Black Immigrant Daily News
The Ocho Rios Fire Station in St Ann is to be renamed in honour of late firefighter, Lorenzo Garnet Douse, who was based at the location.
The station’s name will be formally changed to the Ocho Rios Fire Lorenzo Garnet Douse Memorial Building.
Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Desmond McKenzie, made the announcement during the funeral service for the 25-year-old firefighter at Moneague College in the parish on Saturday , January 28.
Douse met an untimely death while on duty on November 30, 2022, when he was struck by a motor vehicle that overtook a line of traffic and slammed into the back of a fire truck that was parked in the vicinity of Reynolds Pier in Ocho Rios.
McKenzie said the ministry will be making every effort to preserve the name of the “hardworking” young man who dedicated years of service to the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB).
“I want to also announce the Lorenzo Garnet Douse Scholarship Fund that will be established to assist young firefighters, aged 18 to 25, to advance in their training,” the minister further informed.
“This is our (the Government’s) contribution to the preservation of his name. I know that his family and friends will always keep him alive in their hearts and in their memories,” he added.
Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Desmond McKenzie (fourth left), joins family and friends for the interment of firefighter Lorenzo Garnet Douse at Moneague Cemetery in St Ann on Saturday, January 28. (Photo: JIS)
Meanwhile, McKenzie urged motorists to exercise greater discipline on the roadways.
He indicated that the JFB has responded to over 1,000 motor vehicle crashes across the island over an unstated period, pointing out that the level of indiscipline on the roads continues to be a major national concern.
“Let us use the death of (this) young man to say to ourselves… ‘life is precious’. This is a man who could have gone on to be the next commissioner of the JFB. But now, we will never know (because of) one person behind the steering wheel of a motorcar that tried to defy the odds and robbed a young child of a father, (and) robbed the JFB of a young man whose future no one (can) now determine,” stated McKenzie.
Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) Commissioner, Stewart Beckford (left), presents a flag as a symbol of honour to Garnet and Constance Douse during the interment of their son, Lorenzo Garnet Douse, in the Moneague Cemetery in St Ann on Saturday, January 28. (Photo: JIS)
For his part, JFB Commissioner Stewart Beckford acknowledged the tremendous support the brigade has received following the passing of firefighter Douse.
He said the condolences and unwavering support continue to pour in from across the island, as the nation sympathises with the “untimely demise of firefighter Douse”.
“Your intervention was timely and has proven useful in helping us through this most difficult period,” Beckford added.
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