Mitchell keynotes fire chiefs training

U.S. Fire Administrator-Chief Ernest Mitchell Jr., left, and Western Pacific Islands Association of Fire Chiefs president Stanley C. Torres listen to one of the speakers at Wednesday’s kickoff of the three-day 5th Annual WPIAFC’s training forum at Fiesta Resort and Spa’s Hibiscus Hall. (Ferdie de la Torre)

U.S. Fire Administrator Chief Ernest Mitchell Jr. served as the keynote speaker during the kickoff of the three-day 5th Annual Western Pacific Islands Association of Fire Chiefs Training Forum held Wednesday last week at the Fiesta Resort and Spa Saipan’s Hibiscus Hall.

Mitchell talked largely about the theme of the conference, which is the use of technology especially in training.

Mitchell urged fire chiefs and firefighters to take advantage of all the lessons learned from everyone and incorporate that into their future responses.

He underscored the importance of using data and in making evidence-based decisions.

In an interview, Mitchell said it’s about learning from experiences, from the training, taking advantage of the new technology out there, improving in preparing to respond to fires, increasing firefighters’ safety, and reducing the number of preventable firefighters’ deaths and injuries.

Mitchell, who is based in Washington, D.C., noted that association members are really improving.

“I really like their attitude toward improving and getting better, working together, collaborating, and sharing with each other so they make everybody better and stronger in their response,” he said.

Mitchell said his message to firefighters in the Pacific Islands is to keep doing what they are doing—follow the leadership of the chiefs and the officers.

“What I learned coming up as a firefighter is in order to be a good leader you first have to be a good follower,” he said.

Mitchell said the folks involved here are very much dedicated to serving their communities and saving peoples’ lives, and protecting their own firefighters.

“And so I think that’s just something that all of them have to remember at all times, just keep working together,” he added.

Association president Stanley C. Torres said they are celebrating five years of continuous camaraderie and fellowship among fire services in the Pacific—the CNMI, Guam, Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Torres said the uniqueness about their conference is they are able to bring top fire service leaders to come and speak to them and mentor them.

Torres said Mitchell is the fire chief for the U.S.

“In the military he is kind of like our general. He is here. We are honored to have him here talking about safety and training,” Torres said.

He said they are also here to honor and recognize Federal Aviation Administration’s Airports District Office Honolulu manager Ronnie V. Simpson.

Torres said Simpson’s help for the past 15 to 20 years has improved the service of airports throughout Micronesia—Guam, the CNMI, Palau, FSM, and Marshall Islands.

Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services Secretary Claudio K. Norita said the International Association of Fire Chiefs in the U.S. mainland has divisions all over. The Western Division just opened up a new subdivision, the Western Pacific Islands Association of Fire Chiefs, which encompasses the CNMI, Guam, Palau, FSM, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

“We have a seat in the international fire division board of directors,” Norita said.

It’s the second time for the CNMI to host the annual association training.

“The association itself is bringing all of our fire chiefs in Micronesia together, discussing about issues that affect our fire service, new training, new equipment, national protocols, how we fight fire, how we deal with fire, and of course leadership and so forth,” Norita said.

He said fire equipment vendors and federal partners from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Federal Aviation Administration, and Coast Guard are also participating in the training.