ToServe edition 01 - SXM FireFighters

To Serve: The Magazine of the Fire Department of St. Maarten

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This book has been published by Media Publishing International N.V. Media Publishing International N.V. P.O. Box 409, Philipsburg, Sint Maarten (Dutch Caribbean) | Tel: +1-721-527-5111 General Manager & Publisher: Emile Cukier E-mail: emilecukier@gmail.com Layout & Design: Evadney Henriques - evadneyhenriques@gmail.com All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the prior written permission of the publisher.The publisher is not responsible for any error or omission, which may only be the result of an accident.

The publisher would like to extend thanks and appreciation to all those who contributed editorial material, information and photos for this edition.

To Serve: The Magazine of the Fire Department of St. Maarten 2021©Media Publishing International N.V.

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Contents October 2021 • Issue 1

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Proud men and women of the Sint Maarten Fire department

Preface by the Hon. Prime Minister Silveria E. Jacobs, Minister of General Affairs

Material and Logistics Shanell James

Disaster Management, Paul Martens

29

09

Organizational Structure Disaster Management

St. Maarten First Fire Lady, Saskia Schroten

32

12

Alarm Center - 919

Administration & Technical

33

13

New young Firefighters “Rookies”

The Airport Fire department & Rescue Team, Manilo Penijn

13

36

Management & Staff

14

THE SXM FIREFIGHTERS FOUNDATION (SXMFF) Glenn Macknack President Swendi Angel Treasurer.

Eric Chase Vice-President Marisella Gomez Secretary

16

FireFighters Department Chief, Clive Richardson

21

St. Maarten Fire Safety with Alberto Provence and Francisco Phils

41

A SXM Firefighters Lady, FFF Secretary, Marisella Gomez

42

Inspector ES Josepha, Head of Department of Com KPSM

60

Hurricane safety

66

Maritime School of the West Indies, Garth Steyn

69

The Covid 19 by Mrs. Tamara Landino Maskal, Pharmacist

ST. MAARTEN SEA RESCUE FOUNDATION Frans Nieuenhoven & Serge Bakker

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71

A firefighter Lady, Sheena Rey

Prevention, Preparation, Education Training For Fire Safety in St. Maarten The head of PPO Silvanico Pauletta

54

50

Firework Safety & Security

Ambulance Department with Mrs. Tynisha Arrendell

72

St. Maarten Fire Fighters activities

74

Thanks & List of Advertisers 6

To Serve: The Magazine of the Fire Department of St. Maarten

preface

With the Honourable Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs; ‘today it is this person, tomorrow it can be you’!

Apart from her role as St. Maarten’s Prime Minister, Silveria Jacobs is also the Minister of General Affairs. The Fire Department falls within the Ministry of General Affairs and Secretary General Mr. Plantijn reports directly to the Prime Minister, he is the head of all the General Affairs Departments. Each department has its own Department Head, the head of the Fire Department is Chief Clive Richardson.

T

he Prime Minister is physically present at certain types of fires. Indeed when there is a large scale disaster that would have an effect on the country in some way she is called/ notified; something that takes up a lot of resources, for example; multiple family homes, big business, a situation where the French Side needs to be called etc.

“If I cannot go there I can be updated in person, I receive calls and notifications. I’m on the emergency calls. I am also the leader of the Emergency Operations Centre of our government when there is any type of disaster.The last major fire that we had was at the landfill, and I did get a call from our Chief. I was in attendance until we got it under control, and also regulated assistance with our French counterparts.”

Does the Prime Minister also have to take fire fighting trainings? “I’m not actually in fire fighting gear when I am there. I keep a great distance from the actual fire but I did get quite close to the largest landfill fire.

I am too hands on sometimes, which alarms all of my advisors. I do not have any fire fighting training but I do show my solidarity with the fire fighters when I am there, ensuring that they are taking all safety precautions as well that they are equipped with all the necessary gear.”

There are currently not so many female fire fighters, but there are 3 soon-to-be in- training. As a female leader, what would you like to say to these trainees and to other females who may be interested in becoming fire fighters?

“I am most definitely glad with this progress,

I’m glad that the stigma has been raised or released from certain jobs being male-oriented. I must say as an educator (I would never say former) I have always promoted equality.

I was one of those girls who played baseball with the boys as a child, one of the first on the island. So for me equality for females has always just been my way of life. And I’ve promoted that as an educator for 20 years in the field. I’ve traveled to many other countries where we’ve had discussions on gender equality and while St. Maarten can be compared to many, larger, more developed countries, we have some things we have to work on. Compared to many countries, we have more women in positions of power than the average, but we would like to of course see more females representing across the board in the work spaces.

One of the last times I did an inspection at the Fire Department I was very happy to see one of the lady fire fighters, as she was a student of mine. I encourage any and all females who are willing to put in, not just the physical, but the mental work that is necessary, to compete with men on this platform and perform accordingly. We do need women in all

To Serve: The Magazine of the Fire Department of St. Maarten

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preface areas because I believe we bring something special to the floor!”

Have you ever personally experienced a fire, and if so, is there anything you have learned from it that you can share with the public? “I have not personally been through anything of that nature, but; the usual snafu in the kitchen, accidentally burn something on the stove or trying to light an oven and there’s a loud bang. I’ve never personally experienced a fire first hand but it has such damaging effects. I’ve had discussions with persons whose home has come close to burning down. It’s a very traumatic experience to lose everything. We do have the experience of hurricanes where you do lose everything as well, we are used to the loss of material goods here on St. Maarten.

But of course the physical danger of a fire can have long lasting effects on anyone who goes through it, I’ve seen some survivors and it’s a very tough thing, so prevention is always better than cure.

As the Minister of General Affairs, I am more interested in promoting Fire Safety or Safety to avoid having fires. Say for instance with fireworks, you need a special permit from the Fire Department to be able to sell, operate and store them. We do take a lot of caution where fire prevention is concerned and I do support the Fire Department in all their endeavours, that our population keeps themselves safe and that we are equipped in the instances we need to be.

There is a stigma here about our fire fighters, as many in our community tend to not understand that being a fire fighter is not just waiting for a fire to happen. What would you like to say about this? I would definitely participate in all the programs that they have. As an educator, I remember that they always came to the schools; the schools have to have fire safety and do fire drills, make sure they have the proper equipment and so forth. So in that way, they have an education program where they visit the schools and the schools visit them and do some programs. Fires aren’t happening every day, but the department has to be at a state of readiness so maybe an awareness about that would help the general population to understand that when the fire department is going through the streets with their sirens and asking for the road to be clear, it is to be able to save lives as well as property.Also, it’s a matter of community;

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today it is this person, tomorrow it can be you, in the interest of care for your fellow man we should always respect when there is an official vehicle on the streets with its sirens and move out of the road and assist in any way, clearing traffic so that they can help those persons in need.

I am very happy that this publication is going to go out to help spread awareness!

I would urge the general population to educate themselves but I would also like to encourage the Fire Department to bring awareness to what the job really entails, how much training has to be done on a regular level to be able to maintain the physical strength needed to fight a fire, as well as

To Serve: The Magazine of the Fire Department of St. Maarten

to maybe even explain what the body goes through when you’re fighting a fire for long periods of time. For instance, with the dump fire they were busy for more than 24 hours so they had to actually change shifts. But the actual heat that the person is exposed to, the precautions they have to take to be safe and of course to be continuously prepared for that eventuality. Awareness is key and I support them in that!

Final Note: Marisella Gomez who the Honorable Prime Minister Jacobs mentioned in this interview can be found on page 41.

Keep hold of your finances es during a crisis. crisis.

Those who have less income due to unforeseen circumstances, may have to face financial problems. It helps to keep a good overview and act swiftly on the new situation. This plan of action can be helpful in determining your financial position and how you can adapt.

Step 1

Step 3

Make an Make an ov over ervie view w of all your your monthly monthly income inc ome and and exp expenses enses..

Look for solutions for possible possible payment issues.. issues

It is importan importantt to to obtain a quick insight insight in your your financial position, and to to kno know w if you you are are able to to pay pay all your your bills in time. time. A budget example is av available on the websit website e of the CBCS.

If you you expec expectt short short-t -ter erm m paymen paymentt issues, issues, look for for wa ways to to solve solve these issues. issues. Do Do you you hav have savings savings deposits that that can tempor temporar arily ily be put on hold? Do Do you you hav have a buffer buffer on a savings savings acc accoun ount? t?

Step 2

Step 4

Look a few few months ahead. ahead.

Look for way wayss to to save save money money fast fast..

Some months months are are more more expensiv expensive e than others. others. Make Make sure sure your your monthly mon thly budget allow allows the expenses expenses you you’ll ’ll hav have to to make in time. time.

Are there there expenses expenses that that you you can reduc reduce e in short short ter term? m? Try to to limit your visits to to the supermar supermarket ket and use your your wa water and electr electricit icityy efficiently efficien tly..

Centrale Bank van Curaçao en Sint Maarten

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To Serve: The Magazine of the Fire Department of St. Maarten

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ALARM CENTER

919

Henry Duzanson SENIOR DISPATCHER

Franklin Peterson DISPATCHER

Everard Arndell DISPATCHER

12 To Serve: The Magazine of the Fire Department of St. Maarten

Sint Maarten new young firefighters called “Rookies”

Sint Maarten Firefighters Management and Staff.

To Serve: The Magazine of the Fire Department of St. Maarten 13

THE BOARD - SXM FIRE FIGHTERS FOUNDATION “Secure US to secure YOU”

The SXM Fire Fighters Foundation (SXMFF) board consists of 7 persons and all members are fire fighters. In this article Glenn Macnack, Swendi Angel and Marisella Gomez are 3 members telling us a little bit about what they do.

G

lenn Macnack is President of the Board, Swendi Angel is The Treasurer and Marisella Gomez is the Secretary of the SXMFFF.The SXMFF Board focuses on the social aspect of the Fire Department. This is the group that reaches out to the community and they do this by way of planning events and fundraisers and awareness campaigns. “There seems to still be a big gap between the community and the Fire Department, the Board is here to bridge that gap and work on the stigma” says Macnack.They reach out to various entities and are always helping out numerous families by way of charity work in the name of the Fire Department. “These are some

of the things that the public isn’t aware of” adds Macnack.

This Board is a relatively new one; it’s just 3 years old as the foundation has also rebranded and changed their logo and name as well.

“Right now it’s important to let people know who we are and what we stand for” says Macnack. One of their regularly scheduled yearly events, Fireman Week, is held every last Friday of March (where the fire fighters march through town) and usually ends on Saturday with the Fireman’s Ball; Church services are set up, dignitaries are invited and there’s a schedule full of activities that the board plans. “This is where all 7 of us work the hardest” says Marisella.

COVID-19 dampened this year’s Fireman’s Week and also the highly anticipated Cancer & Prostate Cancer awareness event with the Positive Foundation. “We are practicing and preaching safety, we don’t want to do anything that contradicts that of course so we have held off on doing public events until it is again safe to do so concerning COVID-19” says Swendi.

Members of the Board

14 To Serve: The Magazine of the Fire Department of St. Maarten

Soon after the rebranded board was formed their very first event was a carwash at the then Philipsburg Jubilee Library in 2018, it was a fundraising for the Library. The foundation puts various ideas together and at the end of the day it may be hard work, but it’s also fun work. “The Foundation is more about the social side.We come together and discuss ideas and activities for our members and the public to have that healthy relationship with the community and also to have that bond with the community” says Marisella.

The Foundation also aims at showing its members appreciation. Showing and telling them “Thank You”. They do their best to make sure that the fire fighters feel appreciated “The last 2 years we gave them Christmas Baskets, however it depends on funds.

The more funds we have the more we can show appreciation and gratitude towards our members. But with the pandemic the last year we couldn’t do anything really so we went the simple route” says Marisella.

The Foundation consists of 7 members: President Glenn Macnack, Treasurer Swendi Angel, Secretary Marisella Gomez,Vice President Eric Chase,Vice Treasurer Keith Fleming,Vice Secretary Christopher Schoop and board member Jermain Levons.

“We are able to do events and hold events through the membership fee from our members and sponsors who play a big role.

However due to the pandemic the past year everything has been on hold” says Marisella.

You can do your part and help the foundation out by purchasing merchandise from the SMFFF such as T-Shirts, funny enough “Most people who come in to purchase our t-shirts are tourists.They are also fire fighters or collect merchandise from the fire departments at various places they travel to” adds Swendi.

You can reach out to the Foundation on their Facebook page where you can show your support,‘Like’ and find out more about the merchandise or how to make a donation.

To Serve: The Magazine of the Fire Department of St. Maarten 15

The Fire Chief

With Clive Richardson Being the fire Chief on St. Maarten means being prepared for all types of incidents and disasters that may occur on the island.

Clive Richardson cares deeply about the island and has various aspects of safety on his mind concerning the whole island almost all the time. Speaking to Richardson it is clear that he is passionate about the Fire Department and making sure the staff has the necessary tools and training to carry out their jobs in a professional and safe manner.

R

ichardson’s career in fire fighting started in 2007 “I used to work at the Sint Maarten Medical Center in the radiology department, and there was an advertisement in the newspaper looking for fire officers, it was something that I was interested in when I was studying in the Netherlands but the academy only accepted candidates up until the age of 30, after that age they don’t accept you anymore.

I was already passed that age at that time”.

“Mr. Pauletta (of PPO) and I met all the entrance requirements and we were then able to go to the Academy via here, because of the need for Officers”. We got accepted in 2007 and we first started in 2007 and continued till 2009.

“I was working on my Hoofdbrandmeester Diploma, you can be up to Commander with that diploma.” When he returned he was in charge of the Material & Logistic depart-

supposed to have a minimum of 15 people, we would have 9 people, so we’d have to be calling persons to work over time.These are some of the big challenges we’ve had the past 10 years.”

