43% decline in fire calls recorded for 2021 – acting Fire Chief

… says calls for Emergency Medical Services increased by 50%
The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) has responded to 832 reports of fire for the year thus far – a 43 per cent decline when compared to the same period for 2020.
Acting Chief Fire Officer Gregory Wickham on Thursday stated that calls were pegged at 1469 within this period last year.

“When we do the math, we recognise that we have a decrease in the number of fire calls by 43 per cent. The Fire Service, over the years, has been working assiduously to ensure that this number remains or be reduced further when it comes to end of the year for the activities or response of the Guyana Fire Service,” he shared.
Meanwhile, calls to the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system increased by 50 per cent, after 4728 calls were made.
“It is obvious that we have more calls for medical assistance this year as against last year and even if you were to make a comparison with fire calls as against calls for medical assistance, we will see that the percentage would be far greater for the number of instances where … [EMS] had to respond would be greater than fire calls,” the acting Fire Chief said.
Wickham was keen to point out that the Fire Service has to be ready at all times to respond to calls from the public, even if it is a prank call.
“It is our duty. It is one of our functions to stop the destruction of life and property by fire…The standard rule of a firefighter is when in doubt, turn out. We can never sit at the fire station and say it is a prank call, because we had one five minutes ago. We would always have to respond with intent that if we see a fire, we have to firefight or extinguish it,” he stated.
He announced that systems were put in place to trace calls that are made to the GFS. Anyone found guilty of prank calls will be hauled before the court.
Fire Prevention Officer Sheldon Sauns added that since the devastating Brickdam Police Station inferno last week, newer methods have been introduced to conduct regular checks at Police Stations and other structures across the country.
“We understand the severity of what transpired and we’re also putting ample systems in place so as to avoid any reoccurrences of same. This would be along the line of fire prevention and fire safety. Further, we will be conducting inspections at Police Stations to ensure that those stations are fitted with the requisite equipment to combat these fires if any shall occur at its incipient stage. When we have fires of that magnitude, it leaves an indelible mark on our economy. The Guyana Fire Service is committed to continue to offer service with confidence as we operate under our mandate,” said Sauns.