THE foundation has already been laid for the new $614 million Guyana Fire Service headquarters which is to be relocated to Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown, and is expected to be completed within a 14-month period.

Speaking at the Fire Advisory Board’s outreach on Friday last, Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn said that the current fire service headquarters at the Stabroek area is too congested and has to be improved.

He said with the new equipment being brought in, a new layout is needed as well as modern architecture, all in an effort to improve the efficiency of the fire service.

Minister Benn indicated that the relocation of the Guyana Fire Service will help increase emergency-response timings, given that they will be away from the heavily congested Stabroek Market area.

The new fire station is being built on three and a half acres of land. The relocation of the Central Fire Station had been under discussion for some years, consequent to recognising the Stabroek Market area being radically transformed.

A contract of $614 million was signed with Mohammed’s Enterprise last November, after Budget 2021 saw some $1.9 billion earmarked to enhance the capacity of the fire service.

Last year, Minister Benn told the media that not only is the personnel being trained and infrastructure and support equipment being developed, but that President, Dr Irfaan Ali has mandated him to re-establish the fire mains and hydrants in the city and in the new housing areas.

“There was always the debate on whether the responsibility was with Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) or with the fire service …we’ve now taken the position that fire service will pay attention to the hydrants, the restoration but the mains will have to come from GWI,” he had said.

All of the major developments contemplated are against the backdrop of the orthodox methods of fire-fighting in Guyana. Minister Benn urged that businesses and even homeowners take it upon themselves to educate themselves on fire safety and prevention and equip their premises with fire-fighting devices such as smoke detectors and sprinklers.