Fire Department In Emergency Condition Aging vehicles, poor equipment not enough stations poor salaries…

BY LARRY JASKARAN

THE Fire Department has been suffering serious deterioration over a number of years, a senior official there has revealed.

The official, who asked not to be named, but who has been employed by the department for many years decided to speak with the press so that the authorities may be prompted to start major rehabilitation work which is much needed.

The fire-fighter disclosed that there are only four fire engines servicing the whole of Georgetown, and all of these are below 30 per cent efficiency, he estimated. Two of the engines are stationed at the Central Fire Station in Water Street, one at West Ruimveldt and the other at the Ogle airstrip.

“In fact, it can be said that Central has only one engine that can fight a fire as the other one has no equipment at all. Sometimes when the good one is down all the equipment is transferred to the other and that is used. However, at most times the ‘bare’ one is used to fetch water for the big ones’ home, he said.

EQUIPMENT “Equipment on the engine at Central is very short. There are only 19 lengths of hose which means that 11 more lengths are needed as there should be 30 lengths per engine. There is only half of one ladder and an engine is supposed to carry two complete extension ladders. It has no spare cylinders of compressed air when there should be two and the first aid kit is almost empty.

“The engine at Central is the only one in Georgetown that has breathing apparatus but even so it is short of a number of necessary equipment like hydrant fittings, nozzles and resuscitation equipment,” the source revealed adding that the engines at Central are Numbers Nine and 11.

“Fire engine Number 13 is at West Ruimveldt and that is literally falling to pieces, it has no breathing apparatus, no resuscitation equipment, no first aid kit, it is short 12 lengths of hose, has 18 which are porous) and is also short of fittings. Number 13 has only half of a ladder also,” the source disclosed.

He said that Ogle has one rapid intervention vehicle (range rover) which is much suited for handling light aircraft. “However, it is very poorly equipped. It has no ladders and though it came with ‘ripper gun’ it doesn’t have one now. (A ripper gun is used to cut into aircraft).

Besides, that one vehicle is not enough for Ogle considering the amount of traffic at the strip,” the source pointed out.

He said that around 1983 fiftyfive lengths of ‘Great White’ hoses were received from Brazil but they were not well suited for local conditions. “During work about four lengths were lost and suddenly around 1985 the balance, 48 disappeared,” the fireman noted. He claimed that no enquiry was held. It is understood that hoses of these types are used in mining operations in the interior.

ENGINES The source explained that all fire tenders working in Georgetown are about 12 years’ old. “There was Tender Eight which came around 1974 and which in 1980 was involved in an accident on the East Bank. It went into the workshop but was never rehabilitated. That engine was stationed at Alberttown Fire Station.

“Tender Seven which was stationed at Central, developed engine problems in 1979 and in 1984 when another engine arrived for it, we discovered that some parts of the old engine could not work. After 10 years Tender Seven is still in the workshop.

“Tender 10 which was stationed at the Campbellville Fire Station and Tender 12 which was treated as a reserve vehicle both came in 1976. Both went off for mechanical problems and have since been cannibalised.

“There is a water carrier at the West Ruimveldt workshop which arrived in 1976 but which has been off the road for about six years awaiting spares,” the sources disclosed.

STATIONS “Out of five fire stations in Georgetown only two are now operational. The Campbellville station which was opened in 1970 was closed around ’84. The Alberttown station which was established in colonial times ceased in ’82, the fire boat station had the boats, Forsby, Stag Shaw and Lady Wolley and by ’77 all were out of operation and the boat station was closed. The only two left working are the West Ruimveldt Station and Central Fire Station,” he claimed.

“The only direct emergency line that is working is for the G.E.C. The lines for the Georgetown Hospital, Prisons, Queen’s College, GRMMA, the Rehab Centre, GSWC (Water Works) and GLC bond are all out of order,” the fireman noted.

He said that Berbice has one tender, Number 11, which is in fairly good condition though it needs about 10 lengths of hose. He attributes the condition of the vehicle to Berbicians whom, he says, make donations for its upkeep.

“Leonora has one Land Rover tender which belonged to Guysuco and which is not very well equipped, while Essequibo, our largest county, is without any fire engines. A station was built at Anna Regina but is now being used as a consumer supply centre,” the source recalled.

He said that Timehri airport has two capable and modern vehicles which are very well equipped and which were supplied by the Canadians.

The source estimates that countrywide, there should be about 351 firemen but presently there are about 142 inclusive of those on vacation. “On the first call of a fire at Central five men should respond on a vehicle and on the second four should respond, now on a first call four men respond and there are none for the second. At West Ruimveldt sometimes two or three men respond to a call. “About 80 per cent of firemen countrywide are without safety gear. This includes helmets, boots, jerseys, and belts and axes. The department has a large stock of boots but all of them are extremely large and cannot fit the men.

“Low salaries are a major setback for firemen and one of the reasons that makes the work unattractive,” the source declared.

He explained that the deplorable condition of the Fire Department is very alarming considering the amount of combustible material in the city and its environs.