CHIEF Fire Officer, Marlon Gentle has said that the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) had a tough task last year in terms of fire calls received. However, there was a 23% reduction of buildings affected or destroyed by fire.

This, he said, indicates that the GFS response to calls was good, and was able to minimize damages and stop the spread of fires.

Gentle said the GFS has had its greatest challenges during last year’s dry spell, when outdoor fires increased by 220% and the GFS responded to 145 grass fires countrywide.

He pointed out that the upside to the GFS that year was that its ranks had successfully managed to launch two of four of the Hinterland Fire Protection Programmes, and had deployed resources and had commenced training of volunteers in pursuit of its objectives. The GFS is hoping to build on that for 2013 as well.

ASPIRATIONS
As for aspirations, Gentle said the GFS is hoping to see a greater reduction of fires, and wish people would practice fire safety to ensure their environment is safe.

A comparison of the GFS statistical data from January 1 to December 31 shows that the Service has had 1955 fire calls in 2012 and 1339 in 2011, which show a 29% increase in fires.

Gentle said that 84 privately owned buildings had been completely destroyed in 2012, as against 105 in 2011, which revealed a 15% decrease in fires. He added that 26 buildings were severely damaged in 2012, and 61 were so affected in 2011, for a 48% decrease in that type of loss.
He explained that 45 buildings were slightly damaged by fire in 2012, whereas 103 were so affected in 2011, making a 45% decrease in this type of damage.

He stated that 16 government buildings had been completely destroyed by fire in 2012; while, in 2011, one building was totally gutted, showing an 88% increase in this type of  loss.
Gentle said that a total of 182 buildings were affected by fire last year; but, for 2011, there were 277, showing a 23% decrease.

For last year, 309 persons were rendered homeless; while, in 2011, the GFS recorded 439 persons being displaced when fires consumed their houses, thus creating an 18% decrease.

Ten persons perished in fires for both 2012 and 2011, while five persons were injured in 2012, and nine were injured in 2011 by fires, he said.

Gentle disclosed that as for external electrical fires, 285 cases were recorded in 2012, and 305 in 2011. Internal electrical fires numbered 34 in 2012 and 41 in 2011.

He added that outdoor/vegetation fires recorded 1145 cases in 2012 and 544 in 2011, which revealed a 21% increase in this type of danger. There were also 34 cases of fires caused by carelessness.
He noted that children playing with matches caused 13 matters in 2012, and 12 matters in 2011, and that there were 81 cases of malicious setting of fires last year, whilst in 2011, there were 94.

He revealed that there were 1145 cases of fire being deliberately set in 2012, and 544 such incidents in 2011, which points to a 210% increase in that type of loss, and he also said that the GFS has had 31 cases of unknown fires in 2012, and 14 such cases in 2011.

Gentle pointed out that radiated heat caused 33 fires last year and 44 in 2011, whilst the department answered 183 malicious false alarm cases in 2012 and 173 in 2011.