Fifteen males and two females passed from recruits to junior fire officers at the 35th Passing Out Parade of the Barbados Fire Service, in a ceremony held at the Arch Hall Fire Station yesterday, where the recruits showed fine examples of military-style precesion and promise.
Nine of the recruits received either awards or certificates of appreciation, with one recruit, Recruit 295 Turton, copping six awards, including the prestigious Chief Fire Officer's Trophy and the award for Best Overall Recruit. Recruit Turton also captured awards for Best in Practical, Best at Ladder Drill, the Instructors Torphy and a Certificate of Appreciation.
The 17 recruits ably demonstrated that the past 15 weeks of intensive training were well spent, executing a foot drill, sans instructors, to the delight of those in attendance. The recruits also provided reassurance for the members of the public in attendance by simulating a rescue from a smoke filled building.
Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Honourable Rev. Joseph Atherley, in his address to the recruits complimented them on successfully completing their training and joining the ranks of the Barbados Fire Service. Atherley commented that the fact that they were chosen for the course suggest that they have done well and contradicts many of the negative perception held against young people.
Much expected of latest fire officers
The Parliamentary Secretary sought to warn the recruits that during their careers as fire officers much would be expected and that they would be open to the sometimes harsh criticisms of the public. "Those we seek to serve are sometimes quick in their offerings of criticisms and sometimes harsh in their comments. It is with far less swiftness sometimes, that they move to offer credit and to applaud you, and to compliment you when you do perform well, and perform to such an extent that in fact you out do yourself in seeking to render service to this country," Rev. Atherley cautioned.
Rev. Atherley stated that the challenges facing them were made greater than the challenges of 30 years ago because of the developmental process taking place in the island as well as the demographic changes.
Rev. Atherley also took the opportunity to chastise those members of the public that, through recklessness or lawlessness, strain the limited resources of the Barbados Fire Service (BFS). Stating that the numbers of prank calls to the Fire Service have almost doubled, the Parliamentary Secretary called it a shame that in the context of limited resources, with sometimes evident needs for genuine responses from the BFS that Barbadians would see fit to resort to making prank calls to the Fire Service. |