A group of former members of the Jamaica Fire Service gathered in Miami, Florida, recently where they formed a Jamaica Ex-Firefighters Association aimed at providing support for one another and other former Jamaican firefighters. The association will also aim to provide support to the fire services in Jamaica.

The vision of former dispatcher Herman Clare, the ex-firefighters were reminded of their days in the service where it was said they spent more time in the fire houses than at any other place.

"We are a family," Clare said as he opened the meeting. "I feel more at home with you than members of my own family. If you envision what I have in mind, you should realise that we are brothers more than we may even think."

The former firefighters who had come in for the reunion from Connecticut, Canada, New York, New Jersey, throughout Florida and Jamaica, said the education gained in the fire service can match any given at a university.