Dominica’s Ag fire chief says 2025 was a year of ‘mixed fortune’, urges public support moving forward

Fire Chief Wayne Letang (acting) characterizes 2025 as a year of “mixed fortune” for the Fire and Ambulance Services.

“The year 2025 was a challenging year for the Fire and Ambulance Services, but I would say too, it was a year of mixed fortune and I could say from the onset that in 2025 we started with a new Fire Chief at the helm, and that’s me,” he said.  “That is as a result of the former chief, Mr. Josiah Dupuis, retiring from active service at the end of 2024.”

He continued, “But all-in-all the year was a mixed fortune.”

As Letang explained during an interview on state-owned radio DBS, one of the highlights of the year in March was the hosting of the inaugural conference for women in service.

“And this is something that was done by the Institute of Fire Engineers for the Caribbean and South America and that inaugural conference was held in Dominica for women in service,” he explained. “And the women in service we are talking about are the fire service, the police, customs, army, coast guard, [and] the military within the Caribbean.”

Letang added, “So we had women all over the Caribbean coming into Dominica for that conference in March of 2025.”

Furthermore, he stated that it was a success, and from all accounts by those who attended, the conference was very well appreciated.

“They really engaged, and they really get a better sense of what it is for women who are actually working in those services,” he noted.

Meanwhile, he thanked all the fire officers,” because for the year 2025 our existence depended on them.”

“Our products, our product delivery, all that depended on them, and they have worked well, and to tell them thank you very much for their endurance throughout the year,” he revealed.

Letang mentioned that one of the things discussed at one of the meetings is the resilience observed in the fire officers.

“We want to continue working together, [so that] we can develop the fire service and the nation as a whole,” he asserted.

He went on to add, “At this time, let me say compliments of the season to all fire officers as we enjoy the rest of the season, enjoy our family, and enjoy Dominica on a whole.”

He also thanked the citizens of Dominica who have cooperated with the Fire and Ambulance Services throughout the year and provided them with support.

“We want to ask Dominicans to keep strong with us and continue to support as we continue to work for them and to bring better service delivery in the future,” Letang indicated.