New firefighter Lurvin Gordon (right) taking the oath from Caribbean Netherlands Fire Chief Jair Tromp (centre) and Anneloes van Maanen (left).
ST. EUSTATIUS–The St. Eustatius branch of Fire Department Caribbean Netherlands BKCN conducted their annual year-end celebration and award ceremony on Tuesday at Oceanview Terrace restaurant.
Several firefighters and fire personnel were awarded for their outstanding performance and fire personnel also received certificates for the ranks obtained during the past year. The evening also featured a buffet-style dinner.
Highlight of the ceremony was Lurvin Gordon taking the oath to become a firefighter. This was the first time a ceremony like this had taken place in a public setting. Gordon was trained in January in Statia and Bonaire before he joined the fire department.
Three firefighters from Bonaire joined their colleagues of the Statia Fire Department in the celebrations. There were several speeches by Statia Fire Chief André Bennett, Caribbean Netherlands Fire Chief Jair Tromp, Deputy Government Commissioner Mervyn Stegers and by Olton Berkel of the NuStar Emergency Response Team. Berkel spoke on behalf of NuStar Chief of Emergency Response Francisco Philips, who could not be present.
“Successfully completing your courses is a testimony of your hard work and effort and your commitment to upgrading yourself to be the best emergency responder you can be. ln so doing, you are now even better prepared to serve the community of Statia, and by extension that of the entire Caribbean Netherlands.” Berkel said.
Looking back over the years, Berkel said the relationship between the Fire Department and NuStar Emergency Response Team (ERT) has always been excellent.
He said 2018 has been a year of intensified cooperation between both fire organizations and thanked the fire department’s personnel for their assistance throughout this year.
He highlighted the two-day training course in industrial fire-fighting, which was conducted by fire officers of the Safety Region Rotterdam.
NuStar commissioned a new semi-automatic fire repression system in their mezzanine tank field, where most flammable products are stored. Team members from Statia were on site to witness a test and to obtain an understanding of how the system is designed and how it works.
A rope-rescue training was given to the NuStar team by officers W. Maharaj and J. Saladin in July and August. This was done because even though NuStar has invested in rope-rescue equipment, this area of emergency response is one in which they still have much to learn, Berkel said.
In November, BKCN organized a rope-rescue training in Bonaire, conducted by the Caribbean Emergency Response Training Academy. NuStar sent one ERT member to attend. “From the feedback received it was excellent training. We thank you for the opportunity afforded,” Berkel said.
He thanked the leadership and officers of BKCN for the “fine” corporation this past year. “It has been a year in which we have strengthened our relationship even further. The NuStar ERT is always ready to assist you whenever you call upon us as we look forward to continued cooperation between our teams for many, many years to come.” Berkel concluded.
Deputy Government Commissioner Stegers was presented with a fire department tie-pin by fire chief Tromp. The evening concluded with a gift raffle and karaoke.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/83941-statia-fire-department-holds-award-ceremony
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