[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Saint Lucia Fire Service on Friday, September 22, 2017 deployed a six man team to Hurricane Maria ravaged Dominica, to assist in Search and Rescue Operations. The firemen returned on island this past weekend.
The Saint Lucian firemen, who traveled to Dominica aboard the local Marine Unit Vessel, joined their regional counterparts for almost two weeks under the coordinated efforts of the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA).
Acting Chief Fire Officer Mr. Joseph Joseph commented that the firemen were ready and willing to be deployed. “These officers are already part of our dedicated Search and Rescue Teams,” he explained. “This exercise has served as a valuable learning experience for them, and has provided good exposure overall.”
The Acting Chief Fire Officer says he has been in communication with Dominica’s Fire Chief Mr. Josiah Dupuis (pronounced Dupee) who expressed appreciation on behalf of Dominica’s Fire Brigade.
Meantime, two more Saint Lucian fire officers who were in Tortola providing much needed assistance after Hurricane Irma slammed the Caribbean island on September 17, 2017 have also returned home over the weekend.
Mr. Joseph says ironically while in Tortola, the firemen had to endure some of the effects of powerful Hurricane Maria.
