Brandweer Sint Maarten

Status new fire & ambulance building (November 17, 2008)

The construction of the new fire & ambulance building in the Welgelegen area in Cay Hill is coming to a close. The physical construction work is almost finished and the building will soon be handed over by the contractor to the principal. Once this is done the fire and ambulance services can start preparing their specific areas. The intention is to move in gradually, since certain interior issues still need to be resolved (furniture, equipment, etc.).

In the pictures various shots taken in and around the new building.

Hoofdbrandwacht course (August 29, 2008)

On a regular basis the Sint Maarten Fire Department offers its personnel training courses to upgrade its skills. Some of these courses are meant as a refresher and others to obtain diplomas that will enable staff to move to a higher rank.

In August the training course for “hoofdbrandwacht” (3 stripes) has started. Eight fire fighters are enrolled in this program. The course consists of three modules: Organisation & Management, Repression and Fire Safety Inspector. This course is executed in cooperation with the twinning (jumelage) partner in the Netherlands, the Fire Department of The Hague. Instructors from the local fire department (Marvin Dollison, Frans Nieuwenhoven & Paul Martens) are currently giving classes to the 8 students. In September and October instructors will arrive from The Hague to prepare the students for their exams. Once the students pass their exams successfully they will become eligible for promotion to the rank of “hoofdbrandwacht” in due time when these positions become available.

The organizational part of the training course is being arranged by mr. William York of the Sint Maarten Fire Department who is the training coordinator of said department.

		Fire Chief Winston Salomon and Coordinator William York officially kicking off the “hoofdbrandwacht” training course

		A segment of the 8 students following the course

French and Dutch Fire Services meet (May 13, 2008)

GREAT BAY, St. Maarten (GIS) – Dutch side Fire Commander & Disaster Management Coordinator Winston Salomon, described a meeting that took place last week with officials from the French side Collectivite’s Fire Services and representatives of the Office of the Prefet, as informative and positive.

“All participants are looking forward to follow-up sessions in the upcoming months. The goal is to establish practical and workable procedures that will improve mutual cooperation.

“Based on the responsibilities of the Governor and the Prefet delegue during disaster and emergency situations, they will be consulted and possibly included in follow-up meetings,” Fire Commander Salomon told the Government Information Service (GIS).

PHOTO CUTLINE: from left to right, Fire Chief St. Martin Cleo Gumbs, Marcel Gumbs, Melissa Sadano-Nicolas, Head of the Office of Disaster Management Dutch side Paul Martens, Fire Commander Winston Salomon, and St. Martin Chef Cabinet of the Prefet Ambroise Devaux.