163 fire hydrants replaced to date

─ another 60 to be installed by year-end

Guyana’s firefighting capability has been further boosted with the rehabilitation and installation of fire hydrants across the country.

The process which began earlier this year was a direct instruction by President, Dr Irfaan Ali.

Chief Fire Officer (ag) Gregory Wickham told the Department of Public Information (DPI) that some 337 fire hydrants have been inspected so far. Of that amount, 163 have since been repaired to aid firefighters in any emergency.

According to him, the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) is currently planting fire hydrants in various parts of the country. By the end of the year, over 60 more fire hydrants will be installed.

The ability to effectively battle fires is a serious task embraced by the government, especially following the recent fiery destruction of several public buildings. These include the Brickdam and Vigilance Police Stations as well as the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

The St George’s High School and a section of the North Ruimveldt Multilateral School were also destroyed by fire.

Some $100 million was allocated in budget 2022 for the installation of fire hydrants to ensure there is an adequate water supply in the event of a fire.

Additionally, the government recently launched an awareness outreach programme targeting local businesses and schools across the country. The programme will focus on best practices to prevent fires and what to do in the event of a fire.

Since taking office, the government has heavily invested in building the capacity of the Guyana Fire Service. Some of the investments include the acquisition of fire tenders and other firefighting equipment.

There has also been a tremendous focus on building the capacity of its human resource through continuous training. This has seen trained firefighters being deployed to Guyana’s hinterland regions, coupled with the establishment of fire stations in those regions.