HLSCC Opens Maritime Firegrounds Training Facility
H. Lavity Stoutt Community College has opened a maritime firegrounds training facility at its Paraquita Bay campus as part of a recertified STCW programme. The new site restores internationally recognised maritime safety training in the Virgin Islands, supporting seafarer certification and local workforce development.
Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) has officially opened a new maritime firegrounds training facility at its Paraquita Bay campus, marking a major step in restoring internationally recognised maritime safety training in the Virgin Islands. The facility is a central element of the college’s renewed Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) programme, which prepares seafarers to respond to emergencies and meet global maritime safety standards.
The programme was recertified earlier this year following a successful audit by the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency, meaning local courses again carry internationally recognised certification. "Today marks an important milestone, not only for the college, but also for the continued advancement of marine safety training in the Virgin Islands," said Dr Ronald Brunton, Vice President of Academic Affairs.
He emphasised that a practical training environment is essential as maritime activity in the territory continues to grow, noting that the new firegrounds allow training to move beyond the classroom into realistic, hands-on practice. HLSCC President Dr Richard Georges described the facility as the culmination of several years of work and collaboration with industry partners. "This has been a long time coming," he said, adding that the project builds on decades of maritime training at the college and ensures that internationally recognised certification remains available to mariners in the Virgin Islands.
Education Minister Sharie deCastro underlined the importance of the reopening for the Territory’s maritime workforce. "Without these certifications, captains and crew of commercial vessels cannot legally operate," she said. The STCW curriculum now offered includes elementary first aid, fire prevention and firefighting, personal survival techniques, and security awareness, with simulation training used to replicate real-world scenarios and develop critical skills.
Industry partners contributed to the project: Nanny Cay Resort and Marina and Island Shipping donated containers used in constructing the fire simulator. College officials say the facility will strengthen maritime education, support the yachting and commercial vessel sectors that underpin much of the BVI economy, and create new career opportunities for local seafarers.
For residents who work on or depend upon the Territory’s marine industries, the restored STCW programme means training and certification can once again be obtained at home, reducing travel costs and keeping skilled maritime labour within the BVI.
Primary source: BVI News