Fire mains and hydrants to be re-established – Minister Benn

-Durban Park confirmed for relocation of Central Fire Station

Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, MP, says fire mains and hydrants around the city will be re-established and others installed in the new housing schemes.

The Minister made this disclosure during an exercise on Wednesday at the Guyana Police Force Officers’ Training Centre.  Members of the Fire Advisory Board and the business community also attended the function.

Minister Benn said President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali has instructed that this infrastructure be restored. 

“We have to fix those in the city, come up with the plans, establish the costing, put into place the correct specifications and types because there are a multitude of them,” he said.

Of the over 690 fire mains and hydrants, less than 20 per cent are operational. Minister Benn said his Ministry will address the hydrants, but the mains will be dealt with by Guyana Water Incorporated.

“We are working on this. President [Dr. Mohamed Irfaan] Ali had the big meeting with us and we have taken up the mandate.

So, at the level of the infrastructure, this work has to go forward and funding being required, we would have to see how fast we would roll this out,” he said.

Minister Benn said that within three years, there should be a significant improvement in this area.

Meanwhile, the Minister reminded the Fire Advisory Board that attention must be paid to public awareness and engagement to mitigate and prevent the occurrences of fires. At the same time, he also revealed that year-to-date the number of fires and fire calls is down when compared to the previous year.

Additionally, Minister Benn revealed that the Central Fire Station will be relocated to a section of Durban Park along Homestretch Avenue.  The fire station will be established on three and a half acres of land. Three concept documents for the design of the station have already been submitted, he said.

“The overall development, settlement pattern in the city has moved eastwards and southwards, so the best place with open land to take in the number of new assets that we have acquired and are still acquiring; the operating spaces needed and the fact that we have to cater for future development means that we have to have land with adequate space…

That also means that the emergency response services, the ambulances will be moved to that new location,” he said.

Chief Fire Officer, Mr. Kalamadeen Edoo, in his remarks, said with the rapid development slated for Guyana, it is important that the assets are protected. He said it is important the building be constructed to international safety standards, requisite fire protection devices, and building code.

“Fire safety and fire prevention are very important. It is therefore necessary that the recommendation provided by the Guyana Fire Service to you our partners be implemented.

Our advice to you: smoke detectors, the correct fire extinguishers, ring main, rising main, and sprinkle system are very critical to help detect and overpower any outbreak of fire in the beginning stage,” he said.

The Government in the 2021 National Budget has invested $1.9 billion in the Guyana Fire Service. Additionally, Regions One, Eight and Nine now have trained firefighters.