New round of commander training BKCN launched
BKCN launched a new round for the commander training. 12 participants across the three islands of Bonaire, Saba, and St. Eustatius are undergoing the training. It is an intensive training course that runs from March to May 2024 and then continues again in August 2024. Commander Wayne Maharaj is one of the training instructors. 'In 2016, I received the training myself. It makes me proud to now help my colleagues become commanding officers', Maharaj says.
Intensive training programme
Maharaj continues: 'It is a long and intensive training programme. The training consists of theory and practice. During the training, the sections Technical Assistance (THV), Water Accidents (WO), Incident Management Hazardous Substances (IBGS), and Fire Fighting are covered. Once they have completed the training, they are commanders for the city fire brigade. That is, they are not yet commanders for the airport fire brigade. That training will follow afterwards’.
The support team training
Together with Duty Officer (OVD) Glenn Rosaria and commander Uclaytis Davelaar, Maharaj trains the participants. Besides three instructors, the Training and Exercise Department BKCN and programme supervisor Julius Melaan are also part of the training team. Several colleagues from the three islands also intensively support this training. Organisationally, it is quite an operation. Because there must be enough firefighters on all the islands to keep doing the job and guarantee the safety of the residents. But Maharaj is confident: 'I am looking forward to it. I will keep motivating the participants and together with the entire training team we will - as I often say – “put the best people in the right positions”.
A commander manages the men during an incident. They can also decide to scale up if the incident is bigger and requires more effort from the fire brigade. The commander then remains in charge until the Duty Officer arrives. The latter then takes over.