GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- The Fire Department of Sint Maarten and the Fire Academy of the Netherlands (Brandweeracademie) will be conducting a training session to train persons already on the level of Fire Officer (OvD) to specialize their skills as instructors during the week of August 20th to 24th.
Fire Officers are trained at the Fire Academy at a post baccalaureate level after a tedious selection. The Fire Officer carries out the task of Operational Leader and he or she coordinates any major incident or disaster on an operational and tactical level.
There are two fire officers at the Sint Maarten Fire Department namely Clive Richardson and Silvanico Pauletta.
It is essential that persons carrying out a function with such responsibilities keep updating his/her skills and knowledge on a regular basis.
Usually such trainings are conducted in weekly courses in England or Sweden and are very expensive. What makes the training on Sint Maarten unique is that the participants will also be trained to organize and conduct similar trainings in the future.
This is the first time that such training will be conducted in the Kingdom. Fire Officers out of the BES islands, Curacao and Aruba have shown interest and have been invited to participate.
The training is organized by the Fire Department section Prevention, Preparation, Education and Training headed by Fire Officer Silvanico Pauletta.
The training will be conducted by several instructors of the Fire Academy. There will be theoretical classes and also practical trainings. The practical trainings will be at different locations on the island such as the Harbour, SOL, TEXACO, STM N.V., Atrium Hotel, AT Illidge road, Cay Bay and Cupecoy. Several qualified Police Officers from the Police Department will also be taking part in the training.
The Fire Department looks forward to this training and the end results. This means that as a result of this training week the course to become Fire Officers in the future can be conducted on Sint Maarten by Sint Maartens very own Fire Officers.