Fire Officer #51 Joseph Graham returned home this week victorious having won the Firefighter Challenge at the Caribbean Association of Fire Chief's (CAFC) Conference in Santo Domingo.

Chief Fire Officer, Mr. Zebalon McLean said Officer Graham was selected to attend the Conference as a follow up to his application for the post of Leading Fire Officer.

Mr. McLean said, “All officers who showed interest and applied were given the opportunity for further training. In the activities for the Conference, which included several training sessions, there was the Firefighter Challenge, which Officer Graham participated in and won.”

An elated Fire Officer Graham stated that the conference was a one of a kind inspirational experience and a forum to meet and network with different chiefs and firefighters in the region.

Officer Graham said “Overall, the challenge was stimulating, especially as a firefighter competing against other firefighters in different territories. It focuses on staying fit which is important because other lives depend on it.”

Mr. Graham looks forward to attending the 2016 conference in Jamaica and to participate in the challenge once again as he believes it will propel him further in his career and keep him physically fit.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Mr. William Penn, who also attended the 2015 conference, was elected as the Chairman of the Organisation and Communication Committee.The Virgin Island Fire and Rescue holds an annual Endurance Drill Challenge and Fire Officer #29 Kevin Prince is the 2014-2015 Champion and Iron Man. The Department looks forward to sending both its local and Caribbean champion to the 2016 conference in Jamaica.  

The Caribbean Association of Fire Chief's (CAFC) Conference is an annual leadership conference which is attended by fire chiefs, junior fire officers and industry vendors.

Other countries which attended the conference this year include: Dominican Republic, United States Virgin Islands, Jamaica, Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands, Bermuda, Puerto Rico, St. Martin and St. Marten, Montserrat, Dominica and Barbados.