Several task force meetings focused on pulling V.I. Fire Services and the territory’s Emergency Management Services division under one umbrella are now “bearing fruit,” according to officials.
Speaking at a press conference on St. Thomas Thursday, V.I. Fire Services Director Daryl George said ongoing discussions about the merger have been held in both districts and based on the progress he’s seen, there’s no reason to doubt that this “collaboration is going to happen fruitfully, truthfully and with one voice.”
That means across the board training and the pooling of resources will help increase residents’ access to comprehensive emergency response services, limit waiting time and increase the overall delivery quality of those services to all parts of the population.
“We will be putting individuals in strategic areas to respond,” he said. “It’s going to take a little while but as we build this operation, it’s going to be one that is sustainable and one that other people will use as a model.”
In a recent news release, officials said a July 19 task force meeting focused on forming the “key components” of the integration plan, which will lead to the launch of a newly formed V.I. Fire and Emergency Medical Service, regulated by the Health Department. The first set of planning sessions were guided by Personnel Director Dayna Clendinen, who spoke in the release about effectively bringing together each agency’s employees and rolling out a “strategic” consolidation process.
Bringing in the right people – like the Health Department’s medical director – to provide across the board training on policies and procedures, will also help get everyone off on the same foot, Health Commissioner Justa Encarnacion added at Thursday’s press conference.
“The level of safety we will be able to provide by being able to quickly get to the community is something I think we can all be grateful for,” she said.
