developing their skills on overseas courses.

In November leading fire fighter Lloyd Burchall took part in two two-week courses at the Ontario Fire College.

And in October, staff officer Lt. A. Jon Thompson left Bermuda for eight weeks in the United Kingdom, three of which were spent on three separate weekly attachments.

During the first course Mr. Burchall learned about fire prevention and in the second was taught about fire department management.

"I learned how to identify violations to fire codes and how to draw building plans,'' Mr. Burchall explained.

He said the course taught the group how to take corrective measures, such as how to test fire alarm systems.

During the second course, he tackled what he called "the human side of the programme -- learning how to deal with different people.'' "Some of the experiences of the other firefighters made an impact on me during the programme,'' said Mr. Burchall.

"The firefighters from all over Canada have had vast experiences. Many of them were chiefs at their stations.

"They have had to deal with freezing temperatures which at times included ice on their gear, a potentially dangerous situation.

"In Canada, different fire departments do different things, but in Bermuda we do everything. We are more rounded and at a higher level. We have no other fire department to rely on.'' He described the instructors on the courses he attended as "very professional''.

"It is more helpful to be away while taking these courses than to take them here,'' Mr. Burchall added. "The isolation forces you to study.'' He obtained an `A' grade on both of his courses and will return to Ontario in July to complete the programme.

During his first week, Lt. Thompson visited several fire service divisions in Strathclyde, Scotland, covering matters ranging from recruitment to retirement.

He learned about staff functions and specialised work with hazardous materials, including the operation of a vehicle for technical analysis in the field. The Strathclyde Fire Brigade has a trained chemist who travels to potentially hazardous fires with the firefighters.

He also learned of emergency planning in Merseyside, and press and public relations and community relations with the West Midlands Force in Birmingham.

For the following five weeks Lt. Thompson took part in a hazardous materials course at the Fire Service College at Moreton-In-Marsh in Gloucestershire.

While there he examined new protective clothing and decontamination procedures and looked at how to control major industrial accidents.

"I also learned about transportation of hazardous materials and methods of identifying and marking dangerous goods while transporting,'' Lt. Thompson said.

"Hazardous incidents have a potential for disasters which then have an effect on the environment and the population. We need to be more aware in general of things going on and ways to mitigate the damage.'' FIREFIGHTERS -- Lt. Jon Thompson (left) and Leading Firefighter Lloyd Burchall who have recently learned new techniques on courses in the United Kingdom and Canada.