BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – CELEBRATING accomplishments, assessing progress and fostering a greater bond between the community and the St. Kitts-Nevis Fire and Rescue Services Department are some of the aims of the ongoing Week of Activities organised by the latter in commemoration of its 15-year existence as an independent entity.
The week began on Sunday (Jan. 4) with Fire Officers on both St. Kitts and Nevis attending church services at the Antioch Baptist Church and the Eden Brown Church of God respectively.
Being held under the theme “Moving forward professionally, with vision, together to provide a safer community”, the week features a number of activities which allow the pubic a peek into the functions of the Department and its importance in the maintenance of safety.
Acting Fire Chief Everette O’Garro, during an interview with SKNVibes, explained that on January 4, 2000 the Fire Services segregated from the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force (RSCNPF) and became an independent body.
He said this week of activities is a time “for us to reflect on where we have come from, look at our struggles, celebrate our successes and chart a course forward as our theme indicates”.
Thus far, the officers have been engaged in an Open Day held on Tuesday (Jan. 6), where members of the public were allowed to visit the different fire stations, tour the facilities and communicate with the officers.
A panel discussion originally scheduled for Monday (Jan 5) was rescheduled for this evening (Jan. 8) via ZIZ Television.
Also today, Community Day, the presence of the officers of the Service will be greater felt as they would be out and about in the communities. The day’s activities include visiting various homes for the elderly and presenting gifts, visiting the Cotton Thomas Comprehensive School and putting on a drills display for the students.
Yesterday some of the Fire Officers and a number of their colleagues in the RSCNPF were engaged in a friendly 20/20 cricket match and, while the Fire Officers would have preferred to win, they had to yield to their counterparts who whipped them by 10 runs.
The winners now possess the Felix Fredericks Cup named after Fire Sub-Station Officer Felix Fredericks, who retired from the Service effective December 31, 2014.
Other activities on the calendar include Drills Display to be held at the Bay Road in St. Kitts and Main Road in Nevis tomorrow (Jan. 9) at 1:00 p.m., an Awards Ceremony and Banquet to be held later that evening at Sweet Lime, Port Zante and a Sports Day at the LIME Grounds on the following day.
Fire Chief (Ag) O’Garro said that at the Awards Dinner officers who would have performed exemplarily, those who would have served for the past 15 years, and those who would have served for 18 years and above would be recognised and awarded.
He said special awards would also be given to volunteer fire officers.
The week concludes with a simultaneous Family Day at Cockleshell Beach in St. Kitts and Sand Crab Hole Beach in Nevis.
As expressed by O’Garro, it is hoped that by the end of the week a greater sense of camaraderie amongst members of the Service would be realised.
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