Dominica: The Government has handed over two fully equipped fire trucks to the Fire and Ambulance Services during an official ceremony. It was important to strengthen the emergency response capacity and ensure more efficient, reliable service to communities.
Reportedly, the new trucks will be stationed in Roseau and Portsmouth. Minister of National Security – Rayburn Blackmoore stated that another fire truck is also being manufactured and will be added to the fleet soon.
Blackmoore explained that it takes over a year to manufacture a truck and then this truck is manufactured in the region of $1.5 million. It is mainly based on the schedule that was actually, given to him. The team was earlier hoping to have the truck in April of this year, but there’s a little lapse in terms of the time for the manufacturing process. So now they might receive them a month later.
He added that so, these two trucks are not only two trucks for now, but they also have a short-term and a long-term solution. Along with this they are constructing a new fire station in Grand Bay, which will house 16 officers, and they will also be equipping that fire station with appliances.
According to the statement of Rayburn Blackmoore, they are also working in concert with the government of the United States of America as the funding for a fire and ambulance service building in the village of La Plaine and the contractor has already begun to mobilise. The construction will commence during the course of this month to build a new fire station in the village of La Plaine to serve as a gas region.
Considering this, the Chief Fire Officer – Wayne Letang said that the trucks mark a very significant milestone for the department. He stated that he is indeed pleased to be standing as the chief fire officer, as they accept these vehicles on behalf of the people of Dominica, which marks a very significant milestone for them.
Wayne expressed that the reason they are saying this, that these trucks represent what they call an immediate plan or a solution to what exists within the organisation in terms of the fire trucks. He said normally people know it as a fire truck, but he described it as a term that the fire service uses. They call this a multi-purpose tenders or apparatus.
As per Officer Wayne the reason of it just not being a fire truck is that this is a fire officer’s office. This can be his bedroom sometimes if he needs a rest. This is also what they use to go to any area. So, it’s their transportation. This is a complete storage facility for firefighting for them.