The Fire and Rescue Services Department is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. Photo: FREEMAN ROGERS

To illustrate the importance of preparedness, fire officer Cuthbert Robinson shared an analogy with students during a visit to Joyce Samuel Primary School on Tuesday.

Fire officer Cuthbert Robinson explains the features of a fire truck to students at Joyce Samuel Primary School on Tuesday. Photo: NGOVOU GYANG
“Just as you have to take your lunch bags to work, when I go to work I look at the fire truck as my school bag, which means I have to know where my equipment are at all times,” Mr. Robinson said.

The visit was among several activities scheduled this week in observance of the BVI Fire and Rescue Service’s 20th Fire Safety Awareness Week and its 30th anniversary as an independent department.

At JSPS, fire officers spoke with students for about two hours.
“We are here to save lives and protect property,” Mr. Robinson said. “We do everyday training so we don’t forget where the equipment is on the truck.”After the students learned about the agency, Mr. Robinson showed them a fire truck.

“You hear people say the fire truck has no water, but that is not true,” he said. “We have water on the fire truck and this fire hose is our first defence when we go on a fire scene until we get to a fire hydrant or your neighbour’s cistern or something.”

Other activities for the week include a social night at the Road Town fire station at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday and a visit to the Cane Garden Bay Senior Citizens Centre on Thursday.

On Friday the officers will head to Virgin Gorda for community service, and at 6:30 p.m. an Iron Man Endurance Competition will get under way at the Road Town Fire Station.

On Saturday a walkathon will start at the station at 5:30 a.m. and proceed to the New Life Baptist Church and back. A fun day for children will follow at the station from 11:30 a.m.

Activities come to an end on Sunday with a beach picnic and fun day at Long Bay Beach, Beef Island from 12:30 p.m.

 

See the Oct. 6, 2016 edition for full coverage.

{fcomment}