Speed and precision were the focus of the Barbados Fire Service yesterday as it demonstrated how it would respond to an airplane emergency.

The Airport station took centre stage during Southern Division Day, part of the Fire Service’s week of activities.

There were dress drills in which five officers were timed as they put on protective gear. Fire Officer Pedro Alleyne came out tops in a time of one minute, 58 seconds.

Also demonstrated was the use of the “stinger” – a special piece of equipment designed to pierce aircraft hulls.

The drills were conducted before the watchful eyes of members of the Regional Police Training Centre; the Barbados Defence Force; the Department of Emergency Management; the Civil Aviation Department; Grantley Adams International Airport; St Bartholomew Primary School pupils and the public.

Commander of the Southern Division, Divisional Officer Errol Gaskin, told the spectators that the Worthing Fire Station had attended 482 incidents for the year thus far – most of them grass fires – while the Airport station had attended 41 incidents, including nine emergency standbys.

“We have achieved significant milestones in the Southern Division. In keeping with our mandate of public safety we have performed a significant number of activities in the form of training and tours,” he said.

“The station, through the Ministry of Home Affairs, installed a modern security system here while the control room will be outfitted with a new ground control base communication system,” Gaskin revealed.

“We continue to ensure that our human resources are trained to competent levels and thus two of our staff recently achieved the necessary training overseas while two more from this station are also being trained overseas,” he said.

In the featuire address,Chief Fire Officer Wilfred Marshall said overseas training was necessary to ensure that knowledge and skills were kept at a high level.

Today is observed as Barbados Fire Service Association membership day.

The Chief Fire Officer’s parade and award ceremony will be held on Friday at the Arch Hall Fire Station and the Fire Service’s Sports and Social Club’s family fun fair will be held at the Probyn Street Headquarters, The City, on Saturday. (CA)

Source: Nation News 2013/10/02