Retired fire officers from the Barbados Fire Service (BFS) have come together to form a new body, the Barbados Association of Retired Fire Officers (BARFO), which would give support to the BFS.

Speaking during the installation ceremony of officers for the new organisation at the Soroptimist village, Acting Fire Chief, Errol Maynard, commended its members for organising themselves in a professional manner to give back to the BFS and the Barbadian community.

He also extended an invitation for them to visit fire stations across the island to share their ???reservoir of knowledge??? with younger fire officers.

???In whatever area you have excelled, we welcome your experience. There is over a 1, 000 years of experience all bundled up among you, and we want you to share it with us,??? he said.

In fact, giving assistance to the BFS is among the objectives of the new organisation, and President of BARFO, Keith Ward, explained that membership was open to all retired fire officers and long standing members of the civilian staff of the service.

Speaking during the installation, he noted that activities to be undertaken included supporting the BFS through volunteerism; providing assistance to active and inactive members of BARFO during illness or in cases of need; developing scholarship funds to assist members of the BFS???s children in their educational endeavours and developing relations with other military and paramilitary organisations such as retired or former police, military and prison officers.

???It is our wish that in the very near future, this organisation can become a well-known, oiled and functioning organisation that will make Barbadians as proud as they are of our parent organisation, the Barbados Fire Service,??? he stated.

Mr. Ward explained that BARFO represented the wishes of a number of members who believed that such a body should be formed. And, after starting an informal organisation in 2009, the group continued to meet every first Wednesday of the month for a social event, expanding over the years before being formalised in January 2015.

The members elected to serve for the 2015 to 2017 term on BARFO are Mr. Ward, President; Vice President, Neil Smithwick; Secretary, Michael Lowe; Treasurer, Velmo Cadogan; Assistant Secretary/Treasurer, Charles Holligan; Public Relations Officer, Wilfred Marshall; Chairman of the Social and Fund Raising Committee, Arlington Kellman; and Chairperson of BARFO, Ena Gittens.

julia.rawlins-bentham@barbados.gov.bb

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