Bajan Fire Fighters Blog

A motor vehicle accident occurred this morning at Holders Hill, St. James involving two Transport Board buses. No information is available at this time regarding possible injuries. However, as persistent light to moderate showers continue across the island, we encourage motorist to be vigilant and exercise caution on our highways. Residents in flood-prone areas should also monitor current conditions... be safe folks.

Another look at the new 3000 gallon water tanker (T1) acquired by the Barbados Fire Service in February from Angloco Limited, UK. ( e-Report photo by T Griffith )

Have A Blessed Good Friday "We may say that on the first Good Friday afternoon was completed that great act by which light conquered darkness and goodness conquered sin. That is the wonder of our Saviour's crucifixion." - Phillips Brooks

Tragedy has struck the home of a St George family, claiming two lives, including that of a three-month-old baby. The accident, which occurred along Lower Estate, St Michael, just after 7:30 last night, put a pall over yesterday’s Holy Thursday activities and cast a cloud of despair over today’s Good Friday commemoration. Dead are Akelia Mayers, 17, and three-month-old Shaquan Crichlow. Two relatives, who were also passengers in the bronze ZM van driven by Troy “Shabba” Clinton of Brereton Village, St Philip, were also injured during the collision with a parked trailer. Further details in today's Daily Nation. Source: www.nationnews.com

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The Barbados Fire Service has acquired a new Rosenbauer - Panther, Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) vehicle. The new appliance will join the existing fleet of crash tenders at the Airport Fire Station and improve the departments ability to respond to aerodrome emergencies at the Grantley Adams International Airport. The vehicle which was acquired from Angloco Limited in the United Kingdom was manufactured by Rosenbauer. The Barbados Fire Service already owns three Panther 6X6 trucks, however, this new tender (a snozzle) is slightly different from the others. The snozzle comes with an articulating boom, piercing nozzle and a infrared camera (FLIR) with pan and tilt capabilities mounted for low light conditions. The tender was delivered to the Airport Fire Station on March 11, 2011 and possesses enhanced firefighting capabilities.

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After three months of renovation, the Barbados Fire Service's operations section and Administrative office returned to Fire Service Headquarters, Probyn Street, Bridgetown on Saturday. The Operations Section was temporarily housed at Station Hill, while the Administrative Offices were relocated to the 5th Floor, National Insurance Building, Fairchild Street. The Administrative office resumed normal operations with effect from this morning, all telephone numbers remain unchanged.

Personnel from the Northern Division of the Barbados Fire Service were mobilized from around 0051 hrs this morning to assist several persons who found themselves trapped by flood waters caused as a result of persistent rain. Firefighters responded to Mile and A Quarter, St. Peter where an elderly lady had to be rescued from her home and taken to safety. Personnel also responded to reports of persons trapped at Rose Hill, Gills Terrace and Queens Street, Speightstown in St. Peter. One fire tender and its crew also became a casualty of the deluge after they encountered gushing water while responding to a report of persons trapped in a vehicle at Colleton, St. Lucy. After a very hectic night, firefighters were still actively engaged in rescue operations today as requests for assistance were coming into the Control Room from residents at Maycocks and Checker Hall in St. Lucy. Above photo: Flood waters in Speightstown, St. Peter early this morning. (e-Report photo by Ghost TattooZ)

The Atlantic hurricane season unofficially starts on June 1 and if forecasters at Colorado State University are correct, it will be a very active season. The team predicts activity to be at 175 percent of normal, a level sure to cause concern among residents in the western Atlantic. The 2010 hurricane season was a busy one and saw the third most named s... but mercifully, none made landfall in the United States. For the 2011 season the CSU team expects things to be slightly calmer but still far above normal. CSU forecasters are calling for 16 named storms during the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season. Of those they expect nine will become hurricanes and five of those will be major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher). These estimates far exceed the historical 1950 to 2000 average. During that period the Atlantic averaged 9.6 named storms per year, 5.9 hurricanes and 2.3 major hurricanes. The team warned that whether a hurricane forecast calls for above or below normal act...

