Importance Of Community Engagement Highlighted At Open Day

The importance of engaging with the public and showcasing the services, equipment and technology used to carry out the daily duties of those in the Barbados Protective Services was highlighted during an Open Day.

Members of the public got a glimpse into what it takes for the Barbados Fire Service (BFS), The Barbados Police Service, the Barbados Defence Force (BDF), the Barbados Prison Service (BPrS), the Emergency Ambulance Service, and the National Council on Substance Abuse to do their jobs during the Open Day last Saturday. It was held at the Cadogan, Mayers, Marshall Emergency Services Complex, Pine Plantation Road, St. Michael.

During the seven-hour event, held under the theme “Heroes at Work, Communities at Play”, patrons had the opportunity to see first-hand drills by the BFS, BDF and BPrS, and sit in a fire tender and ambulance, among other things. They also received information on the dangers of substance abuse and how to sign up to join the various agencies.

Minister of Home Affairs and Information, Wilfred Abrahams, described the event as successful and “nothing short of amazing”.

Mr. Abrahams noted that the location was perfect for the event and opined that the day’s activities showcased the human side of those working in the protective services.  

“Kids grow up wanting to be a fireman because they hear the siren and see the trucks, right? But [it’s good] to be able to interact and see the equipment, see demonstrations, ask questions, learn about what is involved…in the recruitment process for a police officer, and a BDF officer, as different from a prison officer and…a fire officer. Then there are fire cadets around here as well; so, I’m sure a number of these little kids…have been asking about the Fire Cadet Programme.

“So, it presents it all in one place that kids and young adults can pop around and not have to go to different places to get information. You can pop around and see all and make an informed decision of what they want to do next,” Minister Abrahams stated.

Acting Chief Fire Officer, Henderson Patrick, who was a member of the planning committee, noted that initially the event was to be held as part of the Independence activities for 2025, but was postponed due to scheduling conflicts.

Mr. Patrick further explained that the aim of the event was to strengthen community engagement by providing the public with a hands-on interactive and informative experience with the protective services, while highlighting how they operate, and how the services are interconnected.

With regards to the event offering recruitment opportunities, the acting Chief Fire Officer said: “Most people will have a desire to join one particular service, but today, you have the opportunity to reach out to all of the protective services in one location. But what it does too is appeal to our young people, because there are some of them that might not have been certain about what they want to pursue in life, but coming and seeing what the services do and their equipment and tools…, an individual will realise that there are other opportunities and options…. 

“It also sets the tone again for the very young ones to sow a seed in their mind, because all of these entities that we have here are disciplinary organisations, and therefore when you associate with them, it has a tendency to culture your mind from early, because if you want to be a part of those entities, it means that you have to train yourself in a particular way, and you have to behave a certain way in order to make yourself a part of the organisation.” (PR/GIS)