Guyanese firefighters undergo fire investigation training

Members of the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service are currently in Guyana to facilitate the practical component of the basic fire investigation training, which began on June 8, 2026, and has now entered its practical phase.
The training is being conducted through a collaboration between the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) and the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service (TTFS) and is aimed at strengthening the investigative capacity of local firefighters.
The programme will enhance the GFS’s ability to investigate both small- and large-scale fires by improving officers’ fire investigation techniques and overall response capabilities.
Assistant Divisional Fire Officer of the TTFS, Ishmael Noel explained that he is in Guyana with three colleagues to facilitate the basic-level fire investigation course.
According to Noel, the programme came about following a request from Guyana’s Chief Fire Officer, Gregory Wickham, to Trinidad and Tobago’s Chief Fire Officer, Hutchinson.

“We were really happy to work with the Guyana Fire Service to conduct this fire investigation training. This is just the basic-level course. It has been going on for three weeks now. This is the practical phase of the training, and it has been very productive,” Noel said.
He explained that the first week consisted of intensive online classroom sessions, followed by two weeks of assignments and guided learning before participants advanced to the practical component.
“So, the first week we did a lot of intense classroom work – online classroom work. Then we went into some basic readiness learning, where the participants were given assignments and briefing material to follow for two weeks. We’re here now to do the practical aspect of it. At the end of this programme, the participants will be able to investigate basic-level structural and vehicle fires and put into practice all aspects of fire investigation, including photography, scene mapping, sketching, interviewing witnesses and completing reports with fire pattern analysis.”
He added that participants are also being trained in developing and analysing hypotheses before arriving at their final conclusions regarding the cause of a fire.
“This course will be followed by an intermediate course that will take place in September this year. Approval has already been granted on both the Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana sides, and we are really happy to partner with the Guyana Fire Service,” Noel stated.
Meanwhile, the GFS noted that the training marks a significant step in strengthening its investigative capacity.
Officials explained that participants are expected to benefit from a wide range of knowledge and practical skills, including photography, fire investigation techniques, evidence collection and scene documentation.
While the GFS has investigated fires for many years with a limited number of trained investigators, officials said the programme will significantly expand its capacity by equipping more officers with specialised skills to investigate both small- and large-scale fires.
They further described the initiative as a major boost for the fire service, noting that it reflects the Government’s continued investment in building the organisation’s technical capabilities.
He said the training is exposing participants to areas of fire investigation that many had not previously encountered, describing the programme as a valuable learning experience that will benefit both the GFS and the country as a whole.