GFS needs to prepare for new challenges amid booming oil industry – Benn

…fleet boosted with 4 tenders

Guyana’s oil and gas industry has taken off for unprecedented growth within the years ahead, a task which the Guyana Fire Service must be prepared for in the event of emergencies.

This was the sentiment of Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn, who stated that several developmental changes are bound to occur. With the new equipment and facilities established, the said officers within the GFS must prepare and pay keen attention to such matters.
“We have to deal with the new challenges in relation to the development in oil and gas. We have issues in relation to high-pressure vessels and boats and pipelines related to that. There will be a new gas powering facility at Wales and there will be pipelines with high-pressure gas going through. We have to have the training and the knowledge to deal with issues with respect to oil and gas. The preparedness, reaction times throughout in respect of all of these issues have to be paid attention to,” the Minister asserted.

Speaking on challenges facing the fire department, it was highlighted that arson and setting small fires are constant threats, especially in the city where high winds and old structures can easily trigger larger infernos.
“We have the problem about arson. There’s the problem all over the country and I see the fire service, particularly in the dry season have to roll out rapidly in respect of responding to little fires…Everybody dump trash, stuff from the stores and then somebody lights it up. This is a clear and present danger to the fire risk in a wooden city where we have high wind speed on the coast of Guyana.”
Benn also pointed to the addition of divers and swimmers to the team, in order to envelope a comprehensive rescue network that can operate in any situation.
He explained, “I know there have been issues where we need swimmers overboard, where we needed divers and we didn’t have them anywhere…We need to have these people in the fire and rescue service.”
On Thursday, four fire tenders were handed over to the GFS, valued at over $200 million. The trucks were procured with allocations from the 2019 and 2020 budgets, and are to be used at the Central Fire Station, West Bank Demerara, East Coast Demerara, and East Bank Demerara.
With the $1.9 billion set aside in the 2021 budget, two ambulances and six water tenders are to be procured.