There are many challenges in being the Chief of the Fire Department, the department doesn’t always have everything it needs, especially since Irma, and “we are still waiting for certain things.” quite understand the danger this creates. It is of the utmost importance for the Fire Department to guarantee safety of its employees. For the past 10 or so years St. Maarten has had quite its own ups and downs with Government changes, it has been tough on the whole island. Mr. Richardson has a lot to face, day to day, just how does he do it? “At Fire Chief, Clive Richardson the end of the day, I leave my work at work.

When I am here, I call the management team ment; everything that has to do with the together and we discuss various solutions; if building maintenance, purchasing of equip- we find a way then we send letters that we ment, clothes, “Everything that has to do cover our bases to make sure we do what with the logistics and the operational side of we have to do and sometimes we will see if the Fire Department, I was responsible for. there are other ways of getting things done; In 2012, one of our colleagues left so I also via another entity or organisation that might be able to assist. became the Sector Head of Repression.

The Fire Department has had its challenges over the years, like issues with equipment and vehicles; some were old, or problematic, they needed replacing, which was meant to happen before Irma. But Irma changed many things! Issues with the dump fires, issues with the large fires in the hills, these happen nearly every 3 years or so. Some people burn the land when they are going to plant or they burn their garbage, which can easily turn into out-of-control hill fires. It takes just a tiny bit of flame to go across dry grass very fast. Those people are not necessarily there monitoring constantly. Upon request, they can receive a waiver if they are in need to burn certain items.

Having enough personnel has been a challenge as well.The fire fighters had been overworked, out of balance.“Fortunately we just took on 15 recruits so we are more in balance now. But there were years that we were

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We had 5 fire trucks, but were down to 2. In 2017 I wrote an advice to purchase 2 new fire trucks to replace 2 that were here, that advice went in on June 17, then Irma happened in September, so that was scratched.

In 2018 I informed the World Bank that we needed to replace the Fire Trucks, especially because there was one that was 20 plus years old. Normally a Fire truck is good for 15 years, which is the recommended time span for using a Fire Truck.”

Clive left to the fire truck factory in Austria with one of the Fire Department’s Mechanics and 2 persons who went for training.

They had to inspect the trucks and make sure they met all the requirements that the department requested and make sure that they were working the way they are supposed to. The other guys received training on how to operate the fire trucks and then

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To Serve: The Magazine of the Fire Department of St. Maarten 17

the fire chief 2 more mechanics went up in June.

The trucks were built up there because the older ones are too wide and big “we wanted to downsize to the European trucks which are smaller but carry the same amount of water and more equipment than the American trucks.” For St. Maarten roads, smaller trucks that are a little higher are better for flooding, especially in certain areas like Pelican Key. The American trucks are too low and scrape the ground “so when we sent out the bid the only companies that could meet the requirements were European companies.”

“Rosenbauer is the company that we had chosen from the beginning as their trucks meet the department’s criteria.” The company is located in Linz, Austria. Last March they started building the trucks and they recently arrived in September.The department is very happy to have the 3 new trucks, because they had 2 trucks that were doing all the work and really needed to get a break.

The public sees the Fire Department as a building with people in it that go out once in a while when there’s a fire; put out the fire and return. But there’s a lot more that comes with the Fire Department; basically anybody who comes in to advance in the Fire Department has to do different courses and once you receive your certificate or diploma you can advance as soon as there is a position open to advance to.

All the exams meet the requirements of the Dutch fire fighters institute. “We do all our exams via the Instituut Fysieke Veiligheid (IFV) - Institute of Physical Safety, of the Dutch Kingdom.They do all the exams throughout the whole Dutch Kingdom, so all our persons have to get their certificates here in order to advance.

Mr. Shanell James, is currently in charge of Material & Logisitcs, he’s responsible for purchasing and so forth. There is the technical Department (Material & Logistics); the mechanics, the warehouse coordinator, the staff that make sure that the breathing apparatus meets the standards and is clean, that there’s nothing in their bottles that can get into the lungs of the fire fighters, and impede their breathing, these are also part of the many tasks that are carried out on a daily basis.”

“We have our own filling stations, just like at diving places; we have our own oxygen to fill the bottles.We have staff that make sure it’s working and that it’s clean, because if anything gets in there, that is hazardous to the health of our fire fighters, so that also needs to be inspected. The technical department takes care of that and there are 2 technicians for that.”

“We have Disaster Management headed by Mr. Paul Martens and Ms. Aisha Harrigan.

They are responsible for making sure there are the necessary preparations in case of a disaster; the protocols and plans. Which I then have to look over and make sure that it all meets the requirements of the necessities.”

The PPO Department is where Mr Silvanico Pauletta presides over; he is responsible for prevention, so when drawings come in and buildings need to be inspected, all of that and related fall under him. “If we have to go to buildings they make sure the safety signs are there, so you know where the dangers are.” They also make sure for example, that the emergency plans in places like Day Care Centers are up to safety standard, they can assist if necessary.The department also make sure that educational courses and daily trainings are in place, that schedules are in place, they also go to schools and do emergency drills. They also do courses for businesses; BHV courses bedrijfshulpverlening, “if there’s a fire, what to do”.

Businesses such as Nagico get trainings, schools and the Government departments get trainings as well; that also falls under the PPO Department.

“Every building that will be constructed to SXM, every hotel, apartment buildings, every structure, the hospital; we get the drawings and sometimes it can be many drawings for various structures and we have to give advice on the safety and security of a building for them to get their permits, so that they are allowed to build; all of that passes through the department.

The department is very busy with architectural drawings, inspections, busy with writing policies,“at the moment we are not allowed to give fines, we don’t have that authorization as yet.”

Mr. Richardson typically starts his day at 7:00am by the Fire Department, “I go through my emails and try to answer as

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many as I can. Then I meet with the different managers about the goals need to be achieved for the day and by the end of the week, be it the siren system and such that needs to be done. I have my building drawings to sign off on for building permits, I do a lot of reading for work on new developments and all things work related.”

The Fire Department has many future plans in store; the department does its best to acquire the necessary tools to be able to function as optimal as possible. At times we used different platforms when trying to acquire the necessary tools or specialist.

“That’s what we are doing now for the Siren System” which has been in the works for some time.“For me the Siren System, the Cell Broadcast, the Submergible Pump, the building, the vehicles and the gear for the fire fighters and the communication gear; those were and are on my priority list.We need a way to alert the population when some kind of disaster is coming.” Cell Broadcast can be used in so many ways; if a Tsunami is hitting St. Maarten and it’s hitting for example in Lowlands, Cell Broadcast allows you to send the message to just the Lowlands area first, telling them to evacuate due to an impending Tsunami, then it can be sent in stages to the following areas of impact such as Maho, Simpson Bay area and so on to avoid congestion on the road because the whole island is not being evacuated at once. Even if your phone is turned off the message comes in.

We can do sections of the island at a time.

“The Sirens would be for the senior citizens, who may not have a cell phone or persons who might just be outside doing work. Sirens can also be used for schools; children hear the alarms go off so they know what to do. At the moment we have no way except via social media to warn the population, but then again, anybody can put up a message on social media with incorrect information; this is one of the challenges we are dealing with.”

Submergible pumps can be used for large fires; they have a capacity of 1500-2000 Litres of water per minute.“Let’s say you have a big fire in the Cay Bay area, where you have to cool the oil tanks, you can just drop the submergible pump in the sea, it goes under and it pumps constantly.We also use it when the Salt Pond is overflowing.We have a small one, but it is old now and we are working on acquiring a new one with a larger capacity.”

“The updating for communication with our

the fire chief radios is pending renewal. We are grateful that after Hurricane Irma the World Bank came in and asked if we needed help; we said ‘yes, communications’ that was one of the projects that went through so we received the new radios.We had also asked for a new paging system which is quite handy for the fire fighters, because even if you’re not at work and there’s a very large fire, you can just page the employee instead of making a

phone call and the pager always goes off and the person knows they are a back-up.A paging system is easier; they get the message no matter what.”

We are working on getting the system up and running. The hand held radios we have and satellite phones as well.

There are good changes coming to the Fire

Department, things take time here and Chief Clive Richardson is at the ready and prepared.You can think of him as sort of an advocate for the Fire Department, its staff and for us; our safety!

Whatever the future brings; you are in very good hands with the staff of the Fire Department.

SINT MAARTEN FIREFIGHTERS

RESCUE SIMULATION TRAINING

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PREVENTION, PREPARATION, EDUCATION & TRAINING (PPO) FOR FIRE SAFETY ON SXM! with

the Head of PPO, Silvanico Pauletta

Silvanico Pauletta is the head of PPO, which is one of the four sections of the Fire Department and is responsible for Fire Safety and hazard prevention on the island. PPO’s responsibilities include the limiting of risks that can be caused by hazardous materials, activities, and events. Next to limiting risks the section does prepare the personnel and the organisation to respond to an accident in such a manner that the effects are limited.

The preparation includes: development of procedures & plans, educating & training for fire fighters to become and remain competent in rescue and limiting the effects, whether the accident is a fire, car accident, gas leak or earthquake.

Silvanico Pauletta Academie (Post Graduate), which is part of the Institute of Physical Safety (IFV). “That’s where I got my “Hoofdbrandmeester” diploma to be a Senior Fire Officer / Fire Manager and since then (2009) I have been working in PPO”.

The Fire Department gives permits for import, transport and export, usage and sales to the ‘shows’ etc of Fire Works & explosives

M

r. Pauletta completed his HAVO( highschool) in Bonaire, studied Technische Bedrijfskunde in the Prevention Netherlands, and worked many years within various divisions of Royal Philips (Netherlands). He wanted to return back to the islands and serve in the public sector instead of the private sector. The opportunity to be a Fire Manager in St. Maarten had opened up and he applied then went through the selection. Together with the Fire Chief, Mr Clive Richardson he did the Brandweer

The Fire Department also carries out Fire Prevention inspection based on granted permits and the abovementioned regulations.

Some of the locations and events that the Fire department inspects and advices on are:

To Serve: The Magazine of the Fire Department of St. Maarten 21

prevention, preperation, education & training portance that everyone within the department is competent through education and continuous training.

Training Training within the Fire Department is an important strategy to ensure that staff remains competent both physically and mentally.There are weekly trainings to remain physically fit and trainings to remain acquainted with the different procedures and roles within a team, such as fire-fighter, vehicle operator, crew commander and officer on duty (OvD).These trainings are never the same as they prepare the teams for the type of response that might be needed for the different accidents and disasters that can happen on Sint Maarten. This is to ensure that all fire-fighters continue to work as a team and are aware of each other’s’ competencies.

Inspections are a daily routine done by fire prevention inspectors. Every inspection is registered. Unsafe situations identified are reported to the permit applicant / owner and authorities with the measures that needs to be enforced. Once all safety criteria are met a Fire Safety Approval report will be provided.

Preparation The Fire Department prepares itself to respond safely and efficiently in case an accident happens. Even with all prevention in place an accident can still happen, but with a proper prepared response the effects of the accident can be limited.Activities of the Preparation subsection includes: - the planning, placing, mapping and maintenance of hydrants - developing attack plans and standard operating procedures - mapping of buildings and accessibility routes.

Education There are several levels of Education in the Fire Department: Vocational Level: the majority of fire fighters come in on this level (after finishing Highschool or have a vocation) Sub-Officer: Associate Level Officers: College/ University (Academic Degree), this gives a possibility for youth who go abroad to study, to return to the Fire Department.This is great because the interest in Safety/ Disaster has grown and several St. Maarteners are getting their Degrees in Disaster Management.

All fire-fighters and other Fire Department staff are certified through courses and education from the IFV, that supervises the exam and exam committee. Regionally there are examiners appointed by IFV. Any exam will have an official Examboard that has a mix of examiners from Sint Maarten and Dutch Caribbean islands to keep the exam objective. St. Maarten is one of the only islands that has an IFV certified Fire Training & Exam facility.

The firefighters are educated on different levels in the following areas: - Fire Fighting - Rescue (jaws of life, vehicle extraction, building collapses, etc) - Hazardous Material (gas leak, fuel spill, etc.)

- Incident management (coordinate and work together in a team, whereby everyone has a different role) For every function like fire-fighter, vehicle operator, senior fire-fighter, crew commander, officer on duty / incident commander there is a course to complete and a diploma to attain.This also counts for the managerial, disaster and risk management functions as it is of vital im22 To Serve: The Magazine of the Fire Department of St. Maarten

Therefore the personnel need to keep upgrading to remain relevant and prepared for the type of accidents that can happen on the island.

Whatever new risk, like electric cars, is introduced on the island our safety procedures are evaluate and adjusted if need be. Fire-fighters on all level will be update and trained for such change, to be able to continue perform well and safe.

Therefore education and training is Safety Experts/ Risk Managers“try to create a safe community.We are prepared to respond, contain, and prevent further injuries and death”.At the time of this interview there was the positive news that 15 recruits finalized their Fire Fighting course; it took over a year due to COVID-19 delays.

Incident Management (Coordinating Complex Incidents) Depending on the complexity of an accident different emergency services, like police, ambulance and other government and non-government entities will have to work together.To ensure there is one line of communication these organizations have to meet regularly at the accident scene.The Fire Department will chair those meetings to guide the decision-making process. The different operation leaders come together and take decisions based on the situation. Setting the right kinds of priorities and making sure that all gaps are covered and that different teams are not doing the same.

“Incident Management is a team effort, and you just have to have somebody chairing, which is the Fire Departments job by law”.

Top 5 Safety Tips from Mr. Pauletta!

