‘Fire Service Must Move Forward’

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Newly appointed Chief Fire Officer, Wilfred Marshall, says that as the Barbados Fire Service (BFS) moves forward, the department’s strategic plan will be revisited and updated. While outlining a number of areas that will gain particular attention during his tenure, the Chief stated that a burning issue still affecting the BFS is the matter of appointments.

Speaking to the media during a press conference held at the Fire Service’s Probyn Street headquarters yesterday, he said, “As an urgent pressing issue, I want to bring meaningful closure to an outstanding human resource matter which relates to appointments and promotions. I have to commend all those officers in service who have been impacted by this inaction which has the potential to cause a great decline in morale.

“These officers have responded well, but operate in an uncertainty environment which causes them to exercise their daily function among their subordinates with caution as they may have to go back to the substantive rank and work as a peer with the same subordinates.

“I want to have this addressed as soon as possible and have the way paved for the filling of those positions which will bring the numbers of the service back up to its established level.”

The Fire Chief said there could be as much as 50 per cent of the management and supervisory staff are in acting positions. “We have about 32 leading fire officers – just over half of them are in acting positions and our sub-officers are in acting positions ... Our last batch of recruits not yet appointed – about 30 and our non-commissioned officers,” he explained.

He also told the media that a medium- to long-term goal will be to see the development of a regional disaster mechanism for fire fighting and rescue and to create a regional response framework for natural or unnatural events which may go beyond the capacity of the country being affected.

Marshall stated that it is also his wish to see the establishment of a regional training facility with accredited courses which are accepted and standardised throughout the region which he says, will aid in the regional integration process.

“There have been various attempts at this in the past and even in recent times. It was one of the activities being pursued by the Caribbean Association of Fire Fighters. They were looking at establishing one in Trinidad but even at this point it has not materialised,” he lamented.

The Chief, who has 35 years of experience under his belt, said it is important to note that in 2010, there may be a divergence from the norm recognising that the Service is dealing with a different generation of fire fighter.

He stressed emphasis will be placed on service excellence. “At the end of it, whatever we accept, it has to be motivated by excellence in our service delivery. What ever methods we accept in conducting our operations, at the core of it I want the public of Barbados to feel happy and comfortable that when they see a fire officer, if he is in the field performing his role or if we are here doing business they feel happy about the service that we are delivering,” he stated. (JH)

Source: www.barbadosadvocate.com

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