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PERSONAL STATEMENTS
18. Connétable J.M. Refault of St. Peter :
Thank you, Members, for your patience for a very short period of time. I would just like to take the opportunity to thank the honorary officers from the Parish of St. Peter for their efforts over the weekend in dealing with the furze fire along the southern bank of Val de la Mar Reservoir and the western headland in St. Peter . They were on duty from the start of the fire until the area was declared safe on Sunday afternoon. I would also like to mention special thanks to the officers from other parishes such as St. Mary , St. Ouen , St. Brelade , St. Lawrence and I believe also an officer from St. Clement , who all arrived on site to offer their assistance. Certainly, the police side of the operation went very well with support from the States of Jersey Police, including those who managed the receiving centre that was set up in St. Peter Youth and Community Centre where evacuated residents were processed. Of course, I must also mention the fire officers from the States of Jersey Fire and Rescue Service who remained on site throughout the night and also the Airport Fire and Rescue Service who attended with their big guns, and also the St. John Ambulance staff who spent a lot of time washing out our eyes which had debris and smoke in them. Finally, I would also like to thank St. Peter residents who helped out in many ways, especially the wife of St. Mary 's Chef de Police who was abandoned by her husband at the community centre while he went to assist the police, who stayed on at the community centre to make tea and offer words of sympathy to the evacuated residents. While the operation went extremely well, assisted from the lessons learnt from the Broadlands fire last year, there were still some learning points regarding the relief and comfort of officers who stayed at their post for many hours, and that will be brought into the Parish of St. Peter emergency plans. I thank Members for their patience while I delivered that message. [Approbation]
The Deputy of St. John :
I believe we are entitled to ask questions on a statement, Sir.
The Bailiff :
No, not on a personal statement. [Laughter]
The Deputy of St. John :
A personal statement? That was not a personal statement.
The Bailiff :
It was because it is not a matter for which the Constable, as a Member of this Assembly, has official responsibility, so the tradition has been that where a Constable wishes to make a statement like that it is treated as a personal statement.
The Deputy of St. John :
I accept the Chair's decision.
ADJOURNMENT
The Bailiff :
Very well. The Assembly stands adjourned and we will recommence at 9.30 a.m. tomorrow morning.
L:\The States\Statements\Statements 2009\2009.10.05 Personal statement by Connetable of St Peter
regarding the fire at St Peter.doc