technicians.

Graduates were awarded certificates by deputy Chief Fire Officer Vincent Hollinsid at Hamilton Fire Station.

The graduates completed 110 hours of theory and 50 hours of clinical work at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital during the seven-week course.

And Mr. Hollinsid said: "This brings the Service closer to its goal of being the first on the scene to an emergency in the east or west end of the Island.'' He added Fire service EMTs would stabilise patients before handing over responsiblity to hopital ambulance crews. Course coordinator Arnold Botelho said of EMTs: "We EMTs are professionals.'' He added: "We take over from the first aider, and hand over to a registered nurse, who passes up to a physician.'' The graduates are: Edward Albouy, Shannon Caisey, Kevin Darrell, Aaron Denkins, Robert Fox, Vance Hassell, Danon McGowan, Michael Rawlins, Mark Ray, Arthur Raynor, Ramsay Saggar, Josonne Smith, DeRoy Somner, and Caleb Zuill.

Two of the course graduates, Zita Bean and Winslow Pearman, are no longer with the Fire Service.