1. Try to avoid having your Cooking Gas Cylinder (gas-bom) in enclosed areas (especially indoors) 2. Be aware of gas leaks; it’s not normal to smell cooking gas at any time. Immediately close off the cooking gas cylinder, Check and if its your gasline or cooking equipment have a professional look at it. In case the gas cylinder is leaking call the fire department immediately at 919.

3. Don’t overload your electrical outputs, never leave your electrical equipment charging (unattended or couches or beds for example).

4. Turn of and plug out electrical equipment, like fans, airco, tv, pc, chargers when you leave your home or office.

5. Don’t leave fires unattended; open flame, candles, stove, bbq grill etc.

Officer Pauletta leaves with a special remark about his experiences at the Fire Department: St. Maarten is unique as we are a resilient country, both physical and mentally.We need to pass this resilience on to our future generation and surrounding.

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To Serve: The Magazine of the Fire Department of St. Maarten 25

MATERIAL & LOGISTICS with

Shanell James

Shanell James had been a High School teacher at St. Maarten Vocational Training for 4 years, followed by a job at the Government Facility Services for 4 years before joining the Fire Department.

M

r. James started his career with the Fire Department as an aspirant/ Officier in 2011; he started out with basic training and was then sent to The Netherlands for 2 years for more training.

All didn’t go as planned, yet he continued his education in Curacao for ‘Vak Officier Van Dienst’. Every 2 weeks they would be flown out to Curacao for classes again. The date of his exam had to be postponed till December, as hurricane Irma had hit St. Maarten and his exams were scheduled for the 2 days after that.

He then went to study again in Curacao and did so until he achieved his HOVD.

Mr. James had already had lots of experience in some of the other departments at the Fire Department; He worked in the PPO Department, he was Shift Coordinator and he also held the position of Head of Repression for a period of time before he came to his current position as the interim head for Material & Logistics.

Shanell James the order of our 3 new trucks, to be shipped to St. Maarten from Austria.”

you’ll see that they are not all the same.There are different types of Fire Trucks for different types of situations; such as the Ladder truck Our team consists of Mr. Dollison, he is the (to reach high places), Fire Truck,Water truck Senior Medewerker and is in charge of the (carries extra water to a scene when necesorders abroad and communications abroad, sary), Crane truck (to help lift heavy objects), he keeps the connection and communication Medical truck, Car wrecks/ accidents. for new products as well.There are 2 Mechanics; Andy Adriana and Micheal Illes. Carl Ellis Every member of the Material & Logistics team What exactly do they do over there in Mate- is the ‘Bode’(messenger), he’s in charge of of 6 is extremely important to the safety of rials & Logistics? “We are responsible for the mail, picks up needed items, quotations and most of the personnel at the Fire Department. materials, trucks, the building, goods, ordering purchase orders. Roberto Milton is the Assisand related. Let’s say if the mechanics have a tant to Carl Ellis. Mr. Simmons is in charge of “Whether its orders, fixing stuff, or a change problem we take care of it ourselves,in-house.” the B.A.(Breathing Apparatus) room. Mr. Sim- in uniforms we try to stay synchronised with They also take care of things most don’t think mons has 3-4 assistants at a time with him, to the Netherlands.The CAS (Curacao,Aruba, St. of like toilet paper, uniforms, clothing, shoes, help with the continuous maintenance of the Maarten) islands have that standard concernfire suits and so much more. It is very detailed breathing apparatuses. This is a very detailed ing their respective Fire Departments.” “We work. “Currently the department is awaiting and complicated task and they are re-certified are also responsible for the materials for the for it every 2 years. trainings; such as tools, but most importantly the rescue tools, the B.A. bottles, masks. We A trip down to where the trucks are located, are responsible for cleaning our own masks; you will also find the room for the breathing we service our own tools and everything inapparatuses, the oxygen tanks, the oxygen and side.” The Maintenance section of this departmore that are kept in tip-top shape for emer- ment plans,for example;in the garage,anything gencies. Everything needs to be cleaned, sani- that goes wrong, they fix it. His team of 6 are tized, dried, sealed, checked and maintained in the experts in their fields. such a detailed way and it is time consuming, tedious. Nothing can just be left ‘Ok’, this area This department requires a lot of communicaconcerning the breathing apparatuses deals tion; very good, efficient communication and with the lungs, there is no room for error. planning. This job takes a lot of organisation but the Material & Logistics department has If you ever get a chance to look at the trucks, it covered!

26 To Serve: The Magazine of the Fire Department of St. Maarten

DISASTER MANAGEMENT PREPARING FOR THE NEXT DISASTER! with

Paul Martens

The Office of Disaster Management is an integral part of the Sint Maarten Fire Department which in turn is responsible for the safety of the island’s inhabitants and visitors in the event of a fire, disaster or accident.This is a huge responsibility and although disasters don’t happen often, preparation is an on-going, ever-evolving task!

P

aul Martens is the Section Head of Disaster Management; he was hired back in 1999 to help set-up the Disaster Management Section when he joined the Fire Department. Martens is also the Acting Department Head (of the Fire Department). Disaster management is a very broad subject and a very broad department. It’s not just about hurricanes, but that’s usually the first thing we think of when we hear about ‘Disaster Management’.

The Fire Chief, Clive Richardson is the Department Head and is the National Disaster Coordinator; he ensures that all entities do their job. His primary role, along with Martens is to advise the Prime Minister during a disaster. Overall, “Our biggest role is preparation and supporting the National Disaster Coordination.”

The Fire Department is divided into 4 sections: - Disaster Management - The Technical Department - Repression, which is large in staff (Firefighters) - Prevention, Preparation, Education & Training What is considered a disaster?

A disaster can be defined as an event during which: - public safety is severely disturbed - life, health and well-being of many persons, the environment or large material interests are being threatened or are damaged; - a coordinated deployment of services and organizations is required Disaster Types Hurricane Luis in 1995 was a wake-up call for St. Maarten and the Netherlands Antilles, because of Luis an improvement plan was drafted between the Netherlands and the Netherlands Antilles to improve the Disaster Management system on all 5 islands.

That’s when the Fire Department was given the lead coordination role in Disaster Management, “So, many things changed; expanded staffing, officers from the Netherlands, new building (which was the last addition) and there is more to come. Such as the new EOC building (Emergency Operations Center) and Sub-Station located by the Airport.

The Policy plan was meant for 5 years but “took us 10-15 years, as budgeting was a factor”.

Concerning the lists of disasters “Pandemic was recently added as a real threat to the list.”

Disaster Types: • Tropical storms & hurricanes • Flooding (rain, storm surge or tsunami) • Aviation incident • Maritime incident • Other extreme weather conditions • Accident with hazardous materials • Fire in a densely populated area • Contamination of drinking water • Massive food poisoning/ pandemic • Bush and nature fire • Collapse of large building • Panic in large crowd • Large traffic accident • Geological disaster (earthquake & nearby volcanic eruption)

Paul Martens • • • •

Disruption of infrastructure Nuclear incident (shipping) Terrorist attack * Cyber-crime *. Example: a hack on the Government servers,Telecom Sector, Banking Sector

St. Maarten does not yet have a dedicated and fully equipped Emergency Operations Centre (EOC); for now the Fire station is functioning as the physical meeting place. The actual centre is one of the World Bank Projects to expand the Fire Station and designate part of it as the EOC. Currently the term EOC also stands for the National Disaster Staff.

ESF Groups Martens explains that him and the Chief, Mr. Richardson “Advise Emergency Services what they need to do. But moreover, the ESF groups are the experts on their individual responsibilities and advise based on that.The decision making process takes place, based on everyone’s advice. Depending on the nature of the decisions, these can be taken by the Prime Minister or the National Disaster Coordinator.

To Serve: The Magazine of the Fire Department of St. Maarten 27

disaster management These are St. Maarten’s 10 ESF groups: - ESF 1, GEBE:Water & Energy - ESF 2, BT & P:Telecommunications - ESF 3,VROMI: Public Works, Infrastructure & Logistics - ESF 4, Fire Department: Safety, Hazardous Materials & Rescuing - ESF 5, Police: Public Order, Security & Traffic Regulation - ESF 6, VSA: Medical Assistance & Public Health - ESF 7, Social Development: Evacuation & Sheltering - ESF 8, DCOMM: Public Information & Awareness - ESF 9, AZ: Governmental Affairs - ESF 10, TEATT: Seaport, Airport & Hotel Activities In House Disasters Fire Fighters can also end up being victims; “Emergency Services have responsibilities but we are also victims”. After Hurricane Irma devastated us in 2017 around 4 fire fighters lived on the premises “we need to also protect our staff”.

“The biggest challenge with Irma was the magnitude, the system worked but there

were so many victims”. And there are limits as like with everything else on the island “budget is an on-going issue”. Concerning the department, for the restructuring of the Section Disaster Management they will be using the model from the BVI.Another substation has been in the works, but Irma set this back. Martens is currently working on an updated Function Book which will include the future staffing of the Sub Station.The Airport sub-station would cater to the Maho, Mullet Bay and Cupecoy areas in particular as we cannot reach those areas within the required time; time is of the essence in these situations, this is why the sub-station is so important.

A good example of how Disaster Management works was during the Corona Virus Pandemic (that is still on-going). How Disaster Management went about the pandemic here; - in February was the first meeting on Response concerning the two imported cases from St. Barths.

- ESF Event; the PM advised ESF 6 and ESF 5, DComm (Department of Communication) - At the end of May the EOC (National

28 To Serve: The Magazine of the Fire Department of St. Maarten

Disaster Staff) was deactivated, so it has been in the hands of the Public Health Sector (mainly CPS) since.

“The pandemic has been a big learning curve for everyone and fortunately the Kingdom assisted a lot and cooperated a lot more than most people know, but us here at the Fire Department know this as fact, from experience.”

Top of the List of things Martens would like to see happen that would improve Disaster Management: - Replacement Plan for staff “when our staff are overwhelmed and/ or stressed out they can’t help others!

- De-Politicize the whole Disaster Management system - All stakeholders with a larger internal disaster management system Within the Disaster Management department you will find Iesha Harrigan working alongside Martens but the department will eventually expand to 8 more people or so.

And now we know that even if there is no on-going disaster, the department is plenty busy preparing for the next one.

ST. MAARTEN’S FIRST

FIRE LADY!

SASKIA SCHROTEN

Saskia Schroten grew up in St. Maarten and was here when Hurricane Louis hit in 1995. Hurricane Luis brought devastation so the Netherlands sent help and a plan to restructure; this included restructuring of the fire service. Projects were on-going and the department was hiring.Around 1998/1999 with aid from the Netherlands, Saskia went to do her studies in order to return and work at our Fire Department.

“

I was hired as an OvD (Officier van Dienst, incident command) in ‘97 and sent to train in the Netherlands for 13 months, I was back by ‘98 and started working.”

What interested Saskia in becoming a member of our Fire Department? “The requirements were HTS, it was a hands-on position and also a management level position” answers Saskia.

She became the Brandweer Officier in the PPO (Preventie, Preparatie en Opleiding; Prevention, Preparation and Training) department and also filled in as an instructor for some general courses; trainings were part of her tasks and but also making sure that the recruits/trainees had instructors.

She enabled members of the Fire Department such as Pedro Wilson and Marvin Dollison and a few others “to go to the Netherlands to do a “train the trainer” course.”

There are many aspects of prevention management “there’s a lot more to the fire department than just cutting people out of cars; including fire prevention, training and

ensuring the firefighters have the resources to accomplish their tasks.”. There is a lot of planning, sorting out trainings and the schedules, sorting shifts and so forth.“When there is a larger fire you have to attend the fire”, meaning all hands-on-deck, as the Fire Department needs everybody, in every depart-

ment if necessary, to help out.

Saskia says that in that time a lot needed changing “The trucks were getting older, the station needed upgrading, the trainings needed upgrading and new officers needed to be hired. People were doing double shifts just to fill shifts on normal days.”.

“When I started there was a station at the Airport and one on Cannegieter Street next to the old police station. Those stations remained; just the offices were moved to Backstreet because the offices at the Airport Fire Station were not sufficient anymore. The office space was rented; no changes were made to the floorplan. At those offices at the time it was myself, Chief Salomon and two administration ladies; Marilyn Hughes and Judith Richardson. I think they were both there when I started; If not at the same time, they started soon after. Dispatch was on Cannegieter St. station. Soon after I started, the Airport Fire Station building offices (it was old and decrepit) were moved to Backstreet.”

Plans were drawn up for the new station in Cay Hill, but it wasn’t completed by the time Saskia left.With many projects in place, Saskia found it actually fun to be a part of this process of the many upgrades. Changes were made to the offices in Backstreet from the Cannegieter fire station. Emergency management and a second OvD, Marco London, joined later.

There are some fire fighting situations that still stick out in Saskia’s memory “There was

To Serve: The Magazine of the Fire Department of St. Maarten 29

saskia schroten a gas tank leak at Maho Beach Resort, the fire fighters were trying to get people who were hanging out on the balconies nearby to stay away.” The saddest situation for her was when a boy was home alone, and played with matches. His father arrived home when the house was already on fire and tried to rescue him, but both had passed away from smoke inhalation before the fire fighters arrived.

There have been many memories of situations with Fireworks and bushfires as well.

There was another time when William York was on a call and the truck flipped over as an officer was in a different vehicle. Clement Jones; “I remember that one! I’m going on memory only here: It was a crazy day, we were responding to various calls at once. I was responding as OvD in the OvD vehicle, there was a pumper going down Welgelegen Road. We were both responding to a fire on

the roof of Little Bay Hotel (roof works, welding), and a next truck was responding to another call. It had been dry and dusty and then rained a bit - you know how the roads get really slippery when that happens. I believe Clement was Bevelvoerder (Captain), York was driving? Next thing I know I hear on the radio that they can’t make the call because they were upside down but they were ok. My heart stopped. I proceeded to the call, and quickly found it was under control and the workers had extinguished it themselves, so I went down to check on the guys. I think York is the only one who ended up in ED for a couple of stitches. Everyone was very lucky!”

