GFS to use statistical analysis to expand, better prevent fires

– agreement inked with Guyana Bureau of Statistics

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was on Thursday inked between the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) and the Guyana Bureau of Statistics to aid in the improvement of fire prevention and safety across Guyana.
Chief Fire Officer (ag) Gregory Wickham and Chief Statistician, Errol LaCruez signed the agreement on the sidelines of the GFS Senior Officers’ Conference 2024, at the Guyana Police Force, Annex in Georgetown.
This will see statistical analysis being used to analyse trends to develop targeted strategies to reduce the number of fire-related incidents and enhance community resilience countrywide.

As part of the MoU, some 30 electronic tablets were distributed to the GFS to enable ranks in various areas to monitor nationwide fires in real time.
According to Fire Service’s Manager of the Strategic Management Division, Kimberly DeSantos, this will allow firefighters to respond swiftly to scenes and carry out their duties effectively.
During the signing, Home Affairs Minister, Robeson Benn related that it has become increasingly clear that statistical development is an essential tool to better understand fire patterns, response times, and risk factors.
On this point, he explained that this critical tool enables the fire service to effectively allocate resources, ensuring firefighters have the tools and information they need to respond to emergencies promptly.
“By leveraging data, we can develop targeted strategies to reduce the number of fire incidents and enhance community resilience,” he said.
The Minister also re-emphasised the need for continuous training and improvement within the service, to effectively prevent fires and protect communities.
“I want to encourage the fire service to continue to upskill and to get better at the work that they do,” the minister stressed.
Conference
This year’s Annual Officers’ Conference is themed “Adapting to change, leading with innovation and resilience.”
The opening ceremony saw presentations from senior officers of the Service and was attended by Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn; Chief Fire Officer (CFO), Gregory Wickham; and other special invitees.
The two-day activities are part of efforts to boost the officers’ momentum by reminding them of the arms mission, which specifies that the Fire Service must continually evolve itself to respond to the crisis and protect Guyanese and their assets.
During his remarks, Minister Benn underscored that investments are being made to expand the service to address the national challenge of protecting against fire, loss of life, destruction, and injuries related to fire.
He encouraged the fire service administration to utilise its resources in the most effective way possible and to be prepared for the vast developments in infrastructure.
“We are looking forward to their continued collaboration with the other services… the Police Force, the Defense Force and the Guyana Prison Service in relation to their challenges”.
“We are more and more challenged to get better skill, better tools, better conscience, and better prepared in relation to the developments which are ongoing,” the Minister added.
Meanwhile, Acting Fire, Chief Gregory Wickham emphasised community sensitisation initiatives will continue in a bid to continuously educate the populace on fire prevention.
“We are focused on ensuring that every citizen is aware of the hazards and what necessary equipment or tools they can use to prevent those hazards from leading or becoming fires and so, we are going into each community, each station would have to commence from January engagements with communities,” the Fire Chief said.