debut: 2/16/17
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T&T Communities at Risk as Fire Service Await Tenders
There are no fire trucks at the Chaguaramas, Woodbrook, Belmont, Morvant and Santa Cruz fire stations.At another three stations last week, there were trucks with serious defects, compromising the fire officers' ability to put out fires. But within the last few days, the Sunday Guardian learnt, the authorities started repairing these vehicles. This and other issues facing the T&T Fire Service are putting the public at an elevated risk of property damage, serious personal injury or even death from major fires when there is a slow response time, several fire officers, whose identities have been withheld to protect them, said. They said the issues facing the Fire Service are serious and pose a safety risk.In fiscal 2022, according to budget 2023 documents, the Fire Service was allocated $61 million. $40.8 million, according to the document, was spent on the upgrade of existing fire stations, the construction of new stations, as well as for the procurement of vehicles and equipment.
According to fire service sources, the firetruck intended for use at the Siparia Fire Station was being used at the Penal Fire Station. So, instead of fire officers being able to respond to the Quinam Road fire from the Siparia Fire Station, officers from the Penal station, a further distance away, had to go to the scene, causing a delay.4 to 5 fire trucks covering more than 141 square miles
Over the past week, the Sunday Guardian visited several fire stations, mainly in western parts of Trinidad and Port-of-Spain, to get a sense of the issues causing slow response times at fire stations.
Of the eight fire stations between the Chaguaramas Fire Station, located at Airways Road, to the San Juan Fire Station, located along the Eastern Main Road, three fire stations had water/fire trucks and five had no water/fire trucks. This was confirmed by Fire Service PRO Dasent.For the length and breadth of T&T from the Chaguaramas peninsula to San Juan, there are currently between four to five water/fire trucks available to respond to fires.
Minister promises new equipment in 3 weeks
National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds in a newspaper report last week said equipment for the Fire Service will arrive in the country within the next three weeks.
Joshua Seemungal..T&T Express
381 days ago
None has arrived todate.
There are no fire trucks at the Chaguaramas, Woodbrook, Belmont, Morvant and Santa Cruz fire stations.At another three stations last week, there were trucks with serious defects, compromising the fire officers' ability to put out fires. But within the last few days, the Sunday Guardian learnt, the authorities started repairing these vehicles. This and other issues facing the T&T Fire Service are putting the public at an elevated risk of property damage, serious personal injury or even death from major fires when there is a slow response time, several fire officers, whose identities have been withheld to protect them, said. They said the issues facing the Fire Service are serious and pose a safety risk.In fiscal 2022, according to budget 2023 documents, the Fire Service was allocated $61 million. $40.8 million, according to the document, was spent on the upgrade of existing fire stations, the construction of new stations, as well as for the procurement of vehicles and equipment.
According to fire service sources, the firetruck intended for use at the Siparia Fire Station was being used at the Penal Fire Station. So, instead of fire officers being able to respond to the Quinam Road fire from the Siparia Fire Station, officers from the Penal station, a further distance away, had to go to the scene, causing a delay.4 to 5 fire trucks covering more than 141 square miles
Over the past week, the Sunday Guardian visited several fire stations, mainly in western parts of Trinidad and Port-of-Spain, to get a sense of the issues causing slow response times at fire stations.
Of the eight fire stations between the Chaguaramas Fire Station, located at Airways Road, to the San Juan Fire Station, located along the Eastern Main Road, three fire stations had water/fire trucks and five had no water/fire trucks. This was confirmed by Fire Service PRO Dasent.For the length and breadth of T&T from the Chaguaramas peninsula to San Juan, there are currently between four to five water/fire trucks available to respond to fires.
Minister promises new equipment in 3 weeks
National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds in a newspaper report last week said equipment for the Fire Service will arrive in the country within the next three weeks.
Joshua Seemungal..T&T Express
381 days ago
None has arrived todate.
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