Bajan Fire Fighters Blog

The Barbados Association of Retired Fire Officers (BARFO) held its installation ceremony for Officers and Executive Committee members on Saturday at the Hildegarde Weekes Activity Centre in Eden Lodge, St. Michael. The officers are President Keith Ward, Vice President Neal Smithwick, Secretary Michael Lowe, Treasurer Velmo Cadogan, Assistant Secretary Treasurer Charles Holligan, Public Relations Officer Wilfred Marshall, Chairman Fundraising Committee, Arlington Kellman and Chairperson Health & Welfare Committee Ena Gittens. The feature address was delivered by acting Chief Fire Officer Errol Maynard, with remarks from President of the Barbados Fire Service Sports and Social Club Clarence Hinds. (Image: BFF/TG)

Members of the Barbados Fire Service and their spouses are invited to attend the Annual Dinner and Awards ceremony hosted by the Barbados Fire Service Association and the Barbados Fire Service Sports & Social Club scheduled for January 24, 2015 at Legends on Fontabelle, St. Michael starting at 19:00 hrs. 

The funeral service for the late Randolph Cox former Divisional Officer of the Barbados Fire Service will take place on Friday, November 21, 2014 at the St. Martin's Anglican Church, St. Philip where relatives and friends are asked to meet at 3:00 p.m. Viewing of the body will take place on Thursday, November 20, 2014 from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. at the Bridgetown Fire Station, Probyn Street, St. Michael.

Pomp and pageantry will be the order of the day when the annual Independence Ceremonial Parade is held on Monday, December 1. The culmination of activities to mark Independence celebrations, the Parade will see several detachments of armed and unarmed units assembled at the Garrison Savannah for the 8:00 a.m. ceremony. Governor-General, Sir Elliott Belgrave, will inspect the detachments on parade, which will include the Mounted Troop of the Royal Barbados Police Force (RBPF), the Barbados Defence Force (BDF), the Barbados Cadet Corps, and the Bands of the BDF and RBPF. The unarmed units will include the Barbados Fire Service, the Red Cross Society of Barbados, the Barbados Landship Association and the Government Security Guard Service. Spectators will also enjoy a special presentation by the Band of the Royal Barbados Police Force, which is celebrating its 125th Anniversary this year. At the end of the ceremony, troops will march from the Garrison Savannah to Bay Street,...

Barbadians will pay tribute to those who lost their lives during the two World Wars, at the annual Remembrance Day Parade and Inter-denominational Service on Sunday, November 9, at the Cenotaph, National Heroes Square, Bridgetown, commencing at 8:00 a.m. Governor General Sir Elliott Belgrave, Prime Minister Freundel Stuart and Chief Justice, Sir Marston Gibson, will lay wreaths, followed by other specially invited guests. Armed units of the Barbados Defence Force’s Guard of Honour, the Barbados Coast Guard, the Royal Barbados Police Force and its Band, and the Barbados Cadet Corps, will be on parade. Unarmed units will comprise members of the Barbados Fire Service, the Barbados Prison Service, the Barbados Girl Guides’ Association, the Band of the Barbados Cadet Corps, the St. John’s Ambulance Brigade, the Barbados Red Cross and the Barbados Boy Scouts Association. A full rehearsal will be held for all armed and unarmed units on Sunday, November 2, in National Heroes Squ...

Fire officers, family members and friends gathered at the St. Thomas Parish Church yesterday in a Service of Thanksgiving to celebrate the life of retired acting Divisional Officer Glanville Collins. Collins a 43-year veteran firefighter died suddenly on September 28, and was an active member of the St. Philip West District Emergency Organisation and an ardent supporter of Spartan Cricket Club.

A steady stream of fire officers and members of the public turned up to view the body of retired acting Divisional Officer Glanville Collins as it reposed at the Bridgetown Fire Station, Probyn Street, Bridgetown this morning. The public viewing will conclude at 3:00 p.m. today. A Service of Thanksgiving will be held tomorrow Tuesday, October 21, 2014 at the St. Thomas Parish Church at 3:30 p.m with the interment in the churchyard following the service.

You are invited to join the Officers and members of the Barbados Fire Service at a Thanksgiving Service to officially launch Fire Service Week 2014 which commences today. The service will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the Calvary Moravian Church, Roebuck Street, St. Michael. (Image: Neville Legall) #FireWeek | #Barbados | #ChurchService | #BajanFireFighters

Roger Corbie, IRP Ltd and Ryan Lovell, Barbados Fire Service Sports Club. IRP Fire & Safety Ltd has partnered with the Barbados Fire Service Sports and Social Club (BFSSSC) as the major sponsor for this year. This announcement was made recently during a brief ceremony at Fire Service Headquarters in Bridgetown. During the ceremony Roger Corbie a representative of IRP Fire & Safety Ltd presented Ryan Lovell, President of the BFSSSC and Lonsdale Blake, Captain of the Fire Service Cricket Team with polo shirts to outfit the entire team. IRP Fire & Safety Ltd represents many well-known international organizations such as MSA, Fike, Williams Fire & Hazard Control and Darley Fire-Fighting Equipment. IRP Fire & Safety Ltd has the only MSA Certified Service Centre in the region. The original company was founded in Trinidad and Tobago in 1973 as Industrial Rubber Products Ltd and later became known to many as IRP. Since then IRP has evolved and grown into providers...

