GFS to install 200 additional fire hydrants by year-end

– Regs 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7 earmarked to benefit

The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) is expected to install an additional 200 fire hydrants before the end of 2026, building on the 388 already installed across Regions Three, Four, Five, Six, and Seven.

Speaking on GFS Spotlight, Head of the Hydrant Department, Divisional Officer (DO) Otis Charles, highlighted his team’s daily work to install, map, inspect, and service fire hydrants.
“Inspections and mapping of hydrants are done throughout the country every day,” he stated.
Charles noted that damage to hydrants remains a recurring challenge, particularly in areas with heavy vehicular traffic. He cited the hydrant outside the Total Store on Regent Street, which was unserviceable during the major fire at Regent Household and Electronics.
According to DO Charles, his team had repaired that hydrant twice before the incident. It has since been replaced with a new unit.
He also expressed concern that repeated appeals for motorists to avoid parking near fire hydrants continue to go unheeded. Keeping hydrants accessible is essential to ensuring firefighters can quickly access water during emergencies.

Back in August, it was reported that some 35 of the 200 new fire hydrants acquired by the GFS have been installed across the country.
The GFS plan to install 200 new hydrants as part of an ongoing restoration programme aimed at repairing existing inoperable units.
Already, new hydrants are being installed in Georgetown as well as along the East Bank of Demerara (EBD), East Coast of Demerara (ECD), and along the West Bank and West Coast of Demerara (WCD). In addition, existing hydrants are continuously being serviced to ensure they remain operational.
Nevertheless, it was reported that despite the high number of hydrants in Region Four, the GFS has identified 150 hydrants across Regions Three, Four, Five, and Six that are currently non-functional.
This was reportedly the result of a combination of accidental damage caused by vehicles and ageing infrastructure inherited from the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) system.
Meanwhile, the GFS remains committed to protecting lives and property. With continued support from the Government of Guyana, the Hydrant Department will expand its work toward improving fire hydrant coverage in communities across the country.