Fire Chiefs Strengthen Cooperation
The fire chiefs of Curaçao, Aruba, Sint Maarten, and the Caribbean Netherlands (Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba) came together last week for a two-day meeting. The Netherlands Fire Department and the National Fire Academy were also present. During the meeting, they discussed strengthening cooperation and made new agreements for the future.
The collaborative partnership between the fire departments in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom has existed for ten years this year. During that period, the departments have worked intensively together in the areas of training, safety, disaster relief, and the development of leaders within the fire department.
Training
During the meeting, the commanders discussed how they can better align the training and qualifications of fire personnel. This will make it easier to temporarily exchange fire personnel so they can gain experience or help each other in emergency situations. They also discussed a joint training program for fire prevention inspectors. In this, the departments share knowledge and experience with each other and with the Netherlands. In addition, agreements were made about rapid support after a hurricane. Fire personnel can then be quickly transported to the affected area to provide assistance.
Better Together
For residents of Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba, the cooperation with the other islands in the Kingdom means that assistance in the event of a fire or disaster is arranged faster and better, even if the department needs support from colleagues from other islands.
