Fire Service strengthened with $27M equipment boost

More than a week after 20 lives were lost following a tragic fire in the dormitory of Mahdia Secondary School in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) has received a much-needed equipment boost.
The Home Affairs Ministry received more than $273 million in advanced firefighting equipment from Angloco, a British firefighting and rescue vehicles manufacturing company, to enhance the capabilities of the Fire Service.
In a handing-over ceremony held on Wednesday at the Home Affairs Ministry’s office, the British High Commissioner to Guyana, Jane Miller, handed over the keys to the equipment to Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn.
Chief Fire Officer (ag) Gregory Wickham gratefully accepted the equipment on behalf of the Fire Service. The newly-acquired inventory includes a state-of-the-art hydraulic platform valued at $255 million. Additionally, an $8 million bus and a $9.8 million ambulance have been added to the fleet.
During the handing over, Minister Benn acknowledged that the equipment arrived at a time of great tragedy, referencing the devastating fire at the Mahdia Secondary School dormitory.
Saying it was still a difficult time, he noted “ the visit and the work they have done over the past two weeks to bring up particular pieces of equipment which are down, and work with us to bring in this new equipment”.
The fire resulted in the loss of 20 children’s lives and left several others injured. Minister Benn emphasised the need for additional training and support for the Fire Service in light of the recent tragedy.
“We have to learn from the experience, we have to lean on other fire services and providers like Angloco, to learn from them, to acquire the new equipment, and maintenance support so that we use the equipment we have in a more efficacious way,” Benn said.
He further emphasised the importance of maintaining the newly-acquired equipment to ensure the readiness of the Fire Service for any fire or rescue operation that may arise.
Investigations into the Mahdia Secondary School dormitory fire revealed that it was started by one of the female students after her cell phone was confiscated by the dormitory supervisor and a teacher. The student has since been charged with 19 counts of murder.
While the tragedy at Mahdia Secondary School highlighted the urgent need for improved firefighting capabilities, the allocation of the equipment represents a significant step forward in enhancing the capacity of the Guyana Fire Service to respond effectively to future incidents. (G9)