Long Service Awards Salute Belize’s Bravest Firefighters

Twenty one of Belize’s bravest are being celebrated this week, firefighters who’ve spent ten, fifteen, even twenty five years rushing toward danger while the rest of us run from it. The Belize Fire Service honored these men and women with Long Service Awards, recognizing the countless lives and properties they’ve protected across the country. News Five’s Britney Gordon was at the ceremony and has the story.

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

A house fire can turn deadly in minutes, experts say flames can double in size in under sixty seconds. Quick response is often the difference between loss and survival, which is why a strong fire service matters. Earlier today, the Ministry of the Public Service and Disaster Risk Management honored twenty‑one of Belize’s longest-serving firefighters. These men and women have spent years, some decades, protecting lives and property across the country. Minister Henry Charles Usher highlighted why the Long Service Award carries such significance.

 

Henry Charles Usher, Minister of Public Service & Disaster Risk Management

“This is a long service award for our firefighters, those that have served ten, fifteen, twenty, and twenty-five years. So, a small token of the appreciation the government of Belize has for the work that they do, the sacrifices that they make, and of course, for the dedication that they have shown to the National Fire Service. These are firefighters that are often overlooked. As part of our service core, and we’re happy that we’re able to show our appreciation and also to recognize and to respect the work that this national Fire Service does.”

 

Usher praised the firefighters for their courage, discipline, and unwavering dedication to keeping Belizeans safe. He said the job demands sacrifice, resilience, and a rock‑solid commitment to public safety, qualities each awardee has demonstrated throughout their years of service.

 

Henry Charles Usher

“Certainly, what you see here are dedicated officers. You are persons who especially those twenty and twenty-five years who have been through so many different challenges national emergencies, technological changes increase in public expectation in terms of the public expecting so much more from our national fire service. And we are happy that we’re able to provide this token of appreciation, but also to show that we’re serious about investing in our national fire service. We want to improve the services that they provide”

 

The ceremony brought together firefighters from every corner of the country, from Corozal all the way down to Toledo. Fire Chief Colin Gillett said each awardee has consistently gone above and beyond the call of duty, all in service to Belize and the communities they protect.

 

Colin Gillett, Fire Chief

“We’re very happy to acknowledge the dedication of our firefighters and other officers of the National Fire Service. Like you said, some of them have been here for twenty-five years and above, which shows that through it all, through all the years when things weren’t as great. They stuck through it just because of their dedication to the work and the people of the community they serve.”

 

Following the ceremony, officials toured the incomplete National Fire Service Headquarters in Belize City. Usher says that the new facility is designed to enhance capacity and improve working conditions for personnel across the country.

 

Henry Charles Usher

“We want to improve the services that they provide. We’re happy that we’re able to have a new building for the administrative headquarters.  And as I said publicly,  we want to make sure that in this term we build national headquarters. Unfortunately last administration sold out the national headquarters without a plan to really have one in place. So we’re looking forward to getting that done. We’re happy also that we were able to get the allowances for firefighters approved. These are some allowances that we have been fighting for some time, and of course, we’re looking at the organizational structure and to make sure that we properly compensate our firefighter.”

 

Belize’s ability to respond to emergencies rests on the courage, discipline, and unwavering dedication of frontline workers like these, men and women who step into danger every day to keep the rest of us safe. Britney Gordon for News Five.