“I also remember in 2006; the Shanti towns, it was just 1 fire and then half the town was taken away”. I believe this was a fire in Cay Bay. It was just ply-wood and sheets of zinc. No fire separations between buildings.”

The building code in general needed upgrading; the original building code “from the 1920’s “I believe it was, was do whatever the Fire Chief said”.A large booklet was developed to implement guidelines that she worked on with VROMI;“it was developed with some Dutch fire fighters, based on the local construction methods. We also worked well with VROM where we had more input into new construction as we were now a formal part of the building plan reviews; getting fire department approval was needed to get a permit.

Because we then had the basic requirements on paper, it became less arbitrary. For a complex building such as the new airport terminal we used NFPA (American) standards.”

Saskia was the only female during her time here, did she feel treated differently or looked at differently? She answers “the thought never

30 To Serve: The Magazine of the Fire Department of St. Maarten

saskia schroten crossed my mind”. Apparently our fire department never displayed an issue with females working there from its early days. She says “yes things were ‘mansplained to me, an example would be I would be told in detail about how sprinklers worked, when I already knew about those things.” This was by people outside the fire service though. “When the guys gave me a hard time, it wasn’t because I was a woman. Sometimes they were right, sometimes they weren’t, but that’s how it is in the workplace”. Some of the Fire Department members had this to say about Saskia, “She was super sporty; she could outrun, outswim, out-bike any of us.And she was a tough lady”.

They didn’t appreciate her taste in music to the fullest though. “We were having some type of fundraising market at the parking lot by the old Government building in Philipsburg, our booth was part of the Emergency Services and I had made a mix-tape for the event, the guys were like ‘Those are girl songs, we’re not doing that’” she laughs as she recalls.

Saskia was a fire fighter on St. Maarten for 6 years. In 2006, after her many years at the fire department, she joined the Fire service in Ontario, Canada. Saskia later furthered her career in New Zealand where she works in developing and maintaining safety codes.

Does she miss the island? “Of course, its home” but fortunately New Zealand has a similar topography to SXM so it does feel like home a little bit. She has many fond memories of the fire department on SXM “for Hurricanes the guys were there 200%, they always pulled their weight.”

These days Saskia works on maintaining and developing the New

Not what you want to see on a fire call!

Zealand Building Code for fire safety requirements for buildings. “I write the rules”, she’s still in fire and she loves it but does admit “I don’t miss the 2:00 a.m. calls in the mornings.” She has this to say about our fire department, and of course the many the world over “they have their jobs, but they also have families.They drop that to help the community because it’s their job”. Saskia also brings up the fact that when there are larger fires “SXM is on its own, there is no extra relief coming from another county or province or from the border anytime soon. French side has it just as hard, it is a very small island. It’s not like big countries where there are more fire departments that can come to one’s aid really quick”.

Saskia would like to one day visit SXM, and first visit the ‘new’ fire station; “see what everyone’s up to now.” Saskia would like to say “Hi” to everyone and that she misses everybody “I really do cherish my time there, personally it was a very good time for me. Frustrations were outshined by all the good times” Saskia would like to leave the fire department with this last question “Are you all eating your vegetables now?”

To Serve: The Magazine of the Fire Department of St. Maarten 31

SINT MAARTEN FIREFIGHTERS

ADMINISTRATION & TECHNICAL

Antonio Gibs, PREVENTION PREPARATION & EDUCATION

Clemente Jones, DISASTER MANAGMENT

William York, PREPARATION & EDUCATION

Marlin Hughes, SENIOR ADMINISTRATION ASSISTANT

Iesha Harrigan, EOC BACK OFFICE COORDINATOR

Aisha Smoorenburg - INTERN: DISASTER MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT

Kirk Richardson, PREVENTION AND PREPARATION

Edward Brooks and Keith Fleming,, PREVENTION PREPARATION AND INSPECTION

Marvin Dollison and Alberto Milton, MATERIAL & LOGISTIC

Andy Adriana, SENIOR MECHANIC

Micheal Illis,TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT

Eugene Simmons & Karl Ellis,TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT

32 To Serve: The Magazine of the Fire Department of St. Maarten

THE AIRPORT’S FIRE DEPARTMENT AND RESCUE TEAM with

Manilo Penijn

Manilo Penijn is the Manager of Rescue and Firefighting at the Princess Juliana International Airport. He became the Chief in 2005 and in 2020 he made 25 years in service there.“I was one of those persons who started as a fire fighter, in 1995. In 1995 they recruited a bunch of young guys; I was one of those they chose to become supervisors. In the first interviews I did not get selected as a supervisor, but as an assistant supervisor. Six of us were then sent away to England to do a Junior Officer course, the basic level of leading a group; I passed my exams the highest of the 6, when I returned, I got promoted to supervisor.”

Manager of Rescue and Firefighting at the Princess Juliana International Airport. to class to become an NFPA certified fire fighter at the Airport, that was a very beneficial move for us in 2012.

There are differences between the fire department at the airport and the local fire department;“the local fire department doesn’t do medicals; we are set up like the U.S. we have EMT’s. Basically, everybody on our team is an EMT and on a daily basis they go to medical runs on the airport. They have the We studied all over the globe, we same certifications as the ambulance departdidn’t yet have a direction of what we ment in Cayhill. We do the same trainings; wanted to do, so some people studied however, we handle all the medicals on the in England, some in the Netherlands, airport.” We transport when its life threatsome in Texas, U.S., and Canada,What would ing, so if the person has an airway problem happen is when we would return, we would or they cannot breathe or something serihave issues, because we learned different ous then we transport to the medical center methods. I thought ‘Hey, this is a problem’ immediately with our Ambulance. hence in 2012, and this was memorable for me, I got to go to NFPA and decided that Our medical team always goes to the scene everybody is going to train in one place, one first to see what it is if they can handle it on school in one curriculum.We had the whole the airport they do, if not then they transdepartment train in NFPA, so if you were a port to the medical center. There is a first fire fighter before you would still have to go aid room in the terminal building and also an

“

isolation room for special cases at another location on the airport. So if there are any infectious diseases they carry the persons to the other room. So, we have 2 such rooms on the airport.

The team handles the airport’s aircraft emergencies, and ambulance services, “we go to building fires if there’s any in the terminal building.We also do water rescue and recently acquired a boat for that.” Water rescue is a more recent addition, Manilo explains that the crew are still busy with training in that section; the boat is there in place, the team needs to complete their swimming certificates, followed by trainings on how to manoeuvre the boat.“We do everything like the U.S. or Canada” he explains. Since the department transferred to the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) certifications,“we follow what they do.”

NFPA certifications are general “and cover a bit more subjects in comparison to the Dutch certifications.

To Serve: The Magazine of the Fire Department of St. Maarten 33

airport fire & rescue Once you have applied and have a job with the department “we start on the job training so the guys here would carry out these trainings, then you would do an online blended version for about 6 or 7 weeks. Once the online package is completed successfully, the next step is to go to Canada for a month and do the practical signoffs. “Every 3 years the fire fighters get a chance to go back to Canada to do their 40-hour hot burns on the aircrafts (hot burns are when you train with actual live fires). “They do this because you can’t really do live fires on our airport so we send the guys back” says Penijn. “And of course, the guys love it because they get to travel, meet other fire fighters, and sharpen their firefighting skills.

managing board to bring the staffing level from 7 to 9 in order to handle the job more efficiently. We have the ambulance, we have the boat, and we have structural fires so we need a little more manning at the station.”

Slowly over time you lose persons, due to transfers within the company, it takes a while to get a fire fighter. Acquiring skilled fire fighter here on the island is difficult. So, we recruit persons who go through a selection

process, and then the trainings, so it takes a while, it is a process. If everything runs well training lasts 7 weeks for the online portion then after that you can do the practical signoffs, but all depends on finances and class availability. The school is currently closed due to COVID-19.

There is a back-up option, the local fire Department does training locally. This is our next option if we can’t travel anymore for a

That’s the usual process, however after Irma things have slowed down due to finances, and then the pandemic followed. “We are doing our best with what we have. That’s where we are today.” We are still at 24 fire fighters, but used to be 30, which means that they are understaffed.“We feel it because we have a minimum level of working staff, and our minimum level is not enough with the crew that we have; we have to have at least 9 staff per day, we have 7 currently.”

“We are busy with the regulators and the

Some of the team

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34 To Serve: The Magazine of the Fire Department of St. Maarten

airport fire & rescue while then we can send candidates to them for training.

What does a typical day at their department look like? Staff comes in at 6:45am and check their equipment, make sure they are working, if something is damaged it’s reported. If it can be repaired in-house, they do. The staff usually has breakfast around 8:00a.m. after which they plan for trainings, they follow their internal training plan and then each supervisor trains their staff.

Trainings are from 9:00a.m. to about 11:00a.m. then the staff starts getting ready for the peak hour, which is from 1:00p.m. onwards we have the big flights, and all the heavy aircraft are coming. Between 11:00a.m.-12:00a.m. is lunch.“Between 1:00p.m. and 5:00p.m the big flights are coming;Air France, KLM, etc. all the big flights are coming.

We have to be ready.” After 5:00p.m. a next training can be done as that’s when most flights are gone.

“We are scheduled till about 10:45pm, the airport usually closes at around 9:00p.m. On-call staff returns for emergencies such as medevacs. If there is a medical flight or medevac at 12:00a.m. we have an on-call system. Certain numbers are called and these particular people have to come back to work. For a medevac which is usually a small aircraft it would be a category 3, so it will be 3 fire fighters.

We’ll have 1 truck available for them, if anything happens they respond with that 1 truck.

Airport security dispatches the call. If there’s an emergency on the airport, security calls those of us who are on call. You either get overtime, or time back. Work time on weekends is the same from 6:45am-10:45pm.

The most common calls that they get are regular medical calls such as; somebody fainted, fell, or not feeling well.That is our bulk, more than actual aircraft emergencies. It’s pretty safe! On a monthly basis we have around 10 medical calls. Sometimes there is 1 aircraft emergency whereas the aircraft declared an emergency but lands safely in the end. Usually, we are on standby in case something happens, and as we all know, most of the times the aircraft lands safely.

It has been quite a long time since there have been any emergencies, the latest is when the pandemic hit that there were quite a few cases of personnel with COVID-19 “this was at the beginning of COVID -19, we didn’t really know what you could and couldn’t do, it was changing rapidly, the new information. That’s the only “bad” thing I can recall.”

Any particular flight where they were worried or had an usual preparation? For different codes, air traffic control calls us and say for example Code Yellow so we would go on standby.Where the trucks would be moved to taxiways and wait. It’s based on the Code how we act.There was a time when a plane landed, upon landing the tire blew out then in THAT case we are the ones to call the Tower, as this was not necessarily foreseeable.

We do a check of course to make sure everything is safe. Actually, in February one of our supervisors dealt with smoke in the cockpit of a plane from a well-known Russian. Fortunately it was just the AP (auxiliary power unit) that had a problem with smoke. No Matter who it is all planes are treated the same. It was smoking, not on fire.

Our guys responded with our procedures.The owner was very concerned about water in the cockpit.They took the extinguisher as a line of defence as it was something small.

The department has 3 trucks, and based on their category that is a must.We must also have 1 spare truck You may see an extra truck, but it is old, and currently not been used in our operational fleet.

This old truck has been used for when Government had a fire on the land fill.

The operational lifespan of their fire trucks is 15 years. “In the past we tried to do a buyback program, it didn’t work.What we do in the years that I been here, we donated 1 to the Anguilla fire department around 5 years ago.The one before that we sold as parts.

You may notice that these fire trucks are larger than the local fire departments’ ones, one of these trucks carries 10000 litres of water.

“This is because we do not have the time to refill our trucks.An aircraft burns in 3 minutes.We don’t have time to hook up on hydrants, so we carry much more water.” The department did have a few instances where they would work with and help out our local fire department, for example when Food Center was on fire many years ago and more recently when Prime was on fire.They also helped out with the very long burning dump fire recently.

These Fire Fighters are very well-hidden in the airport and are not usually seen, people tend to forget that they exist and that they are there standing ready for whenever an emergency arises. It’s something most of us don’t think about at the airport, but for sure we’re all thankful for that peace of mind!

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Sint Maarten

FIRE SAFETY

THE PRO ENGINEERING INTERNATIONAL INSTALLER N.V. The first step, and one of the best measures to reduce the risk of fire in your House and business, is to be proactive in preventing a fire from occurring in the first place. Also, maintaining housekeeping and reducing the clutter by removing extra materials that could provide fuel for a fire.These materials could include stacks of paper, newspapers, dirty rags, and other combustible materials.

It is also important to work with a life safety vendor to ensure your home/ facility is safe, protected, and in compliant. All businesses should have a certified professional perform a fire hazard analysis to assess the fire risks in your building and provide viable solutions.

How to avoid fires: 1. When cooking, keep towels, potholders, and curtains away from flames.

2. Keep matches, lighters and other ignitable substances in a secured location out of the reach of children, and only use lighters with child-resistant features.

3. Keep candles at least 12 inches away from anything that can burn such as bedding, curtains or clothing.

4. Clean cooking surfaces on a regular basis to prevent grease buildup.

5. Always check the kitchen before going to bed or leaving the home to make sure all stoves, ovens, and small appliances are turned off.

6. Keep all potential sources of fuel like paper, clothing, bedding or rugs at least three feet away from space heaters, stoves, or fireplaces.

