The Fire Service’s ability to respond to fires acrosss north Trinidad has being crippled by the effective closure of six fire stations due to faulty fire tenders.
In a telephone interview yesterday, president of the Fire Service’s Association Leo Ramkissoon confirmed the situation, which he described as a crisis.
The situation comes less than a month after the service was threatened by a fuel shortage caused by National Petroleum’s (NP) refusal to supply it over an outstanding bill.
The T&T Guardian understands that the affected stations are Arima, Morvant, Tunapuna, Santa Cruz, Woodbrook and Belmont—whose service capacity have all been gradually reduced over the past few months because the Fire Service has been unable to perform routine maintenance on fire tenders, leaving most inactive.
When a news team from the T&T Guardian visited the Woodbrook Fire Station yesterday afternoon, the front gate, doors and windows were shut. Two civilian vehicles were parked on the compound but there no fire tenders or firefighters in sight.
“The situation is so bad that of the six tenders at the headquarters on Wrightson Road only one is working,” Ramkissoon said.
He explained that as a result of the situation, the Sangre Grande and San Juan Fire Stations are now required to respond to all fires in east Trinidad.
“That is a huge area for those two stations. This will put fire officers and the public at risk,” Ramkissoon said.
Ramkissoon called on Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and National Security Minister Carl Alphonso to intervene, as he said many of the service’s issues appeared to be caused by issues with the dispensing of its budget allocation from central Government.
“Every time we speak to the Chief Fire Officer he says the allocation is not forthcoming and that his hands are tied. This cannot continue,” Ramkissoon said.
In addition to the fuel issue and faulty equipment, Ramkissoon said his association’s ongoing salary negotiations was also a source of major concern to members.
“Fire officers are threatening to take matters into their hands. We are pleading with them to operate within the remit of the regulations but we can’t control them,” Ramkissoon said.
Several calls were made to Chief Fire Officer Nayar Rampersad and Alphonso but they did not answer.