Fire reports drop by 34% as prevention efforts continue to pay off— Fire Chief

The Guyana Fire Service recorded a 34 per cent decline in fire calls over the past year, a development Fire Chief Gregory Wickham says reflects the success of intensified prevention efforts and deeper community engagement.

“The Guyana Fire service over last year would have by application and modus operandi delivered managed to have -34 % in fire calls they responded to over the previous year. In the years before this they were overwhelmed by the number of calls,” Wickham said on Wednesday.

He made the disclosure on while delivering remarks at the opening of the Guyana Fire Service Annual Officers’ Conference, held under the theme ‘Fire Reduction Through Technological Innovation and Enhanced Community Engagement’.

The reduction, Wickham said, signals a shift in how the fire service is approaching fire safety, with greater emphasis being placed on public education and early response within communities.

“The reduction is a direct indication that the fire service has been engaged with those persons who are using fire,” Wickham said, noting that firefighters have in several instances arrived at scenes to find that residents had already extinguished fires before crews reached the location.

He said the service remains committed to reaching every community across the country as it continues to build on these gains. “None is exempted, none is left out,” he said.

Wickham also underscored the importance of maintaining safety standards as Guyana experiences rapid development, stressing that both citizens and investors must be confident that their homes and businesses are protected.

“We must by all means ensure that the citizens of this country remains safe. Also those persons who are coming into our country and making great development…we must ensure that their businesses remains safe…so there will be no loss,” he said.

The Fire Chief added that firefighters continue to undergo training to remain “fit for purpose” as the service advances its use of technology and strengthens partnerships aimed at further reducing fire incidents nationwide.

The Annual Officers’ Conference brings together senior ranks of the fire service to assess performance and outline strategies for the year ahead.