WITH 123 fires having occurred in the first quarter of the year already, as opposed to the 115 that did over the same period last year, Fire Chief, Kalamadeen Edoo is, understandably, none too happy about this development.
What must be even more daunting to him, judging from the statistics at hand, is that privately-owned property continues to record the highest number of fires in the country, now pegged at a whopping 84 to date, when compared to last year’s modest 74.
A cursory look at the records, however, shows that calls to the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) are down 44 per cent, from 800 this time last year to a mere 304 or so to date.
Also down significantly, at 125, are outdoor vegetation fires, which at this time last year stood at 592.
And in terms of fires involving motor vehicles, there has been a 50 per cent increase from 10 last year to 19, while fires occurring at business places are down somewhat, at 17 as against the 23 that were recorded for the same period a year ago.

TEN-POINT PLAN
Fire Chief Edoo, in a recent interview with the Guyana Chronicle, had indicated that throughout 2021, the GFS will be employing a ten-point plan in its quest to improve the quality of service it provides the people of Guyana.
The plan at reference entails the modernisation and renovation of existing fire stations; collaboration with government agencies; implementation of a fire service building code; establishment of a legal department; creation of an Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) department; training courses for staff both locally and internationally; establishment of a public relations unit; operational pole training for all staff; and the expansion of emergency medical service.
Under the modernisation and renovation of existing fire stations aspect of the plan, one of the major developments will be the relocation of the GFS headquarters from its present location in down-town Stabroek. For some time now, the fire service has been contemplating this move, due to congestion in the area, which negatively impacts its response time.

NEW FIRE STATIONS

The fire service is also looking to operationalise fire stations at Mahdia, Lethem and Mabaruma, where there are currently axillary units in operation; these fire stations are due to come on stream with a permanent staff by the end of this year.
A new fire station is also to be established at Eccles, on the East Bank Demerara; all of these expansion efforts, the fire chief said, are geared at improving the infrastructural aspect of the GFS, so as to make it better to envision their role in providing a fire prevention service, and responding appropriately to other emergencies.
According to the fire chief, the GFS also intends to increase its collaboration with other government agencies, so as to provide a high quality of service to the general public; this will be done through the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), and the Georgetown Mayor and City Council (M&CC), which will afford the fire service the opportunity to ensure greater compliance with fire prevention methods.