Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn has again said the Guyana Fire and Rescue Service has to “step up its game” to ensure that there is a stable fire safety environment but also to address the challenges in the oil and gas industry.
“…..We need to improve our responses at the level of the fire service…… The Guyana Fire and Rescue Service, that service has to step up its game, its ability, its focus, its resources in being able to deal with the issues related to high pressure gas, energy development. How to respond to those fires, to be properly trained for them, to be aware in the first instance, to educate the public in respect to the prevention issues and to work to make sure that we have a stable fire safety environment so that progress and development will continue in our country,” Benn said.
He was at the time delivering remarks at the 4th Fire Advisory Board outreach which was held at RK Security National Headquarters, Regent Road, Bourda.
The outreach was held under the theme “fire safety starts with the people, let’s endeavour to achieve our goals through education”.
Recently, Benn said there had been “significant, severe and distressing” losses due to fire.
As such, he said more emphasis needs to be placed on prevention with increased focus on electrical safety and lack of fire inspections particularly as it relates to commercial buildings.
“At the level of homes we have to improve, at the level of businesses we have to bring greater awareness in terms of fire protection. We need to simply have the fire alarms, the smoke alarms. We talked about bringing in fire bells,” Benn said.
According to Benn, fire inspections are “critical” and have to be pursued “vigorously” now. “We have the question of upping the levels of fire inspections on commercial buildings particularly…..We have to put the message out there in respect of fire prevention and where we know there are areas where people are maybe more at risk to the question of fire, we have to pay attention to those, we have to get the guards at public places, at schools and other places, at hospitals more able to respond and more alert to the question of where a fire occurs, when it occurs what should be the first response,” he explained.
Among the other issues that need “greater” awareness are children being left alone with fire starters in their possession and electrical safety, Benn said.
“We have to bring greater awareness to the issues of children being left alone and having matches and other fire starters and other things to play with….One particular issue which we seem to be a bit behind in appreciating is the question of electrical safety. The question of the quality and standardization of electrical appliances whether it’s the fan left on or the connection between wires,” he noted.
He further stated there must be “broadened” focus on ways to preventing fires and their spread. “….We have to train up in respect to responding to people who may be trapped in businesses, in buildings or in homes, we got to convert ourselves fully to a rescue service mode,” Benn said.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Fire Advisory Board, Ramesh Sugrim said the country is “taking off rapidly”
As such, he said the skills of its people as well as their safety need to be incorporated to build a future. “We have to build a future which will be parallel to the ABC countries. Our security skill is paramount, our fire safety skill is also paramount … because we need to protect our assets too. We cannot have them be gone by fire. So we have to get knowledge in this field including security. Our security function is to protect life and property,” Sugrim said.
There will also be a shift from the “normal watch man style” security to being more “alert and skilled” individuals to protect properties.
During yesterday’s outreach, a number of agencies presented on building codes, fire safety tips, relief in the event of a fire and causes and prevention of electrical fires.
