With billions of dollars in investment to increase its capacity to respond to fires, Prime Minister Mark Phillips has indicated that the Government is laying the foundation for a modern Guyana Fire Service.
In his address at the Guyana Fire Service Annual Officers Conference on Wednesday, the Prime Minister said between 2020 and 2025, the Government invested more than $3.5 billion in capital acquisitions for the Guyana Fire Service.
The Government, he said, invested in firefighting vehicles, specialized equipment and tools necessary to enhance its ability to respond to fires.
Prime Minister Phillips said as the country’s landscape transforms, it is critical for the Guyana Fire Service to modernize its operations.
‘Our country is being transformed, more and more, homes are being built; more factories and plants are being established; more commercial buildings, shops and stores are opened; and this is why we have been making investment in equipment and in the construction of fire stations across Guyana. We are not merely doing upgrades; we are laying the foundation for a modern Fire Service. And when we speak of modernization, we are speaking of a mindset shift. It means training for high rise rescue, it means understanding the chemistry of modern building materials,” the Prime Minister said.
Minister of Home Affairs, Oneidge Walrond, in her address said development comes with risks, and the Guyana Fire Service must better position itself to respond to growing challenges.
Minister Walrond said while Government has been doing its part with significant investments in the area, the Guyana Fire Service must adapt new technologies to adequately respond to fires, adding that for too long, citizens have been complaining about the response time.
“Geographical Information Systems (GIS), computer aided dispatch and GPS enabled field personnel are not luxuries. They are the operating standard of a modern fire service. When a call comes in, the dispatcher should already know of the nearest functional hydrant. The closest possible unity should be identified in seconds, the response should be coordinated before the truck leaves the bay, that is what technology makes possible, and it is what we are building today,” Minister Walrond said.
Since 2020, 621 firefighters have completed basic foundation training, which will soon entail specialized training in the area of Information Communication Technology (ICT).
In this year’s budget, the Guyana Fire Service is earmarked to receive $6.3 billion to build on the gains made in 2025.
Guyana’s Chief Fire Officer, Gregory Wickham reported that the Fire Service received a 34% reduction in the number of fire related calls in 2025.
“That there is a remarkable achievement because in the year prior to that, we were actually in some circumstances overwhelmed by the number of fire calls. So, we stand by our motto, our theme – reaching out to every community, every village, every business, very home, every family, through all the 10 Administrative Region of this our beloved country, none is exempted,” the Fire Chief said.
He said the reduction in fire calls reflects the work done by firefighters on the ground and in communities to promote fire prevention and fire safety and bring awareness.
The Fire Chief also lauded the work done by Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). He said to date EMTs have responded to 7,000 emergency calls.
“We must recognize the work that our Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) have been doing in support of firefighters. To date, they would have responded to no less than 7000 emergency calls, aiding the sick and the injured, rescuing persons and then transporting them to the nearest hospital for further treatment,” the Fire Chief said.
In 2025, the EMTs also delivered a total of 12 babies.
This year’s Conference was held under the theme “Fire reduction through technological innovation and enhanced community engagement.”
You must be logged in to post a comment Login