Should you ever be trapped in a fire or an accident, the familiar fire engine wail will likely bring assurance and hope for survival. And while fires and other major accidents are not a daily occurrence, ensuring that our fire-fighters are ready to respond, is.
During a recent Cayman Islands Fire Service (CIFS) train-the-trainer workshop, Deputy Chief Fire Officer Rosworth McLaughlin explained, “Training and Development is high on our agenda. It is an on-going and vital element of our operation.”
He continued, “Training keeps our officers on the cutting edge, allowing them to maintain a state of readiness.”
Adding that practice makes perfect, he said the service used a number of training methods including drills and simulations to help develop staff skills and professionalism.
“Last year alone we had nine training exercises ranging from report writing and supervisory skills development, to aerodrome vehicle operation and command and control courses,” he said.
“Refresher courses on gender awareness, for all staff members in Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac are also ongoing. And we’ve scheduled train-the-trainer CPR certification courses for this year, as well as recertification courses in the use and repair of breathing apparatus.”
Presented by Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service Training Officer Paul Rose, the latest train-the-trainer workshop allowed eight fire officers, from various ranks, to successfully achieve the first level of City and Guilds certification in foundation teaching methods.
Ernest Barnes, Richard McLaughlin, Garfield Ritch, Brevon Elliott, Sherman Yates, Mark Hydes, Brainard McLaughlin and Duane Tibbetts bring to 11 the total number of certified CI Fire Service trainers.
CI Fire Service 2009 Courses
Fire officers participated in nine training exercises throughout 2009. Participating officers were as follows:
Overseas Command & Control
Craig McCoy
Kennedy Douglas
Introduction to Computers
Oscar Rivers
Carson Ebanks
Milford McCoy
Gilbert Rankin
McKenzie Robinson
Supervisor Initial
Curtis Solomon
Rodney Rivers
Larue Nixon
Garfield Ritch
Basic Report Writing (Course one)
Tina Choy
Clay Ebanks
Duane Tibbetts
Mark Hydes
Michael Ebanks
Gilbert Rankin
Laure Nixon
Curtis Solomon
Mississippi Fire Officer One & Two
Brainard McLaughlin
Lincoln Ebanks
James Dixon
Stanford Watson
Mitchell Connor
Arden Rivers
Colbert Miller
Kirk Watson
Basic Report Writing (Course Two)
Ricardo Charlton
Erik Rankine
Brevon Elliott
Rodney Rivers
McKenzie Robinson
Brainard McLaughlin
Carson Ebanks
Norman Stewart
Ernest Barnes
Fire Prevention Origin & Cause
Johnny Bodden
Tina Choy
Introduction to Leadership (ILM)
John Christian
McKenzie Robinson
Ernest Barnes
Brainard McLaughlin
Rodney Rivers
Percival Whorms
Fire officers also completed the following two courses since January 2010.
Introduction to Leadership (ILM)
Ricardo Charlton
Carson McField
Aerodrome Vehicle Operator Permit
Ernest Barnes
Curtis Solomon
Johnny Bodden
Larue Nixon
McKenzie Robinson
Rodney Rivers
Brevon Elliott
Pernell Bodden
Carson McField
Marlon Goddard
Antonio McLaughlin
Morris Martin
Jeremy Powery
Randy Hodgson
Vince McElroy
Joe Smith
Source: Cayman Islands Fire Service
