Five years after firefighters were handed medical responsibilities, training officer Arnold Botelho is giving the crews a big thumbs-up.

Mr. Botelho, the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) co-ordinator, believes today's firefighters can match the medical skills of the ambulance crews from the hospital and are more than capable of providing often live-saving pre-hospital care.

"They are very professional people," said Mr. Botelho, who back in 1992 was the Island's only paramedic.

"They are doing a terrific job in at times difficult circumstances. The public can take a lot of heart from the service that these guys perform.

"I would put them up against the guys from KEMH anytime."

The 1999 reorganisation came as the number of fire-related calls plummeted due to better construction techniques and fire-safety messages being absorbed by the public.

In an effort to justify the massive costs of operating three fire stations, the service was revamped to incorporate a new medical aspect to their jobs.

Since 1996, all firefighter trainees had to complete 100 hours of theory and 50 hours of clinical work to be able to work out on the streets, and 50 of the 78 currently serving rank and file officers have now got this training - natural wastage will bring this up to 100 percent in the coming years.

Since 1999, firefighters have performed first-response medical treatment and in the East and West Ends are despatched to stabilise and control medical emergencies until ambulances arrive.

The Emergency Medical Service, which includes fire and ambulance, responded to more than 6,000 calls last year, including nearly 5,000 medical emergencies.

"The firefighters are a multi-faceted force," continued Mr. Botelho.

"I'll give you a for instance: At a road traffic accident, the crew might have to extricate a person, while also dealing with their medical care.

"But they still perform their fire duties, dealing with blazes but also other tasks such as nuclear monitoring.

"On the medical side, these firefighters have saved many lives ? the function of the EMS is clearly a vital one."

And the extra work-load, nearly four times as many calls, doesn't seem to bother the crews who seem more than happy to perform their public duties.

"We joined the service to help people," said Sergeant Larry Stevens, who has spent 18 years as a firefighter at all three of the Island's stations, although is now based at Port Royal.

"Without the EMS duties, we wouldn't have anywhere near as many calls. People have now come to rely on us and everyone in the service has adapted very well to the new role we play.

"I really enjoy the camaraderie of this job and the opportunity to help people."

Sgt. Stevens began his EMS training in 1991, volunteering to take on the extra responsibilities at a time when they were not yet mandatory.

This was both for "self-improvement" and because of his father's death at the family home of a heart attack. Although he wasn't there at the time, he wasn't convinced he would have had the skills to help to save a life ? something he did do after his course was completed when his niece swallowed a small toy and stopped breathing.

"You get an enormous sense of satisfaction from helping people on your Island," he added. "We just want to do whatever we can."