$46M water bowsers donated to Fire Service to enhance fire-fighting capacity

The Home Affairs Ministry has donated to the Guyana Fire Service three water bowsers which are valued at $46.2 million to boost the firefighting capacity of that entity.

During the handing over ceremony, held at the Home Affairs Ministry, Minister Robeson Benn explained that the donation now doubles the water bowser capacity within the Fire Service.
The Minister explained that the water bowsers, each of which has the capacity to transport 1800 gallons of water, would be used mainly alongside other units combating largescale fires.
However, he noted that the bowsers are also equipped with their own pumps, and can be used to tackle smaller fires by themselves.
“We’ve taken delivery and handing over to the Guyana Fire Service these 3 water browsers, to support the main assets when there’s a fire in bringing water and pressurising certain areas and systems,” Minister Benn said. “The amount of money spent is 46.2 million dollars. I understand they carry 1800 gallons each, they have independent pump systems, so they can be used by themselves in handling smaller issues other than being in train to support a larger firefighting effort.
The water bowsers would boost the…firefighting capacity in terms of the water bowsers we have instantaneously, and so, from that aspect, it’s a significant improvement,” the Minister has said.
Moreover, he stated that concerns have been raised, and the Ministry, through the Fire Service, is focused on cases of arson, which has been a common issue recently.
“We’re concerned recently about the increased setting of fires. It appears that when there’s a dispute, there’s malicious setting of fires to houses, cars, minibuses…centres. This appears to be a more recent negative resort in terms of issues relating to fires, beyond the question of electrical fire which we’ve been having quite a bit of… Those are some of the issues we want to bring to your attention,” the Minister stated.
Benn noted that Government would continue to boost the capacity of the Fire Service.
“We continue to make the effort in terms of replacing fire hydrants in the city and new housing areas, so we could have overall a better situation with respect to firefighting,” he explained.
“The Fire Service is not only responsible for fighting, but also has issues in respect of the ambulance services, the EMTs. I think they get 18 or 20 calls a day, and then they get the problem with fire naturally every day,” he highlighted.
Meanwhile, Fire Chief Gregory Wickham expressed gratitude for the timely donation, which he stated would help tremendously in the GFS effort to respond to, and tackle, fires.
He further related that the three bowsers would be deployed to various locations across the country.
“We are particularly glad for these new tenders or water bowsers that are added to the fleet, and certainly they’ll assist in having water readily available when we have to do firefighting. As for the distribution of these tenders, one will be going into Bartica, one will be going into Eccles, particularly to deal with any fire that we have within the Oil base areas there, and then one will remain in Georgetown to lend support to the firefighting fleet,” the Fire Chief has said.