From when she was a child, Reshelle Griffith was always fascinated with fire trucks.
“Growing up in Deacon’s Farm, St Michael, I could see the highway from where I lived and played. We used to run around a lot, and whenever I heard the fire truck passing, I would stop whatever I was doing and look over the hill. I even used to mimic the sound of the truck.
“This was before I entered secondary school. But even after I went to secondary school, I still had a love for fire trucks,”she told Easy magazine.
It was no surprise, therefore, that before leaving Ellerslie Secondary School in 2006, the former student of St Stephen’s Primary School applied to work at the Barbados Fire Service. Not quite sure that she would be successful there, she also sent a job application letter to the Barbados Police Service. Although the latter was the first to contact her, a slight delay in confirming her status saw her accepting the position of recruit when the Barbados Fire Service accepted her application.
The rest, as they say, is history.
Award-winning fire fighter
Today, Reshelle is an awardwinning firefighter who holds the senior post of leading fire officer 311 – a promotion she received last November.
The holder of a bachelor’s degree in public sector management from the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, she is of the view that she was destined to fight fires.
“I believe I was destined to work in the fire service. I love to go out there and help the public. Even when it is not an emergency, I love to help. I also love to help internally. I am happy when both internal and external customers are satisfied.”
Reshelle was 20 years old when she became a fire officer. Some 20 years later, the soon-to-be 40-year old has made numerous inroads and received many awards for her work.
A former middle-order batter of the Barbados women’s cricket team (2010 – 2017), Reshelle took a journey down memory lane this past week as she spoke of her years of fighting fires and giving her time and energy to helping others.
As expected, there were moments and events which stood out.
“Looking back, I have done a lot. But there are at least two fires which stand out the most,” she said.
The first was on December 30, 2015, when members of the fire service were called to a house fire at Peterkin Road, Bank Hall, St Michael. Reshelle recalled that a young boy – around the age of eight – and his grandmother were trapped inside a bedroom of the wall structure they occupied.
Trapped inside
“My buddy, Pernel McClean, and I got the call, and the entire crew was involved. We had to do an assessment, then I went into the burning house. We were a good seven feet inside and could not see properly because of the smoke. We had entered the building from the rear. I was told that a boy was trapped inside, but inside we first found a woman, whom I put on my back and took to safety. Seconds later, we found the young boy under the bed. I had to use my breathing apparatus to help rescue him.”
Another rescue which still means a lot to Reshelle was that of October 20, 2024, when Beryl Whitney was rescued from her Amity Lodge, Christ Church residence after being trapped in a bedroom. Reshelle was in charge of the shift that night.
“We had a young crew at the time, and I was the experienced one. So, a lot depended on me,” she said.
Reshelle went on to receive the International Association of Black Professional Firefighter’s Award in 2015, for her work in communities and for the rescue of the young boy and his grandmother.
Last year, she was awarded the Barbados Bravery Medal, and has also been awarded by the Barbados Fire Service for her bravery, helping and mentoring fire cadets, and for teaching fire safety.
Reshelle noted there are always challenges in life but she rides any storms of adversity with dignity, while respecting others.
In 2017, she was deployed to Dominica after Hurricane Maria had ravaged that Caribbean country. Reshelle spent two weeks there working closely with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency.
“I had to provide relief and assist with goods when they were shipped. I also worked in conjunction with the Regional Security System. The work involved lots of checks and balances,” she said.
The fire fighter, who was previously stationed at the Arch Hall Fire Station in St Thomas, as well as at Probyn Street, The City, and at the St John Fire Station, has been stationed at the Bridgetown Port for the past to work Defence Police past three years, and continues work closely with the Barbados Defence Force and the Barbados Police Service.
Onward Onward and upward Reshelle onward service, dominated she sometimes perform, Reshelle intends to keep moving onward and upward in the fire service, a field she said is still dominated by men, and in which sometimes feels challenged to perform, by her male counterparts. She made it absolutely clear that after 20 years, she remains committed to the cause and is in the Barbados Fire Service for the long haul.
“I am not about slowing down.
The passion is still there; it has not waned. I want to move further up in the department and continue to help with mentoring young fire fighters – especially the females.
“Being a fire officer is a career that brings out the strength in you.
As I advance, I don’t forget where I came from,” she said.
“The best part of my job remains that of helping others. Whenever I leave a scene, I want persons to be satisfied with the service we as members of the Barbados Fire Service would have given.
“At the end of the day – at the end of any fire or rescue – we have to sympathise with others. That is part of our role, and I always want to ensure that we do just that.” (CH)
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