Mark your calendars for an impressive and upcoming flyby of an asteroid that’s one of the larger potentially perilous space rocks in the heavens – in terms of smacking the Earth in the future. It’s the case of asteroid 2005 YU55, a round mini-world that is about 1,300 feet (400 meters) in diameter. In early November, this asteroid will approach Earth within a scant 0.85 lunar distances. Due the object’s size and whisking by so close to Earth, an extensive campaign of radar, visual and infrared observations are being planned. Asteroid 2005 YU55 was discovered by Spacewatch at the University of Arizona, Tucson’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory on Dec. 28, 2005. En route and headed our way, the cosmic wanderer is another reminder about life here on our sitting duck of a planet. Close and big “The close Earth approach of 2005 YU55 on Nov. 8, is unusual since it is close and big. On average, one wouldn’t expect an object this big to pass this close but every 30 years,” said Don...

President of the General Insurance Association of Barbados, Michael Holder, has again appealed to householders and business owners to insure their properties and contents. "Certainly as part of risk management not only is fire prevention critical, but we also want to let persons know that the transfer of risk by insurance, that is also key and important. So not only should persons be aware of fire safety measures, both employers and employees, but as well as having adequate insurance in place," he said before presenting two photocopiers to the Barbados Fire Service this week at the Worthing Fire Station. The president stated that the GIAB was happy to be associated with the service in the Operation Escape Bridgetown initiative. Project critical "When I think about the project, Operation Escape Bridgetown, we see the initiative as safeguarding lives and property as very critical and we're hoping that the copiers will assist in the fire service in reaching that objecti...

An early morning fire on the premises of Almond Beach Village in Speightstown, St. Peter completely destroyed the staff quarters at the beach resort yesterday. The Barbados Fire Service was alerted to the fire just before 4 a.m. When firefighters arrived on the scene, the building was found to be fully engulfed in flames. Three fire tenders under the command of acting Deputy Chief Fire Officer Lloydson Phillips and Station Officer Ormond Fenty responded to the blaze.

The origin of a strong gas odor that forced hundreds of passengers and most of the staff at the Grantley Adams International Airport to be evacuated from the building has still not been determined. Even after the airport’s management, officials from the Barbados Fire Service, the National Petroleum Corporation and the Department of Emergency Management did checks throughout the building, the source could not be found and investigations are therefore continuing. The incident occurred yesterday about 3:30 pm when it was reported that there was a strong smell of gas in the arrival and departure areas. Some people reported feeling chest pains and shortness of brief and had to be taken to hospital. Passengers and staff were instructed to assemble in the airport’s car park, as the area was cordoned off and an assessment of the situation was conducted. Security personnel, however, remained at their stations, according to the airport’s Corporate Communications Specialist Keith Goddard. Goddard...

Firemen had a very busy day yesterday across Barbados as they dealt with a number of grass, rubbish and cane fires. Fire officers said they had to respond to fires from early in the morning until late afternoon. One of the earliest was a grass fire in The Pine Basin, St Michael, where four officers using one tender employed their ingenuity to control that blaze. In the evening the firemen were in the nearby Wildey area where they successfully contained a house fire. A National Housing Corporation flat at No. 4 Block E, Bottom Close, occupied by Matthew Blackett, 34, his wife Paulette and their 14-month-old child was extensively damaged. Quick action by residents and fire officers restricted the fire to the upstairs section of the apartment unit and the contents there while the couple saved some of the furnishings downstairs. NHC warden for the area, Ainslie Barnett, said: “The firewalls are working; none of the houses on the other side of the damaged unit was seriously affected.” Sourc...

On the 4th December 2011, Firefighters John Haskell and Kevin Dite (South Wales Fire & Rescue Service) will begin one of the world’s toughest rowing challenges, and row across the Atlantic Ocean unsupported in order to raise money and awareness for The FireFighter Charity, Help For Heroes, and Breast Cancer Care. This 3000 mile rowing challenge will see them pushed to intolerable levels of physical and mental endurance as they cross the atlantic in the Woodvale Ocean Challenge before reaching the island of Barbados. The firefighters are going to be making an official visit to the headquarters of the Barbados Fire Service where a special plaque will be presented to Chief Fire Officer Wilfred Marshall. See the official site here: Altantic Dash 2011