GFS’ simulator meets international standards

GUYANA, GINA, Wednesday, March 15, 2017

The Guyana Fire Service’s (GFS) firefighting simulator at Leonora, Region Three has been certified as having met international standards by Angloco Limited UK, an international company.

This was disclosed by Chief Fire Officer, Marlon Gentle in an interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA). Gentle said the company’s officials recently visited Guyana and conducted one week of training with firefighters using the simulator before it was certified.

“One has to understand that to train a firefighter, the only facilities other than him experiencing an actual fire for him to train on are to simulate fire conditions, and it has to be done in a controlled environment,” the Chief Fire Officer explained.

The training simulator provides a safe training environment to learn ventilation techniques, recognise dangerous situations and is intended to provide real time firefighting and rescue experiences to GFS ranks. The Chief Fire Officer also said that Angloco Limited will soon be returning to conduct a trainer of trainers’ programme.

Training, using the simulator is not limited to members of the GFS, but is open to members of the Caribbean firefighting fraternity, Gentle said. Private sector groups will also be included with special attention given to industrial, commercial and manufacturing industries.

“We intend to take these people through certain paces so as to ensure that they understand the basic elements of fire protection and fire safety within their own environment,” the Chief Fire Officer stated.

Additionally, Gentle pointed out that even though the simulator was designed by Angloco Limited UK, the actual structure was built by Guyanese technicians. Gentle noted that “the technology has been transferred over to the Guyanese technicians who I believe could be able to maintain that facility, as well as to build future facilities if the need arises.”

By: Isaiah Braithwaite