Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn lashed out on the Guyana Fire Service today, criticizing its fire fighting posture especially with regards to recent fires and in instances where he believes damage could have been minimized.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the Guyana Fire Service Senior Officers’ Conference this morning, Minister Benn said while the Government has been investing heavily in resources for the service, those resources mean nothing if they are not properly used.

Mr. Benn, who himself has recently been accused of micromanaging fire fighters at fire scenes, told the conference that too often he would arrive on fire scenes and find no one in command and everyone doing their own thing.

He said on certain scenes fire fighters are not wearing their uniforms, helmets are not properly clipped and flame hoods and gloves are not being worn.

“I don’t want to go on the fire scene and see the leading persons don’t have on proper uniforms, not prepared, confused as the rest and walking around with bottles of waters in their hands to drink their own water while the men going into the fire don’t have water, I don’t want that,” Benn stressed.

 He said the top brass of the Fire Service must take responsibility and ensure that their firefighters are well-prepared when going out in the fields.

“So, the problem again is we have our leadership and the command structure, working in a more improved and efficient manner. The Guyana Fire Service by my last checking is still a disciplined -service, if they are not discipline, if the person who is ill-discipline is your friend, family or machoman, he has to get out of the service,” Benn noted.

The Minister said the leadership of the fire service must also ensure women firefighters are respected.

A few weeks ago, a senior Fire Officer hammered the Home Affairs Minister over his penchant for showing up at fire scenes and issuing directives to firefighters as they carry out their duties. Benn never responded to the claims and has continued to show up at fire scenes.

At the conference today, Fire Chief Gregory Wickham, boasted that the Fire Service has seen tremendous progress over the last few years.

“And so we would have expended $674M to acquire these equipment, and again I will boast to say that in the Caribbean, the Guyan Fire Service is leading the way when it comes to these pieces of equipment for example, we have in our possession two Bronto sky lift that would allow us to do aerial firefighting and rescue,” Wickham noted.

A young firefighter lost his life three weeks ago days after he was hospitalized with serious injuries that he sustained while battling a fire at the Mae’s School. 

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