3. It’s also a good idea to have fire training by a certified professional on how to operate a fire extinguisher. With proper training, you will know when it is appropriate to use a fire extinguisher, and when it’s best to exit the space.

4. If a fire cannot be put out safely with a fire extinguisher, a fire sprinkler or fire suppression system is the next line of defense in a buildings fire system (and the only line of defense in uninhabited buildings). If a fire should occur, a fire sprinkler or fire suppression system will begin to put out the fire until the authorities arrive. It is important to follow all regulations regarding not only installing sprinkler and suppression systems but inspecting them also.

How to protect from fire at home and businesses: 1. If a fire should happen, a properly installed and working fire alarm system can quickly notify home and business personnel, as well as the authorities. A life safety vendor can inspect and maintain your fire alarm system to ensure proper operation and compliance with fire codes.

2. Fire extinguishers should be installed in accordance with local laws and regulations.

Make sure they are properly tagged and inspected to ensure they are in working condition should you need to use one.

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We are The Pro Engineering International installer N.V. a fire equipment & Service Company located in Saint Maarten N.A.We are distributors and representative of major company in the fire protection industry. Fully licensed and certified.We are a Class A rated shop.We pride ourselves in being a complete fire equipment service company.

The company was established in September of 2006 by professionals in the industry with over 15 years’ experience in commercial, marine, restaurant, retail and wholesale customers. In particular we have extensive experience with Portable Fire Extinguisher and Fire Suppression System maintenance.

The following is a list of services and products that we provide: • Annual Maintenance of Portable Fire Extinguishers.

• Annual Maintenance of Marine Fire Suppression Systems • Semi Annual Maintenance and New Installations of Restaurant and Industrial Fire Suppression Systems.

• Refill and Recharge on portable fire extinguishers and fire suppression systems.

• Hydrostatic testing of Low- and High-Pressure Cylinders • Sales of New Equipment, Including Fire Extinguishers Cabinets and Accessories • Alarm system • HSE training and certified Crew • A.S.S.A. hurricane shutter member.

It is our pleasure to have this opportunity to introduce ourselves FOR INFORMATION LOGIN TO:WWW.THEPROSERVICES.NET Written by Mr. Francisco Phills HSE Manager

Mr.Alberto Provence Fire System Engineer

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profile

Interview with

Marisella Gomez!

At the time of this interview, there were 3 new female ‘aspiranten’, the Dutch word for ‘Rookies’, at the Fire Department. Marisella Gomez is currently the longest standing female fire fighter there. Her advice to the new, incoming female fire fighters is that “Sometimes it may feel like you’ve had enough but remember why you are doing this and keep going, always believe in yourself.”

Marisella thinks it’s a good thing that more ladies are signing up to become fire fighters.

S

“Don’t get me wrong, they are not bad, they are very helpful and protective. They are just very stubborn and I sometimes have to break stuff down from a lady’s point of view.

The joke is,‘it’s sometimes like having to take care of your kids.”

“Being that I grew up as a tomboy, being around men/boys came easy to me.The challenge I faced was in the beginning being away from my daughter as she had just made 2 years old when I joined. At that time I was a single mother, that also was a bit difficult, but thanks to my strong family circle on both my side and her father’s side, it became a bit easier as time went on.”

Another challenge is working 24 hours at a time, away from your family (especially during the holidays). It also gets very technical, so you need to have some kind of technical skills and thinking, or be open to that. Staying physical is also very important.

Marisella’s very important advice concerning going into this career path is to “make sure it

he has many years’ worth of experience and is a tough cookie. She did not grow up with dreams of being a fire fighter, but did however have an interest in joining the military. In the meantime, she had had a little daughter and decided to is what you want. Do some research, it may seem like it’s easy but it’s not. Never stop no longer pursue that dream at that time. educating yourself.”

Marisella joined the fire department in 2007, when she was just 22 years of age. She was a Marisella was the only female at the departcook when she decided on a career change ment until 2011 when 2 other ladies joined. and wanted a new challenge, so decided to One of her favourite parts about being a fire fighter is being able to “set the trend for othchange her profession to fire fighter. ers”. “I love the fact that I am able to give Working in what is still a male-dominant job back to my community in a positive way. Behere on St. Maarten, one of the challenges ing a role model for young girls and showing of being a female fire fighter is “being able them that they can be and do anything they to cope with being around mostly men a lot put their mind to. It’s not only a man’s world, of the time”.You need to be able to commu- women can do it also.” nicate with men, and know that they won’t always listen to you; you need to stress your Another reason that Marisella loves being a fire fighter is being out on the field and actupoint sometimes. ally fighting the fires and saving lives. She has

to drive, although she “prefers to do more physical work than driving the trucks, but my function is ‘Driver’.” The job has its challenges and Marisella says “I must admit I wanted challenges and I am getting them”. Marisella is also the Secretary of the Board of the St. Maarten Fire Fighters Foundation, she is very

dedicated and proud to be a fire fighter, it is not just a job, and it is an important part of her life, her identity.

Are there things that will change at the fire department to suit having more female fire fighters in future? “Well to be honest, from when I started in 2007 till present, I have my respect and I also give it, equality is there.“It is still shocking in this day and age for people to see me on the scene and hear them say ‘they got ladies in the Fire Department now?’

Where have they been the past 13 years?”

One of Marisella’s best memories was being accepted by the organization and being able to show other women/girls that “we can do anything we put our minds to”, she

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profile felt honoured as there was only 1 other woman who had worked there before her, and that was in the management level. That woman, Saskia Holditch, had left years before Marisella came in. Marisella was the first woman who had gotten accepted into the organization from the “ground level”.

The fire fighters work in pairs, each one has a partner on the scene and their numbers change every shift; “at fires, numbers 1 & 2 are the attack team, numbers 3 & 4 are the

water team.At accidents numbers 1 & 2 are the technical team, number 3 is the safety man, and number 4 is the person that assists the ambulance with the patient.

Marisella is also quite fearless; when asked if there were any particular times where she thought ‘this is a really dangerous situation, I may not make it out?’ She answers confidently ‘To be honest, every emergency we get poses some type of danger as you never know what you may encounter. But there is

where our training comes in”.

I do have my moments where I am in doubt but not fearful. If I am fearful it is because I feel like I might fail. But when I am in doubt I always remember ‘Hey I have my partner and maybe I might let him know; boy I ain’t too sure about this or that’ and he might say “nah we got this and I feel confident again or I might not say it, and just seeing his body language I’m like ‘we are going to do our thing’.

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a new coronavirus discovered in 2019.

The virus that causes COVID-19 is a type of coronavirus, a large family of viruses.

Coronaviruses are named for the crownlike spikes on their surfaces.

Viruses constantly change through mutation, and new variants of a virus are expected to occur over time. Sometimes new variants emerge and disappear. Other times, new variants emerge and persist.

Multiple variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 have been documented during this pandemic.

Multiple variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 are circulating globally: • The United Kingdom (UK) identified a variant called B.1.1.7 with a large number of mutations in the fall of 2020.This variant spreads more easily and quickly than other variants. It has since been detected in many countries around the world.

• In South Africa, another variant called B.1.351 emerged independently of B.1.1.7. Originally detected in early October 2020, B.1.351 shares some mutations with B.1.1.7.

• In Brazil, a variant called P.1 emerged that was first identified in travelers from Brazil, who were tested during routine screening at an airport in Japan, in early January.This variant contains a set of additional mutations that may affect its ability to be recognized by antibodies.

These variants seem to spread more eas-

ily and quickly than other variants, which may lead to more cases of COVID-19.

An increase in the number of cases will put more strain on health care resources, lead to more hospitalizations, and potentially more deaths.

So far, studies suggest that antibodies generated through vaccination with currently authorized vaccines recognize these variants. This is being closely investigated and more studies are underway.

Rigorous and increased compliance with public health mitigation strategies, such as vaccination, physical distancing, use of masks, hand hygiene, and isolation and quarantine, is essential to limit the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 and protect public health.

Most people infected with the COVID-19 virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment. Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer are more likely to develop serious illness.

The best way to prevent and slow down transmission is to be well informed about the COVID-19 virus, the disease it causes

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and how it spreads. Protect yourself and others from infection by washing your hands or using an alcohol-based rub frequently and not touching your face. The well-functioning immune system is the best natural protection and therefore the healthy life style and right nutrition are very important during the pandemic.

The COVID-19 virus spreads primarily through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose when an infected person coughs or sneezes, so it’s important to cough or sneeze into a flexed elbow and to wear a face mask.

covid 19 To prevent infection and to slow transmission of COVID-19, do the following: • Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, or clean them with alcoholbased hand rub.

• Maintain at least 1 meter distance between you and people coughing or sneezing.

• Avoid touching your face.

• Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.

• Use a facemask in public places covering your nose, mouth and chin.

• Stay home if you feel unwell • Test yourself for covid-19 if you have flulike symptoms • Refrain from smoking and other activities that weaken the lungs.

• Practice physical distancing by avoiding unnecessary travel and staying away from large groups of people • Keep your immune system strong by eating healthy and nutritious food, exercising and taking sufficient rest • COVID-19 affects different people in different ways. Most infected people will develop mild to moderate illness and recover without hospitalization.

Most common symptoms: • fever.

• dry cough.

• tiredness.

Less common symptoms: • aches and pains.

• sore throat.

• diarrhea.

• conjunctivitis.

• headache.

• loss of taste or smell.

• a rash on skin Serious symptoms: • difficulty breathing or shortness of breath.

• chest pain or pressure.

• loss of speech or movement.

Seek immediate medical attention if you have serious symptoms. Always call before visiting your doctor or health facility.

People with mild symptoms who are otherwise healthy should manage their symptoms at home.

On average it takes 5–6 days from when someone is infected with the virus for symp-

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toms to show, however it can take up to 14 days.

Written by Mrs.Tamara Landino Moskal, Pharmacist Managing Director www.sxmpharmacy.com

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profile

Interview with

Sheena Rey

Currently there are just 2 women fire-fighters on St. Maarten, Sheena Rey is one of these two women.

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hat made Sheena want to be a fire-fighter? “It was actually by circumstances that I became a fire-fighter; I actually applied to be a policewoman”. When Sheena heard about the possibility of fire fighting and looked into that, she realised that that would be better for her lifestyle “I would have more time off with my son”.

most common causes of house fires on the island.” Next she lists drop-cords as another common cause of house fires on SXM, ‘the drop-cords that are the cause are usually cheap and also are used for the wrong load, they are overloaded”. Sheena’s advice to the public is to read the labels of the drop cords you are purchasing; ask yourself if the drop-cord is for light, medium or heavy loads (electronics). Next thing you can do is use the drop-cord accordingly. What is also important is to make sure you have a high quality drop-cord; high quality is less likely to malfunction.

Sheena was in on the way to an emergency.

This bus driver made a poor decision while a fire truck with sirens was heading towards an emergency. Of course Sheena was first worried about the condition of the driver, “I was seated as number 2 and was the first to jump out and give assistance”. In cases like this, a backup team is called and kicks in to go towards the original emergency while Sheena’s crew takes care of the accident they were in.

Another aspect of Sheena’s work entails school visits and classroom talks.These talks

On scene every situation is different “there are some times very rude people; traffic

Although fire fighting was not her first choice, she came to love it “Growing up, from my teens onwards I was never the girly-girl type. I loved sports, I was always interested in similar careers; I wanted to join the Army, or police force. I like the action involved and I enjoy the satisfaction you get from helping others” are to mainly teach children Fire Prevention and how to escape, if they find themselves in “Everything the fellas do I can do” says Shee- a fire. “Teaching the students at the schools na with a look of satisfaction,“I’ve driven the is definitely one of my top favourite parts trucks, and I’ve had to cut people out of cars, about being a fire-fighter”, it makes me feel for example”. good and accomplished”, but since hurricane Irma many of these type of activities are onSeptember of this year will make it that Shee- hold. na has been serving with the St. Maarten Fire Fighters Foundation for 10 years.“I joined in What did it take for Sheena to become a 2011” fire-fighter? Sheena was in the Netherlands and studied there.When she returned to St. Throughout her 10 years Sheena has seen Maarten she had to study here again, it is not her fair share of accidents and of course that easy to become a fire fighter as some fires. The most common fires that she en- may think.“You have to study a lot of theory counters are house fires and bush fires. She and do trainings, and the trainings can be also noticed that “we have a season for car quite strenuous.” SXM fire fighters do truly accidents at a particular time of year” every work hard to earn the name ‘Fire Fighter’. year.

Not every call goes as planned!

When it comes to house fires Sheena sees a A perfect example of calls not going as pattern here “with certain cultures, candles planned is the time when a bus driver pulled are lit and left to burn-out.This is one of the out into the road and hit the truck that 46 To Serve: The Magazine of the Fire Department of St. Maarten

“We are humans! We, at least I, worry about that person’s family.”

doesn’t always get out of the way. People don’t see the sense of the Fire Department.”

“In our line of work we usually put ourselves last, but especially during hurricane season when there is no time off. But Hurricane time is also when I can make a real difference; when you promise people you are coming back with water and supplies, and you keep that promise, it makes you feel good. We also end up fixing people’s roofs, not professionally of course, but a quick fix, to help keep out the elements, that is part of what we do” The biggest Bush Fire Sheena has encountered was the one from Dutch Quarter to Middle Region, between 2016 and 2017. As for the biggest house fire, she would say just about all are similar. But the largest overall fire she’s experienced was the dump, after Irma, which was lit for weeks.

A major point that Sheena would like to

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profile make is that “most people call when it’s too late” Her advice is “even if it seems small it’s better to be safe than sorry.You may feel ashamed, but ANY fire is of major concern, it can get out of hand very quickly, especially if you have a wooden house”.

