— 30 certified as Emergency Medical Technicians

THE Guyana Fire Service (GFS) staff complement was on Friday boosted by the addition of some 44 new firefighters and 30 certified Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs).
Their graduation ceremony was held at the Guyana Fire Service’s Leonora Training Centre.

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn, who delivered remarks at the occasion, applauded the effort of the fire service for continuing efforts to train young people in the discipline.
The EMTs provide a critical service that is vital to the work of the GFS.

This addition he said comes at a time when there are significant developments taking place across the country and others that will come in the near future, one being the gas-to-shore project at Wales, West Bank Demerara, Region Three.

With projects such as these, Benn said that it is critical to have adequate, skilled firefighters in the case of emergencies at all major facilities.
“That’s why we’re doing all of this, to protect our people, to further our development, to make sure that the taxpayers’ monies are well spent and protected,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chief Fire Officer Gregory Wickham said the GFS has stuck with its plan to ensure that it has members who are trained to execute duties when called upon.
The GFS has identified two main pillars with which they will lead the organisation, namely education and discipline.

On this note, he said it has taken the lead by having training programmes prepared not only for the recruits, but also for middle-management staff to be trained in management, supervision and communication.
Also in light of fires at several schools, the GFS he said has trained no less than 250 security officers attached to the Ministry of Education and is building capacity across the country.

“We understand clearly that we need to, in every way possible have our presence in every region and in the very near future, every community,” he said.
It was with this in mind, he said, that the fire service launched the training for Emergency Medical Technicians.

The Chief Fire Officer also used the opportunity to urge the recruits to be strong, disciplined and to lead as they were trained to lead.
The 74 persons who graduated from the programme underwent nine weeks of rigorous training.