Lucea Fire Station Receives Donation

No. 118 Monday, July 19, 2010
By Chris Bodden
The Lucea Fire Station is the proud recipient of six computers and a digital projector through the kind courtesy of the Bank of Nova Scotia and the Grand Palladium Hotel respectively.

    The handing over of the items took place on Thurs­day, July 15, at a ceremony held at the Lucea Fire Station. On hand to do the hon­ours were representatives of BNS; Mr. Dwight Bryan, Branch Manager and Mrs. Flora Humphrey as well as Mr. Radcliffe Robertson, HR Manager, Grand Palladium Hotel.
    In bringing greetings, Assistant Commissioner OIC Area 4, Mr. Dave McLaughlin, expressed his great pleasure at the kind gesture by the two entities in answering the call for the well-needed equipment. In thanking them he said that Hanover is a friendly parish wherein the business community always tries to assist the Jamaica Fire Brigade. He went on to implore his staff to make full use of the newly received technology equipment in research.
    Assistant Superintendent, Roland Walters, Acting Divisional Head, lauded his colleagues for making the initial approach to the two business entities and offered thanks to BNS and Grand Palladium for making good on their promise. He too encouraged members of staff to make use of the equipment for meaningful research.
    Mr. Conroy Ghans, Acting 2nd In Charge at the Lucea Fire Station, in delivering the main address said that the initiative came about when the department realized that they needed to be better equipped for better service delivery. He noted that the global atmosphere is changing and that technology is one such force that has engendered much change.
    Being cognizant of this, he said the department embarked on a drive to establish a computer cafe which will enable members to become computer literate. Addition­ally, now being able to access a wide array of information, there will be an integration with the, general public by way of providing computer training, first aid and fire safety training at the station encouraging a better relationship between the public and the fire department. Of the digital projector Mr. Ghans said it will enhance their classroom teaching and presentation styles.
    In closing, he thanked the Bank of Nova Scotia and the Grand Palladium for all their efforts deployed in furnishing the well needed technological equipment.
    Dwight Bryan, Branch Manager, BNS, expressed gratitude for the recognition and pledged to continue to be good corporate citizens. He noted that though a small donation, it had far reaching effects and expressed a desire to increase such partnerships in the future.
    Mr. Radcliffe Robertson, HR Manager, Grand Palladium said that the Fire Services has always been involved with the hotel even from the construction stages. He noted that when he was approached about the projector, he was also given a list of things which the fire services instructed them to correct. This brought gales of laughter from the audience. "This is uncompromising professionalism," he said and went on to express on behalf of the hotel their happiness at being able to play their part in improving the training capabilities of the fire service.