Lady Fire Fighter Why are there only 2 women currently fire-fighting? Sheena says that currently there are 3 more women signed up in training, and that more women have recently become interested in becoming fire fighters.As a female being a fire fighter can be heavy, like what is considered a ‘man’s work’.

Sheena leave us with this last comment “People need to change their minds about the Fire Department, there’s a negative impression about it here. Ladies, we work smart, you can build a career.There are so many benefits. If I can do it, you can do it” “This job makes you strong physically and mentally” Also if you disrespect yourself, surely believe they (the men) will disrespect you” When she first started out at the Fire Fighters Foundation many thought “she will never get in, she’s too small, and she’s too this, too that...” That didn’t discourage her though “If I know I can do something, nobody can tell me I cannot do it” Yes there is hard work, yes there are sacrifices and many traumatic moments, but in the end Sheena is proud to be a fire fighter because doing the good deeds, seeing the positive outcomes makes her feel good!

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fireworks safety

FIREWORKS SAFETY AND SECURITY Fireworks are nice, colorful and magical!

But they are EXPLOSIVE! So, rules and care are required to use them.

Usually Fireworks law rules and regulation are under the law of National Defense in many counties because it’s explosive.

There are three categories of Fireworks 1. Consumers: this category can be sold to the general public, because they have less active mass in the product than professional ones. But everyone still needs to be very careful when it comes to using them. Mostly products in this type of fireworks are: Rocket, multishots, firecrackers, smoke, candles... The classification of the product is 1.4g 1.4s and some 1.3g but it always depends on the law in the country where they can be sold. Almost all of them can be sold to a person over 12 years old. In some countries it’s 16 years or 18 years old.

2. Professional: this category of Fireworks is sold only to a person who has a certificate of a Pyrotechnician. This training is done only by professional Fireworks companies certified by the government. Mostly products in this type of fireworks are multishots, roman candles, shells, mines, aquatic products and all consumers.The classification of the product is 1.4s 1.4g 1.3g and 1.g 3. Stage effect products: this category of fireworks can only be use by Professional Pyrotechnician. It also needs specific training to use them because they are near to humans and infrastructure.

We will talk mostly of consumers products for the general public.

It will take a book to talk about Professional products or stage effect products because there are many rules and regulations around

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when using this category of products. PLEASE LEAVE IT TO THE PROFESSIONALS!

Safety – Consumers Fireworks You need to remember that fireworks are all hand-made. The zero risk doesn’t exist when it comes to using fireworks. Like everything there is good quality and less quality of fireworks. Fireworks can be lit by flame or electric pulse or static friction. Always remember that a defect of the product is possible.

Fireworks can: seriously injure persons, animals, start fire, damage building, cars…etc.To avoid all this, you need to respect some rules.

Take note that firecrackers are banned in many countries now because too many persons were injured by them.

Safety tips when using Fireworks • Never allow children to play or lit fireworks: remember sparklers burn at temperature about 1200 degrees.

• Choose the right location an open space that’s hard and flat.

• Make sure your product is stable, to prevent them from falling.

Secure them with sand all around or rocks to stabilized them.

• Read the instruction carefully on the products.

• Always respect the distance of security specified on the products from humans, animals, infrastructures, cars, trees and bushes.

• Never point or throw fireworks at another person or animals or in the street.

• Always keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire mishap.

• Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them off in metal or glass container • Never buy fireworks with no instruction on the package (in brown or black paper) always with a label.

• Avoid smoking around fireworks.

• Light the fuse one time and move back quickly. Tragedy happen when people get too close of exploding fireworks.

• After fireworks are completely burnt out, wait at least 20 minutes and douse them with plenty of water before discarding them to

fireworks safety prevent trash fire.

• NEVER TRY to re-light fireworks already used or fireworks that did not ignite fully.

Never light a fireworks product when: • The wind is at 55km per hour and more.

• There is a thunderstorm.

• Near humans, animals, buildings, cars, trees and bushes.

• When you have the fireworks in your hand.

• When a part of your body is over it.

• When you are indoors.

Storage Tips • Store them in a cool dry place and not near gas, open flame or flammable substance.

• The water and moisture from the air are enemy to Fireworks.

• Avoid jostling, banging and moving them around that can loosen the content and cause incident when using them.

• The best is to store them in a sealed box.

Injuries - CALL EMERGENCY • If injury occurs, run clear lukewarm water over the burn to clean it.

• If the burn is larger than a palm or near eyes, nose, ears, toes, go to the emergency. room.

• Never use cold water.

• Cover it with a nonstick sterile bandage.

• All burns should be assessed by a medical professional.

If clothing is on Fire Don’t run it will make it worst. Any movement or breeze will fan the flame causing them to spread.

Drop on the ground, cover with blanket or coat. Make sure to use inflammable material.

Roll on the ground until the flame has been smothered If smoke is inhaled Move away from the smoke quickly to breath fresh air.

Sit down comfortably, loosen any tight clothing around the neck to help breathing normally.

If the person doesn’t recover quickly call emergency.

This is a brief look at non-extensive on Consumers Fireworks. Always remember that Fireworks IS NOT HARMLESS and can cause severe injuries or fire.

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home, business and car safety

Inspector E.S. Josepha, Acting Head of Department of Communication KPSM

SXM’S ‘VIRAL’ CRIME WITH INSPECTOR

E. S. ‘Joe’ Josepha

Inspector E.S. Josepha represents the St. Maarten police Force in giving us information on the most widespread crime on the island; Car Theft! Inspector Josepha joined the St. Maarten Police Force in 1992 and worked for 2 years as a rookie police officer on the island of Saba. He was then placed by the detective department for a total of 8 years in 3 different departments;Armed Robbery Division, Criminal Intelligence Department and General Detective Department.

He’s held a position at the immigration department for 2 years and spent 7 years as a community officer for the Lowlands area. Inspector Josepha was appointed Acting Head of the Communications Department (KPSM) 18 months ago.

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nspector Josepha holds a degree in community policing from the Miami-Dade School of Justice, a degree in Crime Prevention from the National Institute of Crime Prevention. He is the Co-Developer of the Cops & Kids Program for 6th graders on St. Maarten.

He is also the Coordinator of the T.A.P.S Program (Teens and Police Service Academy). He is the international liaison when it comes to educational programs for police officers in the exterior. Inspector Josepha is also the father to 3 children ages; 8, 20 and 26 years.

Theft is a problem everywhere in the world, but on St. Maarten, it is car theft that is especially problematic, according to Officer Josepha, Communications Director of the KPSM. By 2015 Officers Josepha and Chandler had completed an analysis on car theft; this was done when Inspector Josepha was still a Community Officer.

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home, business and car safety How do so many cars disappear on such a small island?

“The car thieves would scratch off the end of the VIN number, next step is the ‘Bill of Sale’ which currently has no real standard up until today, so they can all legally be different, personalized etc. because there is no control mechanism in place. The colour of the car is usually changed, and from there one can legally get the stolen car insured. Inspection is then legally done on the Dutch side.”

Officer Josepha, is not just investigating, he has also been a victim, as his truck was also stolen, and till this day, it has never been found.

He states that car theft is the main ‘plague’ on St. Maarten.This ‘business’ brings in a fast $5000-$6000 per vehicle, no wonder it is so widespread. “A lot of individuals are in this business.

Car thieves do have certain cars that they love to steal, especially rental cars.The little Hyundai i10’s are quite popular and known for it, newly are the Hyundai Tucson. There is a new method to just exchange the car’s computer with the computer that the thieves carry which gives them total access and they easily drive away.

The complete analysis conducted by Officers Josepha and Chandler found that between 2013 and 2015 eleven hundred cars had been stolen.This is mostly due to no standardized bill of sale. “Insurance companies, Dutch and French side police, the Inspection Department, Island Receivers all came on board with the Banker’s association to form a group and have this done”. It is currently still in process. With COVID-19 and the pandemic robberies in general have fallen significantly, break-ins also fell; due to more people being home more of the time. So that was a blessing in disguise.

Solutions In the meantime there are a few things you can do to protect your car from theft: Prevent your car from being stolen Tips from the Sint Maarten Police Force 1. Lock all doors after exiting your vehicle 2. Don’t leave keys in the ignition 3. Don’t leave valuables in (a highly visible area) of your car (purse, cell phones or other high-value items) 4. Park in well-lit areas( safe places too) 5. Install tracking system for easy vehicle recovery 6. Install audible alarm system 7. Use a steering wheel lock 8. Install an immobilizer system, such as smart keys or kill switches and wireless ignition authentication Keep copies of your vehicle’s documents and keep them in a safe place Prevent buying stolen cars - Prices that seem too low probably are “too good to be true”.

- Buying privately? Ensure that the title and registration match the name and address of the person selling the car.

- Be aware of any questionable documents.

- Have an authorized car dealer check the VIN number before proceeding with the financial transaction. Ask the seller for: - Copy of seller’s ID (Driver’s license/ID card or Passport).

- Copy of vehicle’s last insurance policy(for verification).

- Copy of vehicle’s last inspection card(for verification) or original Carte de Grise (if purchasing from someone on French 56 To Serve: The Magazine of the Fire Department of St. Maarten

Side).

When purchasing a second-hand vehicle research and verify the vehicle’s history. Check the vehicle’s tags: VIN number and Engine number.Auto theft and vehicle fraud is very rampant! Did you know that this can cause devastating financial consequences or even lead to criminal and legal charges?

What to do if your car has been stolen: - Report the matter to the Police immediately and be prepared to provide the following information: - Year and make, model and colour of the vehicle - License plate number/Inspection card/ Insurance - Vehicle Identification Number(VIN) - Engine number - Contact your insurance company within 24 hours of your vehicle being stolen.

- Give any other information on the vehicle that might help the police identify and/or find your vehicle.

The Sint Maarten Police Force Headquarters is located at Philisburg, E. C. Richardson Str., 24. The Substation is located at: Simpson Bay, Airport Blvd. (next to the bridge). Visit them online at www.policesxm.sx. Dial 911 in case of emergency or call 1-721-542 22 22.

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Hurricane Safety Before the Hurricane!

Preparation Most of us on St. Maarten have been through hurricanes many times over, so we know we need to stock up on food, water and medication just in case of power outages, and not knowing how long stores/ pharmacies will be closed for. It’s good to have at least have 2 weeks’ worth of prescription medicine, but a larger longer lasting stash is always ideal. Also stock up with enough non-perishable, high-energy food to feed you and your family for three days.

Be prepared at home with the basics: • Water • Food • Medication Water Most people need at least one litre of water or other liquid every day, but it’s better to drink more.You should also store a few tens of litres to meet your sanitary needs. Store water in airtight plastic containers, and change the water every two months.

FOOD

BABY SUPPLIES

•Dry or evaporated milk •Instant coffee, tea and cocoa •Jam, honey •Powder drink mixes •Sodas & juices •Stock cubes •Bottled water •Canned meats and fish •Canned vegetables and fruit •Canned soups

•Diapers •Wipes •Formula or baby food •Bottles •Rash ointment •Mosquito netting

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Shelters Please evacuate if ordered to do so by the authorities. Leave for a shelter before the roads are flooded. You should also take as much non-perishable food with you if you go to a public shelter.The opening of the Shelters would be announced on www.facebook.com/sxmgov, www.sintmaartengov.org, 107.9FM and other Print Media. Prior to leaving your home, make sure everything is secure and you’ve packed all the essentials that you will need.

Shelters on St. Maarten: 1. Milton Peters College Gym 2. Rupert Maynard Community Center 3. NIPA 4. Christian Fellowship Church 5. Dutch Quarter Community Center What to pack: -Important Documents *List of family members, friends or neighbours and their contact information *Phone list of family physicians *Important documents in a waterproof container or bag: – ID’s/ Passports – Insurance policies (auto, home, life, etc.)

– Medical records – Medical device information (style and serial number) – Bank account numbers – Social Security card – Current utility bill to prove residency should your area be secured due to damage *Books, games *Toiletries *Battery-operated radio *Torch (one each) *Batteries *Blankets or sleeping bags *Important papers (insurance) *Money

hurricane safety *You should keep a spare pair of spectacles for emergencies. *Solar batteries; phone It is strongly recommended to bring portable electronic devices — such as phones, tablets and battery packs — fully charged as there are limited outlets at evacuation centers.

PETS - Shelters do not accept pets.You should make arrangements beforehand to have your untied pets secured in a room at your home, with sufficient water, and food for at least three days. Do not leave dogs and cats in the same room.

At Home Only stay at home if you have NOT been ordered to evacuate. Make a plan in case of structural failure.

Turn your fridge to its coldest setting, and open only when necessary.

Turn off utilities if ordered to do so by the authorities.

Turn off and secure gas cylinders.

Unplug small devices.

Fill bath and large containers with water for sanitary use (you can also use your pool water, if you have one, for flushing toilets.

Protecting your property The most important thing to do to protect your home is to make sure wind cannot get in. Cover or board up all doors and windows, doors, garage doors, skylights and roofs. Install extra protection on entrance and garage doors.

Boats If you own a boat, remember to secure it properly. Use double lines at a marina or consider dry-dock storage. Never try to ride out a hurricane in your boat.

Equipment and getting ready Check what you need and the condition of your emergency equipment such as torches, battery-powered radio, etc.

- Stock up with boards, etc. to secure your home properly.

- Clear clogged gutters and drains.

- Keep trees and shrubs trimmed.

- Protect skylights and shingles.

- Bring garden furniture, etc. indoors.

- Fill car tank with gasoline - Get extra cooking gas (if possible) - Gloves and rubber footwear When there’s a hurricane on the way Hurricane watch or warning; Get ready • People with special needs should contact the local emergency services.

• Regularly listen to the weather forecasts.

