More than 20 members of the Department of Works and Engineering have participated in a Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service training course.

The Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus course requires trainees to show competence with SCBA equipment under various conditions, know its components and functions, and understand the safety checks necessary to maintain it.

“We put them under various conditions to determine if they have claustrophobia, if they can work under stress, work as a team in limited light and also with limited heat exposure,” Troy Furbert, the divisional officer of training, said.

“The Fire Service has worked with its key stakeholders and partners for a number of years training them in SCBA.

“These groups have been identified as those in critical need to have breathing apparatus capabilities within their organisation in order to help mitigate small fires, and for other situations where SCBA use is required.

“In the event that a fire escalates, they would follow their procedures and call 911, and the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service will take over as primacy.”

The re-certification portion of the course ran from February 8 to 9 and 11 to 12, while first-time trainees took part from February 15 to 18 this year.

Of the 24 trainees, which included process control engineers and mill wrights, 16 recertified while eight were trained for the first time.

In addition to the Department of Works and Engineering, the Department of Marine and Ports and the Corporation of Hamilton also receive SCBA training every two years.