CAY HILL--Disaster Coordinator and Fire Commander Clive Richardson announced on Wednesday that twenty firefighters have graduated from a rigorous middle-management course conducted by Opleidings Instituut Bonaire over a six-month period.
Despite the challenges of the course being conducted in Dutch, all participants demonstrated exceptional dedication and successfully passed the exam with flying colours, according to Fire Chief Clive Richardson. He added that several of the firefighters will now proceed to undertake the Fire Captains course scheduled to commence in the first half of 2024.
The names of the firefighters who excelled in the exam are Mr. S. Angel, Mr. M. Aventurin, Mr. E. Brooks, Mr. E. Chase, Mr. S. Connor, Mr. R. Giterson, Ms. M. Gomez, Mr. E. Hodge, Mr. J. Hodge, Mr. M. Hodge, Mr. J. Levons, Mr. G. Macnack, Mr. S. Phillips, Mr. J. Richardson, Mr. K. Richardson, Ms. S. Rey, Mr. C. Schoop, Mr. G. Sprott, Mr. B. Warner, and Mr. W. York.
In November 2023 four instructors from the Fire Department – Mr. S. James, Mr. K. Richardson, Mr. E. Chase and Mr. G. Sprott – attended a one-week course on energy transition in Curaçao, facilitated by the Netherlands Institute for Public Safety. The course covered crucial topics such as wind turbines, solar energy, electrical vehicles and the storage of Li-ion batteries, emphasising the associated risks.
Armed with this knowledge, the instructors are now developing a comprehensive training programme for their colleagues. Additionally, they are initiating a community awareness campaign to highlight the potential hazards related to solar panels, Li-ion batteries and electrical vehicles in the event of a fire.
For emergency situations, the public is reminded to call 919.