• Be ready to board up all windows and doors, if you have not already done so.

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hurricane safety

During the Hurricane!

• To avoid flying debris, stay away from windows and glass doors.

• Listen to the radio,TV or check online for news flashes.

• Stay indoors, even during the “eye” when the weather is temporarily calmer.

• If the storm gets heavier go to a more secure room if you have one(one that has minimal or no windows), is smaller and preferably has a concrete roof.

Bored or anxious?

What happens when the ‘lights go out’? When the electricity goes, it’s best to keep one busy or distracted; it’s as if you are back in time when simpler things mattered!

You can: - Take a nap (catch up on some good sleep) - Read a book(s) you never started or finished, so stock up on some physical books (to save electronic device power) - Play games with family and/or friends and/or children ( if there are any); Monopoly, card games, dominoes etc.

- Colouring books; children love them and there are also many adult colouring books that are calming and enjoyable.

- Work-out! Exercise is good for you and a way to stay busy!

-

-

After the Hurricane!

- Remain inside until local authorities say it’s safe to go outside.

- Do not touch any electrical appliances or wires unless they are in a dry place or you’re standing on a dry piece of wood, wearing gloves

-

-

and rubber footwear. Inspect your home for damage to assure its safe to stay there, and check for gas leaks.

Wait for an electrician to check your house before switching anything on.

Make sure there are no gas leaks before lighting a match.

When walking/working in rubble, wear heavy boots and gloves in case of broken glass and/or sharp objects. Place debris piles on the right-of-way, away from fences, mailboxes, storm drains, manholes and low-hanging wires.

Make sure your family and neighbours are OK. Use your first-aid kit to treat any injuries. Call for help for any injuries you cannot treat yourself.

Call the police or utility companies to report downed or sparking power lines. Keep away from trees in contact with power lines, don’t step in puddles. If you must go outside, beware of fallen objects and downed electrical wires. Report downed power lines to GEBE Obey all curfew and emergency orders.

Only use bottled or disinfected water, until the all-clear is given by the water company.

Listen to the radio to monitor the situation. And pay attention to the rescue workers.

Do not use your phone, except to notify one person not affected by the hurricane that you are OK, they can pass the message on.

Make the necessary repairs to prevent any (further) losses.

Take care concerning walls and ceilings that may have been weakened and could collapse at any moment.

Open all the windows to air your house.

Discard any refrigerated food you suspect is spoiled. Only open your fridge, etc. when absolutely necessary.

Get your insurance and other important papers. Contact your insurance agent. Take pictures of damage and keep good records of repair and clean-up costs.

Do not operate charcoal grills, propane camping stoves or generators indoors.

If you live in an area where residential and commercial uses are colocated, keep residential and commercial debris in separate piles.

Find out where the nearest relief station is.

Stay out of areas with extensive storm damage.

Be patient and careful. Clean-up after a storm can take time.

HURRICANE RANKING There are 5 hurricane categories: • Category 1:Windspeeds of 119 to 153 km/h, No serious damage.

• Category 2:Windspeeds of 154 to 177 km/h, Moderate damage to roofs and windows.

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hurricane safety • Category 3: Windspeeds of 178 to 208 km/h, Extensive structural damage to buildings.

• Category 4:Windspeeds of 209 to 251 km/h,Trees uprooted, buildings seriously damaged.

• Category 5: Windspeeds of 252 km/h or higher. Catastrophic damage, small buildings destroyed, most trees uprooted.

NECESSITIES • Toilet paper • Moist towelettes/wipes • Sanitary napkins • Toiletries • Disposable diapers and wipes (if you have children) • Extra prescription drugs • Clean containers for drinking water • Eating/ drinking utensils, preferably plastic • Paper plates and towels • Non-perishable food • Tools • Domestic bleach • Soap • Needle and thread • Whistle or horn • Disinfectant • Torch with spare batteries • Battery-operated radio or TV • Charcoal or gas grill with fuel • Lighter • First-aid kit • Fuel for generator or chainsaw • Strike –anywhere Matches • Petrol lamp with fuel • Insect repellent • Water purification tablets • Bin bags • Rope (about 30 m) • Manual can-opener • Fully-charged cell phone • Portable phone charger • Tarpaulin or equivalent • Pet food, 1 month’s supply • Large plastic rubbish bins with tight lids • Extra cash

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FIRST-AID KIT • First-aid manual • Assortment of sterile adhesive bandages • Sterile gauze • Triangular bandages • Sterile bandage rolls • Scissors • Tweezers • Needle • Razor blades • Soap • Towelettes • Antiseptic spray • Hydrogen peroxide • Rubbing alcohol • Iodine • Thermometer • Petroleum jelly • Antiseptic ointment • Safety pins • Latex gloves • Aspirin • Antacids

TOOLKIT • Hammer and nails • Axe • Crowbar • Screwdrivers and screws (regular and Phillips) • Pliers • Duct and masking tape • Drill with bits • Nuts and bolts • Knife • Saw

Please visit www.sintmaartengov.org for current information on Hurricane Preparedness on St. Maarten.

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Maritime School of the West Indies with Garth Steyn Garth started his school The St. Maarten Sailing School in 2009. He is the owner of the Maritime School of the West Indies, the Commodore at the Sint Maarten Yacht Club and still runs Aquamania Adventure; an events and tour company on the water.

I

t all started out in South Africa when Garth worked as a life-guard as a kid, he went on to become a professional life-guard. On the weekends he worked on the beach as a life-guard and drove rescue boats. Before sailing across the Atlantic from South Africa to the Caribbean with his parents he obtained his Yacht Masters.

In Grenada, at the age of 18, he ‘jumped ship’ and captained a boat down to Venezuela, then back to Grenada, and from there to Antigua.

When work had dried up in Antigua he got the advice that there was work in St. Maarten on the bigger boats. He had never heard

of St. Maarten before, but Garth came to St. Maarten and has been here ever since; he met his wife and they had kids as he continued to work very hard!

It was 30 years ago that Garth started working at Aquamania Adventures, he also ran a dive shop, scuba diving for 4 years. He captained the Lambada for 10 years. In 2005 Garth became the General Manager at Aquamania Adventures “Being involved in the day-to-day operations I saw how hard it was to get captains, there were no locals at that time.When I got involved with the Marine Trades Association, seeing all this stuff developing, I saw there were needs; so I got involved with filling those needs, not just for Aquamania, but all the marine businesses.”

Garth was working on how to get certified captains locally for all the businesses, which would also be creating work for locals and

The St. Maarten Maritime School of the West Indies had been around for 20 years;“Last year, just before lockdown I bought it and brought it back to the Dutch Side, that was March 17th 2020, the world ‘shut down’ on March 20th 2020.”

“The demand for classes has been crazy, it’s been very busy we’ve had only 1 or 2 weeks where we haven’t had classes” says Garth.

That’s amazing considering the circumstances.“We actually officially opened the school on June 1st 2020 in this new location, under the new name, rebranded Maritime School of the West Indies.”

Classes at the school are filled with both locals and foreigners alike, “there are people who have moved here from abroad to do remote work” they may be bored, or want to get into the maritime world, or maybe a change of career, so there are groups of such people who come to the school.

There are of course many locals attending the courses; “Locally there are many people who own powerboats or sailboats for many years but do not have a proper license.The laws are being enforced more and more, so they come and do the courses here with us.”

Although both sides of the island are enforcing the maritime laws more over the years, the French Side has been especially enforcing a lot more; their marine laws have become more strict over time, they also change the way that their ruling goes, so even though it is one island, depending on which waters you are in, there are still some differences and that’s important to know. Once you are on the French side it is classified as international waters, so you need an international license if you are over on that side.

“The licenses we give are International licenses and they are accepted in all the surrounding islands”

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maritime school “With the Kids at Sea program, we started introducing powerboat courses. I couldn’t do that before and that was one of the big reasons why I bought this school. I had sailing courses, but no powerboat course, now you can go up to the 200 ton licensing.”

You can move up the ladder in the marine world, starting with the Small Powerboat Rib Course, that’s up to 10m, then you can do till 24m, followed by your yacht masters under power. With sailing it’s the same thing; start with Day Skipper, Bareboat Skipper and then after some experience, your Yacht masters under sail. Catamaran Courses and Jet Ski Courses are also available. The Jet Ski courses are really important, many operators have youngsters who are being sent out on Jet ski tours who are not properly trained, which is quite dangerous. A lot of these workers are very young and don’t know the safety aspects, but the laws concerning that are fortunately starting to be more enforced.

“Not only do we do a jet ski course, we also do a jet ski Instructor Course, so that when they are taking their clients out they know the proper procedures. Not just anybody can be sent out on a jet ski, they have to know how to swim well and all the proper rules and safety precautions.”

Garth is also the Commodore at the Sint Maarten Yacht Club, where there’s a program for 7-16 year olds.There’s also another program where they offer adult dingy sailing lessons.

“We started a program through R4CR called Strengthen the Foundation introducing swimming as part of the program because there are many children who can’t yet swim. Many public schools do have swimming as part of their program” Garth has been on a boat since “Before I could walk”.“I heard from a few older locals that back in the day St. Maarten had large fishing communities and it was very normal for kids living near the coast to swim after school and they were the pioneers in the traditional boat building.When you go to Anguilla in the morning, you see the kids swimming before school, jumping off the pier.You don’t see that much here anymore, and Anguilla is now the local traditional boat builders” “Through the Kids at Sea program I started in 2011 with Lorraine, we started the Build your Future program where “you build the boat, row the boat, sail the boat”, we are busy building another 26-foot sailboat at NIPA. We realised after Irma that there was a big void in boat maintenance so we combined the boat maintenance and both sailing programs and called it the Zero to Hero program. So if students want to go get a job they don’t only know how to drive a boat, as not everyone wants to work on a boat, but by teaching them the boat maintenance part they can go out into the world to places like Budget Marine, Island Water World or FKG or work at an air-conditioning company. A diesel mechanic working on trucks can quite easily be a diesel mechanic working on a boat; a diesel engine is a diesel engine. Opportunities are open for them so this way they have more choices.”

I went to parliament a few times, and to the council of ministers meetings, I was on the board of the Marine Trades Association and “they asked me ‘Why aren’t any locals in the industry/on the boats?’”

“This question is why I made this platform for them to go and get those opportunities”.

The minimum certificate that someone needs to work on commer-

cial boats is the STCW and the youngest age one can get their STCW is 16. Originally Garth started the school when he started the Kids at Sea program to give the youth a stepping stone to move up in the ranks.“We now do the commercial licensing for the region.

And anybody who’s driving a commercial boat has a stepping stone to work their way up to get a crew job, and from the crew, to Mate, and from there to Captain on the larger vessels.There was no stepping stone for them before.”

“We have some kids who have gone through our program at Kids at Sea who have moved up through the ranks from the certification they got from us, they already have their STCW and captain’s license so if they go into the Coastguard, for example, they can move up a level.They are not going in blind.”

“One of the girls, she was a star and had graduated from one of our first Kids at Sea programs. She is currently in Curacao finishing up her first year of training with the Coast Guard and will then hopefully come home to help protect our waters. It’s a great story to think that she started off in our program.We have a few others who have not enrolled in their program.”

Garth is currently busy with setting up an engineering course that goes up until 750KW,“It will be the only school in the region, to offer such an engineering course, and it’s a week long course. It will be taught under the IYT curriculum that I helped write. It will cover a broad spectrum like engines, hydraulics, electrical marine plumbing and more.”

We support our local firefighters!

SIMPSON BAY MARINA | YACHT CLUB ISLE DE SOL +1 721-544-2408 WWW.IGYMARINAS.COM To Serve: The Magazine of the Fire Department of St. Maarten 67

maritime school Safety Tips that everyone should know, are just the basics that you can buy books for.“In all the courses that we teach, the first chapter of every book is all about safety on boats. I also do Marine Survey for the insurance companies, for example; after hurricanes I did a lot of the adjustments and such, a lot of people know me from insurance on the boats, and many times you’ll see that they don’t have their safety equipment in the right place, so we’ll advise them on where to put the safety equipment, how to put the safety equipment, and how to check it.”

That’s why the STCW is a great course because whether it’s commercial or private it’s ALL about safety, so you’re learning about personal and social responsibilities,and with that comes a lot about drugs and alcohol, harassment; abuse, sexual harassment etc. “For the first Aid Cayley does the training, we have all the mannequins, defibrillators etc. Iain and I do sea survival training, we do the training in the pool or ocean where you climb in and out of life rafts, wear survival suits, wear life jackets, we also do maritime security awareness training. We have Marco London doing the fire training right here on site.We have all the fire fighting equipment. It’s a great 6-day course where you learn.”

The STCW is made up in a way that you can take any of the classes individually but every 5 years you have to do a refresher course.The First Aid has to be renewed every 2 years.The sea survival and the firefighting have to be renewed every 5 years. The STCW is the basic entry level to work on any commercial vessel whether it’s a cruise ship, cargo ship, fishing boat, day charter boat, mega yacht etc. you have to have an STCW.

THE TEAM: • Cayley Mackay; First aid • Marco London; Fire training • Ian Mobbs; Instructor • Garth Steyn: Instructor Sometimes Garth and Ian exchange roles; one is the teacher, the other is the examiner.

COURSES AVAILABLE: • Power boat courses • Mega Yacht Courses • Commercial/Recreational Sailing • Scuba Diving • Commercial Licenses – SCV Code (Caribbean) • ICC Courses • Business Courses

“As much as we are educating everybody we also have to keep educating ourselves, and updating our certifications.”

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feel safer on the water

Feel Safer on the water!

Sint Maarten Sea Rescue Foundation With Frans Nieuwenhoven and Serge Bakker The Sint Maarten Sea Rescue team is close, and that’s a good thing.

