Latest update April 3rd, 2026 12:35 AM
Fire calls down by 34%: Walrond shifts focus to prevention
(Kaieteur News) – While the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) recorded 34% reduction in fire calls in 2025, Minister of Home Affairs, Oneidge Walrond, has called for a shift in focus, urging that fire prevention be prioritised over relying solely on emergency response times.
Speaking at the opening of the GFS Annual Senior Officers’ Conference on Wednesday, Walrond emphasised that the public’s attention must turn to preventing fires before they start, rather than solely counting on how quickly the fire service can respond.
Guyana Fire Service Annual Senior Officers Conference 2026 held at the Guyana Police Force Officers’ Mess Annex
In her address at the Guyana Police Force Officers’ Mess Annex, Walrond underscored the critical need to intensify fire prevention efforts across the nation. She noted that fire safety is not just the responsibility of the GFS but requires continuous community engagement and a national commitment to reducing fire risks.
“Guyana is developing at a pace. Guyana has never seen more construction, more industrial activities, denser populations, expanded infrastructure, electrical systems, fuel storage, and complex facilities across every region,” minister Walrond explained. She warned that all these developments carry fire risks, and when something goes wrong, the fire service must step in to manage the danger.
“A developing nation is, by its nature, a nation of increased fire exposure,” Walrond continued. “We cannot speak honestly about Guyana’s growth without speaking honestly about what it demands of this institution. For too long, the measure of the fire service is how fast it could respond after fire started. Response time matters. It will always matter, but the most effective fire service is one that reduces how often that response is needed.”
The minister emphasised that true prevention includes identifying risks before disaster strikes, whether it’s a faulty electrical system or improper storage of hazardous materials. “Every fire that does not start is a life saved, a home preserved,” Walrond said.
In her speech, Walrond also highlighted key efforts such as the revision of the Fire Prevention Act, the expansion of fire prevention offices, and the development of a national security risk reduction plan in collaboration with partners. “These efforts are central to our mission and must be properly resourced,” she stressed.
Walrond also discussed the role of technology in the GFS’s operations, but cautioned that no technological advancement, no matter how advanced, can replace the importance of community education. “Technology will change how we operate, but it won’t save a family that doesn’t know the risk they’re living with. That gap must be closed through community engagement,” she emphasized.
The minister highlighted steps in this direction, including the distribution of fire suppression equipment, collaboration with Neighbourhood Democratic Councils, and training community members in fire safety. She stressed that community education is as vital as response capability. “When a market vendor understands the risks their storage practices create, and when children in our schools learn from a young age that fire prevention belongs to all of us, then we will see fewer emergencies,” Walrond asserted.
She pointed to improvements in the GFS’s response time, with the introduction of 40 rapid intervention vehicles, three ambulances, and three fire trucks in 2025. “This is a direct response to closing the gap in our response capabilities,” Walrond said.
Fire Chief Gregory Wickham echoed the minister’s remarks, noting that fire calls across the country had dropped by 34% over the past year. He also praised the work of the GFS’s Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), who responded to over 7,000 emergency calls and delivered 12 newborn babies in 2025.
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