Seventeen new recruits joined the Barbados Fire Service (BFS) on Friday.
The graduating class of 15 men and two women demonstrated outstanding drill displays to friends, family and officials at Arch Hall Fire Station, St Thomas.
The 17 recruits did not disappoint their audience as they displayed top drill displays only after training from mid-July this year, using available resources to turn the fire hall into a makeshift training camp.
"Some 15 weeks ago, this group of persons, who are paraded here before you, assembled in the room currently used as their lecture room and received instructions from a number of senior officers in the Barbados Fire Service," said Chief Fire Officer Chesterfield Mayers.
"When the decision was taken to conduct the training here, adjustments had to be made and certain challenges were created. You, however, adjusted well and coped well with distractions which the recruiting process brought with it," Mayers said.
He told the 17 that this was the beginning of their journey and advised that the road would not be an easy travel.
The new recruits not only showed off some fancy footwork, they also displayed the old-fashioned one-man hose and hydrant drill as well as a burning building scenario.
A new part of their service was also introduced which was the emergency medical technicians (EMTs) arriving at the same time as the fire trucks. The show of the EMTs was a foreshadow of what is to come in the future of service from the BFS.
"Seek to improve yourself, seek to improve the Barbados Fire Service . . . seek to improve public safety and behaviours," Parliamentary Secretary Reverend Joseph Atherley advised the junior fire officers.
He told them to brace themselves for the demands of a critical society. He explained that in a service oriented area the demand and sacrifice was great.
In the midst of the all the advice, there was also praise.
"I'm very proud of my mommy. I want to be like her when I grow up," said six-year-old Tremaine Forde as he watched his mother, Natasha Forde, receive the award for Best Theory.
The man of the evening was Dillion Turton, 29, who received six awards, including for Best Overall Recruit.
"This is all overwhelming and unexpected. I didn't expect to received all these awards. But we worked hard and I am more relieved more than anything else to get to this point," said Turton, holding all six awards with pride.
Several prominent citizens, including parliamentarians and permanent secretaries, attended the ceremony. |