Fire Service gets equipment boost

The Barbados Fire Service is now better equipped to deal with cardiac arrest situations while attending emergency calls, after five automated external defibrillators were donated by Sagicor Insurance to the organization on Wednesday.

During the presentation of the lifesaving devices, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Sagicor Life Inc Paul Inniss said that the donation was an important one for the company, as he seeks to make sure all frontline workers, especially during this time of COVID-19, have the tools required to do their job in a safe and modern way.

“The last seven months have presented our country with several challenges that have changed the course of our daily lives, while challenging our medical and frontline workers in many ways, relative to their ability to serve and protect our safety and health.

“Our Fire Service Officers have always been at the forefront of the battle to save lives, livelihoods and properties, risking their lives daily to keep us safe. Today we want to demonstrate in a tangible way, Sagicor’s commitment to partnering with the Barbados Fire Service to provide them with equipment that can assist with saving lives.”

He continued, “As such, we are happy to donate five automated external defibrillators, one for each active fire station, to assist in enhancing the capacity of Fire Officers to be first responders in situations where urgent medical care is required. It is our hope that through this donation, these officers will be better able to diagnose and treat life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias which lead to sudden cardiac arrest.”

Minister of Home Affairs, Information, and Public Affairs Wilfred Abrahams, thanked Sagicor for its timely offering, and taking its corporate responsibility seriously on the island. The minister also revealed that the Fire Service has also partnered with the Barbados Community College
to diversify the level of training being offered to officers.

“The aim is to have, as much as practical, all officers trained as EMTs (Emergency Medical Technicians) and to use these devices. This will provide for faster and ready ºaccess to pre-hospital care, both for medical and trauma issues.

“Additionally, I want to inform the public that the Barbados Fire Service already has trained EMTs on staff and in another six weeks or so another 16 will complete their training with the Emergency Ambulance Service and the Barbados Community College.

“It is also anticipated that a further ten officers will commence training early in 2021,” Abrahams said.

Chief Fire Officer Errol Maynard also attended the presentation and said that the donation of the new devices forms part of a broader modernizing strategy the service is currently undertaking.

“We are here to serve in all disciplines of a modern Fire and Rescue service. Over the next couple of weeks, we will be installing computers and GPS in our Fire [vehicles]. This will enhance our ability to dispatch the closest vehicle to an incident when there is a call for help, and even medical emergencies. This will mimic the traditional 911 system, while we await the implementation of such. This will also complete reports and access data while in the field,” Maynard revealed. (SB)