Water reservoirs in buildings mooted to battle fires
Installing internal water reservoirs in buildings is one option being contemplated to combat fires. This was disclosed by Home Affairs Minister Ronald Gajraj when he addressed the one-day Annual Fire Service Officers' Conference on Friday at the Guyana Fire Service Sports Club, Water Street. Gajraj, in his feature address, noted the importance of training for the officers which he said was just as critical as the need for equipment and technical expertise. Conceding that no organisation operated without constraints, he commended the servicemen on the excellent manner in which they executed their duty. He said that while some critics may want to make uncomplimentary remarks with regard to the handling of the Park Hotel fire, the firemen had performed excellently considering the resources with which they operated. Water had to be drawn from as far as the canal east of the Bank of Guyana building and from the Demerara River. There were many considerations for the Fire Chief at that time, the minister said, and everyone had played their role. Focusing on the shortage of equipment, Gajraj praised the donations by private citizens and organisations and called on the British High Commission not to neglect the Guyana Fire Service, noting that both the Guyana Prison Service and Guyana Police Force had benefited. He called for more educational programmes to sensitise the public to the dangers of fire with special attention being paid to children. The minister disclosed that the authorities were looking at legislation regarding "making certain things compulsory" to have home owners take action in the interest of themselves and others. Drawing a parallel to the overloaded mini-bus returning from Berbice in which 12 persons were killed, the minister disclosed that he had had unconfirmed reports that the bus had been stopped in Berbice and then allowed to go. How did that policeman feel? the minister asked, because if the reports were true he might have prevented that fatal accident. In the same way he continued, parents should not leave their small ones at home alone. He cited recent examples where this was done and children had died in the resulting conflagration. Noting the limitations of the fire service, Gajraj said that the only way forward was to foster partnerships. He said one could not sit back complacently and "wait for manna to fall." Fire Chief Tulsi John made an impassioned appeal for an end to the vandalism of fire hydrants. He also emphasised that all fire tenders carried water to the scenes of fire. John said he wanted to dispel the notion that fire tenders sometimes responded to calls without water.
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