Fire Station to become operational at La Grange later this year – Fire Chief

Aug 12, 2015 News

---

…as concerns about response to Bella Dam fire surface

Another fire station is slated to become operational in Region Three later this year. This disclosure was made to Kaieteur News by Chief Fire Officer, Marlon Gentle.

His revelation was prompted by questions raised by this publication as it relates to the perceived delay of the functioning of a fire station that has been constructed at La Grange, West Bank Demerara.
While the fire station appears to be physically completed, including the addition of utility services such as water and electricity, Gentle insisted that the facility is not ready to become operational.
He offered an explanation that “the plan for that fire station is to be opened later down this year because we have to acquire the equipment; we have to acquire everything.”
But this publication was granted access to see at least one vehicle (fire truck) that has already been procured for La Grange Fire Station. This very fire truck, Kaieteur News was told, was kept on standby at the National Stadium during the recent hosting of CPL cricket.
“This appliance is currently sitting at the Central Fire station,” a fire official revealed.
This publication was informed that one of the reasons vocalised for the delayed operation of the La Grange Fire Station is that the recommended level of ranks is not available to be placed there. Reports are that although there are vacancies to allow for the promotion of ranks, this process has been stalled.
A number of ranks had reportedly become eligible for promotion following their sitting of examinations in December 2013.
The results were said to have been approved by the Fire Chief, but no rank who participated in the exam was named when promotions were announced earlier this year.
This publication has learnt that if the ranks are not promoted by a certain period their results could become null and void.
A reliable source within the Fire Service disclosed that discussions were had to the effect that ranks, from among those who participated and passed the December 2013 examination would have been placed at La Grange Fire Station, an undertaking that has not materialised.
But according to Fire Chief Gentle, the fact that the Fire Station has not been completed, the placement of ranks there has not yet occurred.
“If a fire station is opened tomorrow, the Fire Service has responsibility to find people to man it…,” said Gentle.
The status of the La Grange Fire Station was raised following a fire on Saturday which occurred at Bella Dam, West Bank Demerara, which left a nonagenarian dead, two vehicles and two houses completely destroyed, and one house partially damaged.
There were concerns voiced that the response of the fire service was wanting. Reports are that had La Grange Fire Station been operational the response time could have been a mere three minutes. This publication was informed that three fire engines responded to the fire – one from Leonora, one from West Ruimveldt and another from Alberttown.
This publication was told, by multiple sources within the Fire Service, that there was a delay in the response of the Leonora Fire Station, as it was reportedly responding to a call at Parika.
The response time of the West Ruimveldt appliance it was revealed amounted to just over 15 minutes, and upon arrival, the responding firemen requested “backup” thus Alberttown was summoned too, a fire official told this publication. Support was also rendered to the Bella Dam fire by a land rover from the Wales Estate.
But the Fire Chief in defence of the response to the fire stated that “the fire service got a call for a fire, we dispatched our unit(s) that is in keeping with the standard operating procedure…”
Reports are that the cause of the Bella Dam fire is still under investigation.
Kaieteur News was informed that the Fire Service’s tactic for investigating fire is usually based on the accounts of persons who were at the scene at the early stage of a fire. But according to a fire official, persons in the vicinity of the Bella Dam fire have been reluctant to comment on what they had witnessed.
Currently the Leonora Fire Station situated at West Coast Demerara is the lone operational fire station in Region Three.
This Fire Station is mandated to respond to fires in all areas north of the Demerara Harbour Bridge and provide support where the need arises to other areas.
The West Ruimveldt Fire Station on the other hand is mandated to respond to areas south of the Harbour Bridge and also offer support to Leonora as far as Crane on the West Coast of Demerara.

---

---