National Security Minister retired Major General Edmund Dillon has called for an inventory of all Fire Services equipment at fire stations across T&T. Speaking in a telephone interview yesterday, Dillon said the inventory would take place in the coming months to determine the state of the equipment.
“I have asked the Chief Fire Officer (Kenny Gopaul) to give an inventory of all the equipment and the state of all the equipment at all fire stations,” Dillon said. He said he met with the Fire Services Association president, Leo Ramkissoon, at the Ministry of National Security building in Port-of-Spain yesterday, aimed at addressing the critical problems facing the service.
Asked if his ministry’s allocation in the 2016 budget would allow for new equipment to be purchased if necessary, Dillon said:
“Notwithstanding the allocation in the budget, the Minister of Finance (Colm Imbert) has said he will make available whatever is required for the arms of the Ministry of National Security.” The meeting and inventory order come a day after a Couva family blamed the tardiness of the Couva Fire Station for the loss of their $2 million home.
The family complained the Couva Fire Station did not have a tender to respond to the fire and they had to wait for an appliance from the Couva South (Savonetta) Fire Station to respond. Ramkissoon said the association had been complaining for months about the lack of appliances at various fire stations across the country.
“Chaguaramas, Woodbrook, Belmont, San Juan, Morvant, Santa Cruz and Couva Fire Stations are all currently operating without any tenders,” Ramkissoon said. He said there were defects with the tenders issued to these stations, which left them useless. Ramkissoon said a new fire truck may cost Government around $2 million, the same value of the house destroyed in Couva.
However, Ramkissoon said the association hoped Dillon would make good on promises to address issues facing the service. Ramkissoon said in addition to a lack of fire trucks, fire officers were also exposed to health and safety risks at their respective stations. “None of our stations are compliant with the OSH Act and this means we are breaking the law,” he added.