The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) has issued a stern warning to the public to refrain from making prank calls to its emergency hotline, 912. The GFS has had to take this action after receiving multiple false reports on Wednesday morning.
National Insurance Scheme building
According to the GFS, it had received several calls claiming that schools and public offices were on fire. One such report alleged that a fire had broken out at the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) building on Camp Road, Georgetown. Firefighters swiftly responded to the scene, only to find no evidence of a fire.
“These prank calls waste valuable resources and time,” the GFS has said in a statement. “It also makes firefighters unavailable for legitimate calls where someone’s life and property may be at stake.”
The Guyana Fire Service on the scene
This is not the first time the Guyana Fire Service has had to deal with prank calls. In 2022, the GFS received a donation of four cordless phones from the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GTT) to help curb the issue. The phones, equipped with caller ID and recording capabilities, were intended to assist in identifying and tracking prank callers.
Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn has also addressed the issue. Emphasizing that Guyana’s development under the ‘One Guyana’ vision requires unity and collective responsibility, he underscored the importance of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and ensuring that emergency responders are well-trained to prevent injury, reduce harm, and save lives.
Benn has assured that, despite challenges such as prank calls and the malicious setting of fires, the GFS continues to have the full support of the Ministry of Home Affairs. He noted that initiatives like Wednesday’s warning, as well as future programs, would be implemented to enhance public safety and better serve citizens nationwide.
Workers leaving the NIS building on Wednesday after a prank call that the building was on fire
The Fire Service has reiterated that making prank calls to emergency services is not only reckless, but is also a serious offence that can have real consequences. It has urged the public to act responsibly and to use the 912 emergency line only for genuine emergencies.
