-Fire Service
THE Guyana Fire Service, in a statement Wednesday, has emphasized that none of its fire tenders has ever responded to a fire call without water.
“However, when the tender’s water supply is exhausted, tactical decisions have to be taken. This gives the public the impression that tenders arrive without water when this is not the case,” GFS stated. In a recent interview with the Government Information Agency (GINA), Chief Fire Officer Marlon Gentle noted that one of the challenges the service faces is the availability of water which is why the Fire Service, with government’s support, procured water bowsers.  
Gentle said that this is to facilitate areas where there are no canals or other available sources of water nearby.
The Fire Service is asking the public not to dispose of garbage in canals, since they form part of the supply of water for firefighters in many areas.
The Fire Service said that one instance of the importance of keeping these drains clear was the March 28 fire at Stewartville, West Coast Demerara, where two fire tenders, after exhausting their water supply, attempted to access water from the canal but encountered difficulties due to the heavy silt and debris in the waterway.
Another tender from the West Ruimveldt Fire Station had to be put into action to extinguish the fire. (GINA)