“We're going to be getting six more ambulances. We're going to be getting two fire trucks, one of them for the airport, arriving in June. And we’re also acquiring five new fire trucks and three specially designed vehicles to deal with car accidents,” Pierre announced.

On May 29th, the Saint Lucia Fire Service (SLFS) officially inducted 52 new firefighters, marking a significant step toward bolstering the island’s emergency response capabilities. The induction ceremony, attended by government officials, highlighted the administration’s commitment to strengthening national emergency infrastructure.

Chief Fire Officer Ditney Downes described the induction as a moment of pride and transformation, both for the service and the recruits.

“Your training has prepared you for the physical and technical demands of this profession, but it is your character, your resilience, and your compassion that will define your success,” Downes told the recruits.

He emphasised that Course 1 of 2025 is a historic cohort: “You are the first to be trained under the department's new recruitment policy that includes, for the first time, entrance examinations, psychological evaluations, a completely revised firefighting curriculum and physical evaluation,” he said.

Downes also noted the recruits were trained at the department’s newly TVET-certified facility and will receive certified emergency medical training which is a first for the SLFS.

Home Affairs Minister Jeremiah Norbert acknowledged that the Fire Service is still not operating at full staffing capacity, but assured that government support is forthcoming.

“Your request has been heard. I know the man who leads this cabinet, and I know when you make a request, it's because you need it. In due time, we will do what’s necessary to ensure that you have the numbers needed to efficiently run the Saint Lucia Fire Service.”

Prime Minister Pierre highlighted that a more highly trained firefighting force would improve public safety for all. “When the fire service improves, when we have new fire officers, when the level of skill of the fire officers improves because they are TVET qualified, the entire population will benefit,” he said.

The new recruits are expected to be deployed across the island, providing much-needed reinforcements to existing fire stations.