue From Badly Damaged Car
He added that the firefighters are also trained to extract a heavily injured victim out of a car. “They are trained to cut open a badly damaged car and take out the victim without injuring him or her…the aim of every rescue service is to stabilize the victim and give immediate medical attention. In France, we bring the hospital to the accident scene, we don’t carry them because we understand that most accident victims have back, neck and head injuries and can possibly die within 10 minutes of transporting them to the hospital.”

Decompression Mattresses
He stated that the French Guiana Fire and Rescue Service had donated two decompression mattresses to aid in protecting accident victims who would need to be transported to a hospital. He added that they have trained the Guyana Fire Service to use these mattresses. “They are totally capable and qualified to do that.”
The Minster of Home Affairs also announced that they had purchased two 3,000-gallon tankers so that firefighters could have a sufficient amount of water when going to a scene. He added that the tankers will heighten the capacity of the fire service to provide better services to the people.