Grand Cayman, 20 October 2021 – Home Affairs Minister, Hon. Bernie Bush, presented 10 Cayman Islands Government Officers from three different agencies with their Level 4 ILM Strategic Incident Gold Command certificates at Central Fire Station recently. 

The officers earned their certificates earlier this year, by successfully completing a strategic Incident command course, learning the principles of Joint Emergency Service Interoperability Programme (JESIP) followed by a three- hour simulated multi-agency incident command assessment. The brief ceremony on Wednesday, 13 October 2021 marked another step on the Cayman Islands Fire Service’s continuous journey of self-improvement, professional development and improved partnership working.  

Speaking at the event, the Minister remarked: “I am so pleased to present these professional Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) Incident Command certificates to Caymanian officers from three services. Effective and efficient multi-agency working is recognised as critical to successfully resolve emergency major incidents, so having this group of 10highly-qualified officers is fabulous for the Cayman Islands.” 

Chief Fire Officer (CFO) Paul Walker, QFSM said: “ I am very proud of colleagues from Cayman Islands Fire Service (CIFS), Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS), Her Majesty’s Cayman Islands Prison Service (HMCIPS) and Hazard Management Cayman Islands (HMCI), who undertook this strategic incident command course and simulated major incident assessment. Through shared situational awareness, joint decision making, analysis of options and contingencies and a review framework, complex and challenging major incidents can be resolved successfully.

“I applaud these colleagues for their successful personal development and hope this course and assessment is viewed as valuable wider development for colleagues from across Government agencies.”

All the delegates who undertook the course and assessment through July and August this year echoed similar comments. They also expressed appreciation in having been given the opportunity to participate in the strategic level incident command training to reinforce the foundation of what they have been doing operationally for many years.

Participants further suggested that the Emergency/Support Services (HMCI, RCIPS, HMCIPS, Health Services Authority, CICG and CI Regiment) embrace the training route when it is offered in the future.

“The team at Peter Stanley Training, which delivered the training and major incident assessment, were very professional, knowledgeable and had answers to your questions. They would explain their response to ensure when you had understood the learning outcomes and you would be “the most confident” you could be in a major incident scenario,” CFO Walker concluded.