HISTORY OF THE TRINIDAD

AND TOBAGO FIRE SERVICE

 OBJECTIVES
 To define what is History
 To state who was responsible for firefighting before TTFS came into
being
 To state the date and year TTFS started and how it came about
 To name past Chief Fire Officers
 To state the date of introduction of females in the Fire Service
 To state the development of the Fire Service over the years up to
present day
 QUOTES ABOUT HISTORY
 According to Marcus Garvey “A people without the knowledge of
their past history is like a tree without roots.”
 We are not makers of history, we are made by history (Martin
Luther King Jr).
 HISTORY DEFINED
 History is defined as a chronological record of significant events
(such as those affecting a nation or institution) often including an
explanation of their causes.
 PRIOR TO THE FIRE
SERVICE AS WE KNOW
IT
 The responsibility of firefighting was carried out by the Trinidad
and Tobago Police Service.

 The Red House fire in 1903

 The Treasury fire in 1932

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE TRINIDAD
AND TOBAGO FIRE SERVICE

 The Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service was established on January 1st
1951

 This brought an official separation from the Trinidad and Tobago

Police Service

 This offered some Police Officers the opportunity to begin new

careers as Fire Officers
 QUESTION
Who was responsible for What year was the Trinidad and
firefighting operations before the Tobago Fire Service established?
establishment of Fire Service?
 1959
 Coast Guard
 1962
 Trinidad and Tobago Regiment
 1951
 Trinidad and Tobago Police
Service
 CHIEF FIRE OFFICERS
 Highest office or rank in the Fire Service (formerly called the
Brigade).

 Responsible for the overall running of the Fire Service

 Major Ronald Godfrey Cox
 1951-1958
 The first Chief Fire Officer

 Brought from the United Kingdom

to head this new department

 Initiated growth and expansion of

the Fire Service

 Expanded the headquarters in Port

of Spain from Hart Street to
Wrightson Road in 1956
 Edward Louis Hanlon
 1958- 1962
 The second Chief Fire Officer

 Continued development of the

Fire Brigade

 Also from England

 Alfred Drax
 1962-1966
 The first local chief fire
officer

 He was one of the Police

Officers who moved across to
Trinidad and Tobago fire
service

 Third Chief Fire Officer

G. GRAYSON 1966-1971
T. MEYER 1971-1977
J. GARCIA 1977-1981
L. WILTSHIRE 1981-1982
E. COPELAND 1982-1989
N. BERNARD 1989-1992
L. ATTZ 1992-1993
G.ST.AUDE 1993-1997
L. ALFRED 1997-2006
L. SKEETE 2006-2007
N. JONES 2007-2008
J. BOWEN 2008-2010
C. WILLIAMS
R. BRUCE
M. SMITH
 Questions
 Who was the first Chief Fire Who was the first local chief fire
Officer? officer?

 Alfred Drax  Edward Hanlon

 Edward Hanlon  Alfred Drax

 Major Ronald Cox  Major Ronald Cox

WOMEN IN THE FIRE SERVICE
 December 1st 1992.
 Thirty(30) women were officially inducted into the Fire Service for
the first time.

 This development brought about the change of the lower rank from
Fireman to Firefighter.
 QUESTIONS
What year was the first batch of  How many females were
females inducted in to the Trinidad inducted ?
and Tobago fire service?
 34
 1997

 25
 1994

 30
 1992
 DEVELOPMENT OF THE FIRE
SERVICE
 1910 FIRST FIRE APPLIANCE USED BY FIRE BRIGADE
1919 SAN FERNANDO
FIRE/ POLICEMEN
1945: FIRE BRIGADE
HEADQUARTERS HART
STREET PORT OF SPAIN
1955: FIRE SERVICE
HEADQUARTERS
WRIGHTSON ROAD PORT
OF SPAIN
 1956 FIRE SERVICE
HEADQUARTERS MON REPOS SAN
FERNANDO
 POST INDEPENDENCE
 1965
 Fire Service Act. was established addressing issues
 Retirement.
 Pensions.
 Gratuities.
 Objectives, Legislative policies.
 Structure of the Fire Service.
 1965- 1970
 Training and Development: Senior Officers were sent to England for
Fire Prevention and Station Management.

 1970: Black Power Movement– Social unrest escalated widespread

demonstrations, rioting & fires. Southern Division responded to
fifteen (15) calls in the first thirty 30(mins) of uprising.

 Volunteer Fireman Keith Braithwaite was killed-Hand grenade

tossed into the cab
 1973-1980
 1973--New Policies :Payment of salaries via Banks instead of over the
counter.

 Act 42 of 1975 was passed on

 23-09,1975 in the Senate after Amendments were made to the existing

Legislation Act 1965.

 1980:Trinidad Publishing Company was destroyed by fire.

 1982
 1982 PTSC compound, South Quay destroyed by fire.
 1985-1990
 1985 Trintoc (Petrotrin) Explosion fourteen(14) persons killed

 1986 Scarborough Hospital nine(9) geriatric patients killed. Losses-

Million $
 1988 Four(4) FM were killed nearby bush fire call & Two(2) Soldiers on
duty when an explosion ripped apart an ammunition bunker at Camp
Omega, Chaguaramas.

 1990 Jamaat –Al-Muslimeen caused widespread looting & burning Fire

Service was kept constantly busy .losses $178,000,000.00 and 50
businesses destroyed
1988:Camp Omega
Explosion
FIREFIGHTERS WHO DIED
AT CAMP OMEGA
EXPLOSION

Earl Moore Hardeo Louis Jordan Kenny Leigertwood

Nagayah
 1990 ATTEMPTED COUP.
POLICE HEADQUARTERS.
PORT OF SPAIN
FIREFIGHTING CLOTHING
TURN OUT SUITS
 NEXT SESSION
 Administrative Structure of the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service
 THE END
 QUESTIONS?
 COMMENTS?