Guyana Fire Service conducts “Get Ready” Operation

Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn, MP, was today part of a “Get Ready” exercise with members of the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) at Robb Street, Georgetown.

The activity saw participation from approximately 60 personnel from the GFS, including Chief Fire Officer, Kalamadeen Edoo and Deputy Fire Chief, Gregory Wickham.

“The Guyana Fire Service is testing out its operational assets, the preparedness and systems in relation to certain possibilities to fires in Georgetown, so the effort is to test both the readiness and functionality of the equipment, but also the engagement of the crews and the management,” Minister Benn told the media.

The equipment on the ground included several fire trucks, the high ladder truck and the fire boat, which was sending water from the Demerara River at the John Fernandes Wharf.

The Minister noted that this is to ensure that “there’s better preparedness and a better understanding of what the operational engagement ought to be in regards to training and development of the fire service.”

The Government will continue to invest in ensuring that the GFS is adequately equipped to fight fires in Guyana. The five recently acquired fire trucks were also part of the exercise.

“We are rolling out both the Fire Service and its sister unit the emergency management personnel and assets, the ambulance service, which has been busy, we recently opened up the fire stations at Melanie along with an ambulance unit, Mabaruma, Mahdia and Lethem are fire stations that are to be operationalised.

“We all know what the risk of fire means to the city itself, Georgetown but also the outlying communities and interior communities, so this is the response both in relation to fires, mitigation and prevention, and the lifesaving aspect and response related to emergency ambulance services,” the Minister said.

Minister Benn also emphasised that Public Relations will be ramped up to spread awareness to communities, using social and traditional media to spread the messages in relation to fire prevention and safety.

Additionally, all fire hydrants in the city are being checked.

“Testing the functionality of the hydrants, what work is needed to repair them over a period of time, and also to identify the lines leading to them whether they could be pressurised or would have to be replaced, so that’s a big assessment project that is underway,” Minister Benn said.

The Deputy Chief Fire Officer noted that the equipment acquired through the Government of Guyana’s initiative will boost the service’s strength and will help them to be better prepared for any eventualities.