KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — Fifty-five Jamaican fire fighters have completed live burn training under a Sister Airport Cooperation Agreement with the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the United States of America.

The training, which ended on Thursday (December 7), provided fire fighters with instruction in a hands-on live fire experience.

This was noted by Director of International Business, Department of Aviation, Hartsfield-Jackson International, Alrene Richards-Barr, who said the entity would be offering other training opportunities for aviation industry personnel.

She was speaking at a banquet and aviation awards ceremony, held at the Knutsford Court Hotel in New Kingston on December 7.

“Early next year, we are on tap to establish working groups to further our collaboration and the offer is on the table for the Airports Authority of Jamaica (AAJ) to send two to four technical airport professionals for our Inter-Airport Internship Programme. This programme runs for approximately four to six weeks,” she said.

The Government and Hartsfield-Jackson International signed the cooperation agreement on February 9, 2017.

Under the memorandum of understanding (MoU), airports in Jamaica and Hartsfield-Jackson International exchange ideas and information pertaining to cargo, passenger and traffic development.

The agreement includes capacity building in aviation through training and talent development, as well as technical and managerial support.

Richards-Barr noted that since the inception of its Sister Airport initiative two years ago, the entity has signed agreements with the Governments of Cote-d’Lvoire (Ivory Coast), El Salvador, Israel, Liberia and Jamaica.

She noted that Jamaica “has been the most successful and aggressive of the group.” For his part, Minister of Transport and Mining, Mike Henry, said the successes realised have been due in part to the substantial investments the Government has been making in the country’s aviation facilities.

“All agencies that work together in the industry continue to work tirelessly for the improvement of already high aviation standards (in Jamaica),” he said.