Minister of Infrastructure and Communications, Mr. Curtis Richardson, took time off on Monday, April 29, to thank Fire Officers for their dedication to duty as they carry out their work with a set of robust and costly equipment.
The Minister visited the Fire and Rescue Department at the Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport where he met and spoke with 20 officers including the Chief Fire Officer, Mr. Shondell Hodge.
“I am only here to congratulate and encourage you for the work you have been doing, and to let you know that you are extremely valuable to the future and progress of Anguilla”, Mr. Richardson told the Fire Officers inside their original building.
“For a very long time the Fire Service has been diminished in terms of its value in the eyes of the public,” he went on. “This is because you did not really have the equipment you needed. I did not have a real appreciation of the quality and capability of the people within the Fire Service, as a newly-elected Minister, until I came here one day when the airport certification was under threat. I was very impressed and very pleased that you all were not part of the problem. The problem was simply that the equipment was failing us, and even the officials who were doing the audit for ASSI (Air Safety Support International) were impressed by the quality of your service. I want to commend you highly for being consistent in your service. I also noticed that, in recent times, you have been doing extremely well in terms of serving the Anguillian public. I have come here personally to let you know that we appreciate it. You have done very well at the places affected by fire – where a car fire, a bush fire or injury to persons had taken place. I know that you recently rescued a person, who had fallen from a cliff-side, and I want to thank you tremendously for that effort in saving a life, and for that person to get proper care.”
Minister Richardson continued: “I have been pushing from since I became a Minister, to get proper order within the Fire Service and I congratulate Mr. Shondell Hodge who is leading the service. I don’t think persons should be acting for four or five years and then for others to be brought in from overseas to take over. I call that abuse.
“I spoke to Mr. Hodge this morning and told him that one of the things that we – I as the Minister and he as the Fire Chief – will be pushing forward is to have a Deputy Chief Fire Officer within the next quarter. Some of you have been promoted recently and this is very important to me. We must establish proper rank and leadership within the Fire Service. Please continue to do your best. I came here especially to let you know that your service is not going unnoticed and is not without much appreciation. On behalf of the people of Anguilla, I want to congratulate you and express my appreciation for your work.”
The Minister added that he was pleased that, “after fighting tooth and nail, with the help of God, as no money was available”, he was able to get improved living quarters and equipment for the Fire Officers. He was speaking about the new Fire Hall, the residency it provides, the new Fire Trucks and other equipment – funded by the UK Government with some input by the Government of Anguilla.
Mr. Hodge, the Chief Fire Officer, thanked Minister Richardson for his visit and remarks of appreciation. “I am in full support of all the Minister of Infrastructure has just expressed,” he stated. “The Anguilla Fire and Rescue Service has gone through a tremendous transformation over the last couple of months. We are very much appreciative of the gallant efforts of everyone.”
