Fire Chief pledges to rebuild confidence as ranks taken back to scene of Brickdam Fire

Ranks of the Guyana Fire Service were taken back to the scene of the devastating fire that destroyed the Brickdam Police Station two weeks ago as a reminder that a fire of such magnitude should never occur again under their watch.

The ranks were taken there Tuesday morning during a ceremony to observe the Fire Services’ 64th anniversary and the Fire Chief (ag) Gregory Wickham pledged to rebuild the confidence of the public.

There, the Fire Chief made a bold promise that the Fire Service will extinguish all fires they respond to.

“We pledge, we will endeavour to ensure that we allow you to have the confidence to know that the Guyana Fire Service then, now and forever will be able to extinguish any blaze or fire that we will have to respond,” Wickham said.

In response to the public warnings issued by President Dr Irfaan Ali following the Brickdam Police Fire, Wickham said the fire service will strategically and professionally respond to emergencies.

What started off as a small fire in the Fraud Department of the Police Station on October 2 ended up as massive blaze that destroyed several buildings in the compound and resulted in the Fire Service coming under severe criticisms, especially from the Head-of-State.

“Mr President, we heard you and we have committed ourselves to fighting fires; we have committed ourselves to ensure that you have the confidence in this fraternity of firefighters who will endeavour that we don’t have such destruction again ever in this our nation,” Wickham stated.

Following the Brickdam fire, the substantive Fire Chief Kalamadeen Edoo was subsequently sent on leave and Wickham took up the post.

Meanwhile, after the ceremony on Tuesday, firefighters marched to the Central Fire Station to have breakfast.

Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn who also attended the event said a review and assessment of the Fire Service duties will have to done. Additionally, with the building designs and materials used in Guyana, Minister Benn said that there has to be more proficiency and responsibility from the Fire Service.

“We know the devastation that results from a fire in a city of this kind,” Minister Benn noted.

Meanwhile, the designs for the new central fire station at Durban Park has been completed with some $200 million allocated so far to start construction. Three new fire stations in Mabaruma, Region One, Mahdia Region Eight and Lethem, Region Nine are expected to be commissioned soon.