Firefighters sharpen shipboard emergency response skills |09 October 2026

Personnel from the Seychelles Fire and Rescue Services Agency (SFRSA) are undergoing specialised training aimed at strengthening their ability to respond effectively to fires and other emergencies aboard ships.

The three-week ship firefighting programme, which began on September 28 and concludes on October 16, is being conducted under the French Cooperation Programme with instructors from the Bataillon des Marins-Pompiers de Marseille (BMPM) in France.

A training session held yesterday at the Seychelles Maritime Academy (SMA) brought together SFRSA personnel for practical and specialised instruction on responding to marine fire incidents.

One of the programme’s key objectives is to enhance the operational readiness of SFRSA personnel in dealing with shipboard fires. It also seeks to improve inter-agency coordination and ensure Seychelles maintains the necessary capacity to contain and manage marine fire emergencies.

The programme further supports the national objective of ensuring safe maritime operations and strengthening the country’s ability to respond to incidents at sea requiring SFRSA intervention.

Joe Gabriel, head of operations at SFRSA, explained that the training forms part of efforts to further strengthen the agency’s preparedness when dealing with maritime emergencies.