The 12 volunteers of the Foundation get together twice a week for meetings and maintenance; they are with each other often and quite a tightknit team, like a family. All the members are volunteers who fill the much needed task of rescuing those who are in distress on our waters or on our coasts.This foundation was established in 1982 and has been assisting mariners in distress with the help from their volunteers ever since. St. Maarten Sea Rescue Foundation’s main focus is rescues which is also a major focus of the fire department, so it’s inevitable that these two organisations end up working together at times.

T

he focus and main goal for the SSRF is assist mariners in trouble at sea and trying to prevent loss of life.

Rescues happen at any time, all year long and the rescues are very diverse “we go out for more than just boat related rescues, we also go for planes and helicopters as well” says Frans. They say such rescues happen too often, rescues have included 2 helicopters and 3 planes in the past 10 years.

In 2011 a plane with a patient on-board, a medevac, was sent from Martinique to pick up the patient for further treatment, but upon take –off the plane burst into flames, there were no survivors.

Frans Nieuwenhoven

Serge Bakker

4:50pm. Three Coast Guard boats and one Sea Rescue boat went in search of survivors, assisted by the Voyager ferry and a Winair flight that would make an extra circle in the area.All onboard survived and were rescued which was a happy ending as “Usually we don’t rescue anyone” says Serge.

One of their toughest/most nightmarish rescues was on June 30th 2013 in the Anguilla Channel where it is very deep and usually rough, and this was at night.A small boat was overloaded with way too many passengers who appeared to be refugees being humantrafficked. It later became clear that some 21 people had been on the boat when it went

There was also the FedEx plane that crashed in October 2014 with no survivors. These aren’t nice calls at all.There was a private airplane to St. Barth’s that had crashed into the sea with the pilot and 2 passengers onboard.

The airplane had left St. Barths en route to Grand Case Airport when both engines lost power. A local resident witnessed the plane descend into the sea approximately two miles northeast of the coast of Guana Bay at To Serve: The Magazine of the Fire Department of St. Maarten 69

feel safer on the water under making the operation more difficult.

There were 18 survivors and 3 bodies picked up from the water before the sun came up.

More recently SSRF has had a rare opportunity to work with the Fire Department, this was in the case of the drowning and rescue that took place in September 2020 in Back Bay, Point Blanche. A couple went fishing on the rocks and were washed into the sea due to rough coastal conditions.The Coast Guard Metal Shark was immediately dispatched to the location to assist and upon arrival found the lady unconscious laying in the water.The St. Maarten Sea Rescue patrol had also sailed to the site to assist the Fire Department personnel with retrieving her wounded partner to an area where paramedics were able to treat him and where the ambulance could take him to the Sint Maarten Medical Center. The paramedics and Coast Guard personnel performed CPR on the lady, but she had already passed away.

Sea Rescue got back on its own two feet recently in 2020, with its own boats and properly operational again as they had lost everything during hurricane Irma; everything meaning their headquarters and their two boats.Two days after Irma, the Coastguard let them use one of their boats.

“We went into the lagoon to see if there was anything that we could still do, spots where we had to dive or so” said Frans.

SSRF would like to make it clear that while they do go out in rough seas; they also have their limits and don’t go out during heavy storms or hurricanes. When these guys go out in rough seas, it takes a while and they have to take care of the safety of their boats and themselves, it’s always a risk. “We were out once for a mega yacht, it was 40 miles out. We reached there in 2 hours due to the wind and waves. Going back took us 10 hours. That was about 6 years ago” says Frans. Of course they highly recommend to not be on your boat during storms, or hurricanes, as it can be deadly.

The foundation performs inspections on private vessels only. If you would like to set up an inspection for your vessel, the best way to do this is to send an email along to sxmsearescue@gmail.com. Once inspection is done you can register the vessel with the shipping inspectorate (at the harbour).Then you can register your VHF radio (once inspected/registered) by contacting the Bureau Telecommunication and Post Sint Maarten.

Do they ever think of quitting? Has it ever

In the meantime they had been borrowing boats that were not completely outfitted as rescue boats, but at least they could continue with their rescue operations. Luckily nothing major has been happening, apart from incidents like towing boats, they are not really that busy. “Before COVID-19 we had 50 calls a year now it’s not even 10” said Frans.

Fortunately the waters have been a bit quieter since Irma, and even quieter since COVID-19 due to the pandemic. The good news is that Sea Rescue was recently able to purchase their large boat Dolphin Rescue, call sign Rescue 1 and their little boat Chief Rescue, call sign Rescue 2, which should make us all feel a bit safer on the water.

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gotten too rough for these guys? Frans says he’ll never quit. Frans has been at it for 12 years. He came to St. Maarten as a Fire Chief from the Netherlands and helped out with the revamping of our local Fire Department here on St. Maarten where he worked together with Winston Salomon. His time at the Fire Department lasted from 2008 till 2011.

Serge Bakker has been on SXM for over 17 years, he arrived in 2004. He is a business owner in IT serving businesses with ICT support and projects. He had no prior boating experience but was a military medic during his service in the Netherlands. With a father who is a retired police officer Serge had always heard stories about rescues. He joined SSRF about 14 years ago after reading a mission regarding a missing fisherman in Anguilla. He went to check out the organisation and volunteered right then and there.

Tips Serge and Frans say these are the basics that would be a great help with night searches; They advise on a proper life jacket with reflection and would be better with the flashing light.

Common causes of fires on boats that Sea Rescue has come across here on St. Maarten: -Cooking Gas -Electrical issues -People working with fuel When you go out on a boat: -know what you are doing -Keep your equipment up-to-date -Do your own Safety Checks -Tell passengers where the lifejackets are If you want to become a Sea Rescue volunteer, these are requirements: You need to be able to swim, and it helps to have some boat experience. There are currently 12 volunteers, but more are always welcome of course. Maintenance and training is done twice a week.

Donate: Want to Donate and want to know more about Sea Rescue?

Check them out on Facebook: St Maarten Sea Rescue SSRF

Ambulance Department Interview with Tynisha Arrendell This September will make it 16 years that Tynisha Arrendell has been working at the Ambulance Service. Tynisha attended Sundial School where at that time, the first 2 years, the students had choices of general studies in hotel management, cooking, business administration, accounting, computers then in the 3rd year students had the options of focussing their studies. Options were; Business Administration, Cooking or Nursing.

Tynisha is a person who loves challenges “I am of the mindset that there is nothing you cannot do”.

Of all the options there were to choose at that time she decided to go into healthcare.

T

ynisha wasn’t actually drawn to the Ambulance field, she had gone to Holland to study to become a registered nurse. Tynisha is a Nurse by profession, she started out as a normal registered nurse.When she returned her father, who was working in the department asked her to join and that was really not her intention. Her father let her know that the Ambulance Department was looking for people, to which she answered “Not me”.

She had dreams of working at the baby clinic (White & Yellow Cross). During her rotations this area stood out to her.

Tynisha was convinced and came on as a ridealong, she says at that time she thought “let me see if this is something I am interested in”.

Tynisha is an all-rounder; she works on the Ambulance when/if there are shifts open, she works dispatch, piket and basically does it all. In a short time Tynisha can quickly go from one environment to the other; from the office to a graphic medical mess.

There are 2 Ambulances in the

morning shift and 2 in the evening shift and 1 in the night and a Piket. When the ambulance is occupied a piket is sent out to access, treat and stabilize. A piket is an on-call nurse in a vehicle that has all the medical equipment necessary.There is no stretcher, people can sit in the car. The piket goes to the call, andif the person does not need to lie down and can sit, then the piket takes them to the hospital.The Piket assesses, then treats what kills first in the event that the call is critical, the ambulance that is available is called out to take over the call and transport the patient to the hospital.

In the near future with the addition of more nurses and drivers the workload should improve.

In 2017 Tynisha got the opportunity to become the intermediate team manager for the ambulance department. While still operating as an ambulance nurse she got various opportunities to be groomed for this particular position An Operation Leader is involved in the day to day operations,“I’m miss fix it.You have to be proactive and find solutions”.Tynisha is a very determined person “If you do something, do it to the best of your abilities”. I strive for at least 95%, maybe 80%”.

“Being an Operational Leader is like running a company.You are always busy finding solutions that can suddenly arise. The job calls for creativity. It can be very demanding.What makes the job easy is me being a natural planner. I have worked aboard the ambulance. I do plenty of research. I have other counterparts that I have formed a mutual relationship with in Curacao, Aruba and Holland that I can always reach out to for assistance.The team is

always willing to come with proactive solutions to improve the working environment at the department.”

“Over the years we have managed to foster a good working relationship with the Fire Department and Police. It’s important that all stakeholders are aware of each other’s procedures and respects these. Open communication is the key that holds us together.”

“When it comes to a traffic situation the Fire Department is focused on Safety/ fumes/cutting etc. The Police regulates the traffic and crowd control.All fit together well.”

“In the past once, a month training was done with various stakeholders, the objective were that everyone would become aware of what their role and responsibilities would be depending on the scenario that was presented.”

Tynisha’s daily routine is about making sure the operations run smoothly or to mitigate issues, this can involve scheduling, making sure the vehicles are functionable. Making sure that there are sufficient materials to work with oxygen, ordering of medications and extra.

“What many people don’t realise is that the Ambulance is a specialised field. Prehospital.

We work according to various protocols.”

The Ambulance department has 11 drivers, 9 nurses and 6 dispatchers.

Tynisha is always busy, fixing and finding solutions at the department.

In her spare time, she loves to go to the gym,“don’t mess with my exercise”, she also loves reading and traveling!

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SINT MAARTEN FIREFIGHTERS

ACTIVITIES

Firefighters sharing tarpaulins and blankets to whom needed them the most.

Firefighters pose for a photo after promotions.

Tree cutting

SXM Fire Fighters Foundation raised funds for the Library

Tree cutting

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The Fire Department assisted in SXM Doet.

Tree cutting

The Fire Department rescued a baby from a pool suction pipe.The baby’s hand was stuck fast in the pipe.The Ambulance Department feared he would lose the hand. Fortunately that was not the case and the baby was not severely harmed.

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THANK YOU! ALICIAS INN .......................................................................page 38

MOTORWORLD .................................................................page 55

ALL WASTE IN PLACE ......................................................page 60

MR. COOL ..........................................................................page 23

ARGO AMERICAN .............................................................page 25

NAGICO INSURANCES ...........................................pages 10 & 11

CARLS UNIQUE INN .........................................................page 28

NO REST AGENCIES ........................................................page 38

CASINO HOLLYWOOD ......................................................page 38

OFFICE WORLD ................................................................page 40

CENTRALE BANK VAN CURACAO EN SINT MAARTEN ...page 9

PDG ....................................................................................page 30

D & D Auto Sales ................................................................page 61

PHILIPSBURG AUTO & ACCESSORIES ..........................page 56

EAGLE TOURS ..................................................................page 68

PREMIER ELECTRICAL SUPPLIES .................................page 60

EXECUJETLUXAVIATION GROUP ...................................page 35

PRINCESS CASINO PORT DE PLAISANCE ....................page 20

COLOMBIA FASHION NAILS & SPA .................................page 62

RANGER SECURITY SERVICES ......................................page 45

FEELING CONSTRUCTION ..............................................page 64

ROSENBAUER ...................................... INSIDE FRONT COVER

FLAGSTAFF .......................................................................page 30

ROSENBAUER .................................................................pages 37

FOURTEEN AT MULLET BAY ................................. pages 52 & 53

ROSENBAUER ...........................................INSIDE BACK COVER

GEO DESIGN .....................................................................page 28

SECURITY CONCEPTS & SOLUTIONS ...........................page 49

GREE HOME ......................................................................page 15

SENTINEL ACCOUNTANTS & CONSULTANTS ...............page 61

GUARDIAN GROUP ..........................................................page 48

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT .......................................page 34

HEAVENLY CRYSTAL WATER ..........................................page 30

SIMPSON BAY PHARMACY ..............................................page 44

HEAVENLY COOL ..............................................................page 68

SOL GAS .............................................................................page 39

HENDERSON INTERNATIONAL .......................................page 25

SOL GAS ..................................................................BACK COVER

ICC CARGO .......................................................................page 66

SUPER MARIO AIR CONDITIONING ................................page 45

IGY ISLE DE SOL MARINA ....................................... page 43 & 67

SXM SBH FIREWORK .......................................................page 50

INDOCOM LTD......................................... INSIDE FRONT COVER

TERMINIX ..........................................................................page 63

INDOCOM LTD. ............................................................... pages 37

THE JEANS STORE ..........................................................page 38

INDOCOM LTD............................................INSIDE BACK COVER

THE PRO SERVICES ........................................................page 36

INDUSTRIAL FIRE PRODUCTS ........................................page 17

TIREMAXX .........................................................................page 57

KING LOTTERY BY FREDDY FERNANDEZ .....................page 24

TONY’S AIR CONDITIONING ............................................page 30

LICCOM CONSTRUCTION COMPANY .............................page 61

UNCLE BOB’S BAKERY ....................................................page 45

LYN’S DREAM BAKERY & DELI ............................. pages 58 & 59

WONDER HANDS ..............................................................page 65

MNA AUTO-PARTS ............................................................page 45 MODERN HOMES .............................................................page 62 74 To Serve: The Magazine of the Fire Department of St. Maarten

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Team spirit, professionalism, reliability and trust: These are not only the values of the fire department, but also the cornerstones of good cooperation. Which is why Rosenbauer sees itself as a strong partner, combining experience and passion with the aspiration to be the best. So that the people we count on in emergencies have everything they need. www.rosenbauer.com Follow us on

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76 To Serve: The Magazine of the Fire Department of St. Maarten