Fire Chief WInston Salomon presented two new fire officers to the media. The new officers, Clive Richardson and Silvanico Pauletta, have been welcomed at the local fire department after finishing an 18 month training course at the NIFV - Brandweeracademie (Dutch Fire College) in Arnhem, The Netherlands. The gentlemen started working on April 1, 2009. The Island Government of Sint Maarten employed the two men in 2007 and they left immediately on a study assignment at the fire college.

The Sint Maarten FIre Department is very pleased with this expansion of their management team, which now consists of 5 persons: Winston Salomon (Fire Chief), Paul Martens (disaster management), Frans Nieuwenhoven (senior fire officer) and the two new officers.

		From left to right: Clive Richardson, Fire Chief Winston Salomon and Silvanico Pauletta

On Thursday afternoon March 5, 2009 the Governor-General of the Netherlands Antilles, mr. Frits Goedgedrag, and the Prime-Minister of the Netherlands Antilles, mrs. Emily de Jongh-Elhage, paid a visit to the new fire station in Cay HIll. Accompanied by the Lt. Governor of Sint Maarten, mr. Franklyn Richards, and their respective delegations they received an explanation of the new building by our fire chief, mr. WInston Salomon. After the introductions a tour of the facility was given by senior fire officer Frans Nieuwenhoven. The visiting dignataries were impressed by the new facility and the state of our equipment.

		The Governor-General and Prime-Minister were welcomed by the fire fighters present (picture A. Singh)
		A group picture was taken before the departure of the delegation (picture A. Singh)