From left: St. Eustatius Fire Chief Andre Bennett with firefighters Renee Courtar, Stanley Woodley and Igmar Fortin showing their certificates for long years of service, Deputy Government Commissioner Alida Francis and Government Commissioner Marnix van Rij.
ST. EUSTATIUS--The St. Eustatius branch of the Caribbean Netherlands Fire Department BKCN held a celebratory anniversary and achievements dinner at the Ocean View Terrace restaurant on Thursday.
Present for the occasion were Government Commissioner Marnix van Rij and his spouse Courtney, Deputy Government Commissioner Alida Francis, Acting Island Secretary Luutsen de Vries, St. Eustatius Fire Chief Andre Bennett, Disaster Coordinator Edris Bennett-Merkman, Crisis Manager Peter Glerum, fire personnel, families and friends.
At the ceremony, Igmar Fortin was honoured for 25 years of service for the Fire Department, whereas Renee Courtar and Stanley Woodley celebrated 12 years and six months of service. Acting Fire Chief Chester Tearr was also honoured.
BKCN General Commander Albert Gieling could not be present due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Chief Bennett read a letter on the commander’s behalf in which he offered his congratulations to the men and women of the fire department on their achievements and the teamwork shown throughout this “difficult” year.
A new general commander is expected to be installed on January 4, 2021, who will be taking over the helm from Gieling.
Van Rij said the fire personnel are pillars of the community because they are there for the safety of the island, to limit and prevent danger to the community. “When the need arises, you are always there,” he said.
He specifically mentioned the fire that burnt out the former Tourism Office in May. He said the situation had not been easy, especially with regard to the water shortage, “but the fire department came through due to hard work and teamwork.”
The Executive Council, he added, wants to make sure that all buildings in Statia meet the requirements for fire prevention.
He recognised that the fire department plays a vital role in the crisis structure, especially when it comes to hurricanes. “Persons in the Caribbean look differently at life because they have to deal with the threat of a hurricane every year.”
He commended the fire personnel for their hard work and commitment to the island, especially this year. The fire department is part of Statia’s COVID-19 crisis team. If a hurricane had occurred near the island this year during the pandemic, he knew that the fire department would have been ready and up to the task.
Bennett said that due to the recruitment drive in March/April, the department now has two new colleagues: Victor Santos and Gerson Herrera.
He listed some of the department’s achievements, such as a new vehicle, new radios for the firefighting vehicles and uniforms. The department also completed a plan of approach to purchase a new fire truck, which they expect to become a reality in 2021.
The department also secured a designated location for a new fire station. They hope to start developing building plans by 2021, with an estimated completion date of two years.
In the meantime, the current fire station is undergoing an expansion to meet regulations concerning a special washroom, needed for the cleaning of fire suits and breathing apparatus.
The fire department’s organisation and formation plan were put together and sent out for ratification. The 2021-year plan was also put together and is expected to be circulated before the year ends. The fireworks ordinance is expected to be ratified by the public entity St. Eustatius soon.
Statia’s fire department is also looking to strengthen ties with Curaçao, Aruba and St. Maarten, said Bennett.
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the fire personnel not being able to follow several courses, but the department hopes that fire personnel can be trained in the first and second quarters of 2021. Integrity courses, implementation of laws and regulations, code-of-conduct training and others will also be taking place.
