By FSSO Kenneth Stephen

At present the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service is comprised of approximately 1500 officers, men and women, from many different backgrounds and origins. The Service boasts a variety of up-to- date emergency equipment and vehicles worth many millions of dollars, and an administrative system that has kept on par with technological advancement in terms of computerization and training. In many ways, the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service could be considered the most advanced In the Caribbean.

But how did it all start? Where and when did this arm of the protective Services originate and how far has it come?

The Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service as it is known today is now fifty years old, having been established as a separate entity in 1951. In the preceding years firefighting duties in Trinidad and Tobago fell under the ambit of the Police Service. The capabilities of these officers were severely tested several times with the occurrence of such incidents as the Red House Fire in 1903 and the fire that gutted the Treasury Building and other government offices in 1932.

By this time, even though firefighting equipment was considered modern and up-to-date and Policemen were given a separate fire facility at Hart Street in Port of Spain, it was generally becoming more apparent that Police Officers were overburdened with the added responsibilities of firefighting in addition to normal peacekeeping duties.

Because of the Second World Wag however, among other eventualities, approximately twenty (20) years elapsed since 1932 before sufficient plans of action were established to accommodate the inevitable split between the Police and Fire Departments.

The official separation date was January 1, 1951, and the option was offered to Police Officers so inclined to begin new careers as fire officers. Additionally, the British Sovereignty recognized the necessity of having an experienced officer at the helm of such a service. As a result Major Ronald Godfrey Cox, an Englishman with suitable qualifications and background, was brought from the United Kingdom to head this new department. Major Cox is therefore recorded in history as the first Chief Fire Officer of the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service.

Under his direction, the Service continued to grow and expand. In 1955 the Hart Street Station was seen to be too limited in scope to accommodate this expansion, and plans were initiated to commence building the new multi-purpose facility at Wrightson Road. By 1956 the operations of the Fire Service were in full gear, with new appliances and equipment being imported on a regular basis. The century-old horse and steamer station in San Fernando was augmented by the opening of a modern station at Mon Repos, built at the then enormous cost of $ 158,000.

Between 1951 and 1960, approximately 430 young enterprising men enlisted into the Fire Service, increasing the tenuous strength, which existed at the onset, and enhancing the service's firefighting capabilities. Also within this time Major Cox accepted an appointment offered to him in Japan. The position of head of the Fire Brigade was therefore passed on to another British national, Edward Louis Hanlon, who had served under Major Cox for a number of years.

In 1962 Trinidad and Tobago achieved full independence from British rule? and the Fire Department continued to flourish under the new administration, though In most instances British standards and precedents which were already functioning continued to be maintained. Also in 1962: the service saw its first Locally born Chief Fire Officer in the person of Mr. Alfred Drax, who had been a Police Officer I before becoming a full-time fireman at the time of separation.

In the ensuing years, the Fire Service continued to grow and develop. In 1965 the Fire Service Act was established, which addressed such issues as Retirement, Pensions and Gratuities: and the Objectives and Structure of the Fire Service along with other legislative policies. Senior Officers journeyed periodically to the United Kingdom to receive first-hand training in such areas as Fire prevention and Station Management .It was apparent that the Fire Service was going from strength to strength, and had already established itself as the foremost organization in the country with respect to national safety.

The capabilities of the service were dramatically displayed in 1970. The Black Power Movement in Trinidad and Tobago had by this time spawned a large following, and social unrest had escalated sufficiently to initiate widespread demonstrations and rioting in the country. Inevitably, this included many instances of fire throughout the city streets.

Fires were being set to buildings indiscriminately arid with alarming regularity. The Southern Division alone reported fifteen (15) separate fire calls during the first half hour of the uprising, and cuffs continued to be received almost continuously. This situation was worse in the downtown Port of Spain area, where the appliances were kept constantly on the move. One such response resulted in the death of a Volunteer Fireman, Keith Brathwaite, who became the victim of an attack on this appliance when a hand grenade wad tossed into the cab.

Meanwhile, the Fire Service continued to blossom. The Brigade was nevi approximately 1800 strong, with large numbers of trainees being enlisted almost on an annual basis. Administratively, the Service also began to improve. 1973 saw the advent of new policies with regards to the payment of salaries, as payments were now made through a bank of choice instead of cash over the counter.

In 1975, certain alterations were made to the existing legislation, resulting in the formation of an Act aimed at making amendments to the Fire Service Act of 1965. This was tabled as Act 42 of 1975, and passed in the Senate on September 23 of that year.

The period marking 1980 to the present saw the Fire Service making significant strides In terms of development and expansion. Several incidents occurred within this period to severely test the capabilities of the Fire Service, Including the destruction by fire of the Trinidad Publishing Company in 1980, PTSC compound at South Quay in 1982, the TRINTOC explosion which killed fourteen (14) workers In 1985, and the Scarborough Hospital Fire in 1986, when (9) geriatric patients perished. The losses incurred by these incidents ran into millions upon millions of dollars.

Perhaps the two (2) most traumatic incidents involving firefighting personnel also took place within this era. In October of 1983, a tremendous explosion ripped apart an ammunition bunker at Camp Omegas Chaguaramas, Instantly killing four (4) firemen who had responded to a nearby bush fire. Two (2) soldiers who were on duty in the vicinity also perished.

In 1990, the actions of the Muslim group known as the Jamaat resulted in widespread looting and burning, particularly on the street of Port of Spain. Firemen were kept constantly on the alert with calls coming in from every quarter and in certain areas firemen were even forced to let the fires burn themselves out. When the crisis was finally brought under control, the city of city of Spain and its environs had suffered fire losses to the value of approximately $ 178 million and over fifty (50) businesses destroyed.

In 1992, another milestone in the Service's history was created when for the first time, women were officially inducted into the Fire service. Thirty (30) females were chosen to pioneer this development, withstanding all the physical and mental demands of training alongside their male counterparts. Today, the Service boasts 100 professional female firefighters, and all indications suggest that they are quite capable of performing all related fire duties as well as any of their male colleagues.

The Fire Service has therefore come quite a long way from the horse and carriage days at the turn of the century. Today's firefighters specialize in many areas of technical knowledge. Quite a number of firefighters qualify themselves with examinations from the Institution of Fire Engineers, an Internationally - recognized fire academy based in the United Kingdom. The Service itself has benefited from modern technology in the form of computers, copiers, printers, fax machines and wireless equipment, to name a few, It has also kept on par with the advanced era of firefighting with the acquisition of such items as thermal cameras (to see through smoke), hydraulic cutting and spreading tools, breathing apparatus equipment and fire-resistant clothing.

Given this present outlook, It may be reasonable to assume that the arrival of the 21st century will see the continued growth end advancement of the Service. With the ever- increasing developments; of this modern age, the Fire Service is poised to match strides with technological advancements as they develop through the forthcoming years. The men and women of the Fire Service therefore stand ready and committed to the fulfillment of the Fire Service mottos ''In the Service of the People. ''