Chief Fire Officer Wilfred Marshall and several members of the Barbados Fire Service, Happy Crew community group and residents of St Peter came out this morning to the area where acting Station Officer Edwards was killed in the line of duty on Wednesday. During the brief ceremony a wreath was laid near the spot where Edwards died. Tributes were also presented by his wife Cheryl and Fire Chief Wilfred Marshall with Reverend Curtis Goodridge a close friend of Edwards as the officiating Minister.

Wilfred DeCourcey Marshall, 56, is Barbados' new Chief Fire Officer. The former station officer's appointment takes effect from today. Marshall has been in the service for 35 years and has had extensive job-specific training from West Indian and English universities, as well as other academic institutions. A graduate of the now defunct Federal High School, Marshall has certificates in international disaster management from Bournemouth University, England; in public administration from the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, and in executive analysis of fire service operations in emergency management, from the United States' National Fire Academy. His almost two dozen qualifications include a certificate in occupational safety and health from the Barbados Community College; a certificate in mass casualty management from the Pan American Health Organisation, and a certificate in general management from the Training Administration Division/Barbados Institute of Managemen...

In recognition of the sacrifices made by fire fighters across the globe, officers from the Barbados fire service, came together yesterday to celebrate International Fire fighters’ day, by holding an open day at their Probyn Street Headquarters. Initially inaugurated in 1999, the day was conceptualised to honour fire officers both past and present, whilst remembering, recognising and thanking them for their dedication in saving lives and protecting Property. Speaking to his fellow colleagues, Fire officer and masters of Ceremonies Glyne Alleyne called on them all to recognise the importance of partnering with the community in order to achieve effective and timely results in their work. “Fire fighters’ day is recognised around the world and on this day we pay tribute to the fire officer, and we give thanks to those who have gone before us and to those who are now serving in the department. Where the public is concerned we actually embrace them and are thankful for their continued support...

Today, May 4th is the Feast Day of St Florian, the Patron Saint of Firefighters. It is also International Fire Fighters' Day (IFFD). As we mark this year’s IFFD, let us pay tribute to our firefighters worldwide who brave the dangers in order to save life and property. Let us also remember and offer prayers for those who perished while performing their duty. Let us also remember those who went before us, dedicating their lives through volunteering or work to not only battling fire but also to educating and mentoring the firefighters who followed. IFFD is a day we can promote fire awareness, we can promote firefighting as a volunteering or career choice and one on which we can show our support of firefighters by wearing the IFFD symbol (blue and red ribbons pinned together) on our lapels, on our car aerials, in our windows, and more. (Red & blue represent the colours of the elements firefighters deal with on a daily basis - fire and water) It is a day when people across the globe...

International Fire Fighters’ Day (IFFD) will be held on Tuesday, 4th May, and for the second time in our history the members of the Barbados Fire Service plan to observe and celebrate this special day. In recognition of this auspicious occasion a number of events are planned. 10:00 a.m. Open Day: All Fire Stations – except the Airport Fire Station. 10:00 a.m. Prayer Service: Official start at Fire Service Headquarters. 10:30 a.m. Commence live webcast via the internet & podcast show. 12:00 noon Sound Off: Wailing of sirens for 30 seconds followed by one minute of silence. 01:00 p.m. Interviews with fire service personnel... audio podcast show. 04:00 p.m. Official end of day's events. We invite you to join with us is celebrating this auspicious occasion by visiting your nearest fire station or by sending greetings and shout outs. Take a few minutes on Tuesday to stop and thank a firefighter. If you're a firefighter take t...

The Barbados Fire Service has asserted its support of road safety in Barbados, with acting Chief Fire Officer Randolph Cox adding his name to the petition for the institution of breathalyzer testing in Barbados. Cox performed this symbolic act on Friday after a workshop on road safety held at the Bridgetown Fire Service headquarters. The workshop was held by the Committee for the Prevention of Alcoholism and Drug Dependency (NCPADD), Chief Cox noted that the fire service is called to several road accidents during the year and while statistics for 2010 are on par with 2009 they would like to see a reduction “to zero if possible”. NCPADD head Pastor Victor Roach said that the workshop aimed to increase “the sensitivity of the individuals who comprise this marvelous staff to begin a process of self regulation.” He added that the fire service is especially positioned to recognize the impact of drunk driving because they “are on the roads 24 hours a day, 365 days a year”. He added that this...

Members of the Barbados Fire Service gathered at Fire Service Headquarters, Probyn Street in Bridgetown on Thursday afternoon to pay tribute to fellow firefighter Rodney King. Fire Officer King who joined the service in 1991 died at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital last Saturday after a brief illness. The officers held a short presentation ceremony in honour of King which was attended by his family and members of the press. During the ceremony monetary donations were presented by Sub. Officer Trevor Cadogan on behalf of fellow firefighters and by Adrian Brome, Deputy Chairman of the Fire Service Association. Neal Smithwick Regional Director of the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters also presented King’s son Shannon with a photograph of his dad on the job.

Fire Officers at the Airport Fire Station will soon be moving into their new ultra modern fire station at Seawell. The relocation of personnel and equipment is scheduled to take place this month. The state of the art station will provide increase floor space of 5 317 square feet. Among the new features will be “direct access to the runway from the appliance bay; training facilities; the provision of separate decontamination and breathing apparatus rooms; and accommodation of all appliances under cover in an enclosed space with storm shuttering”. Airport firefighters will also benefit from having improved direct access to the appliance bay from the dormitories, a library and records room, fire clothes area, mechanics service area, and parts room. Fire Officers will be able to enjoy better dining and kitchen facilities; a gym area and washroom facilities. An official announcement is to be made shortly regarding the date and time of the Opening Ceremony.