24 New Fire Trucks Commissioned

The T&T Fire Service received 24 vehicles and appliances and other fire fighting equipment yesterday. But although the arrival of the vehicles came just one week away from the start of the Fifth Summit of the Americas, they had no connection with the summit, says Minister in the Ministry of National Security Donna Cox. The commissioning of the new vehicles and equipment took place yesterday at Fire Services Headquarters, Wrightson Road, Port-of-Spain. Cox could not give a costing for the vehicles and equipment.

“Actually, this was running a long time ago, but we didn’t get the vehicles right away because we had to order them from specific locations,” Cox said. She said the new appliances and vehicles should improve the response time and efficiency of the Fire Service. “The commissioning of the new appliances and vehicles represents Government’s intention to comprehensively ensure that the nation’s fire fighters have modern equipment to provide efficient and professional service to the nation,” she added. She said it was also Government’s intention that by 2010 it would have made major strides in modernising and upgrading the Fire Service.

Included in this modernising plan, she said, would be the construction and refurbishment of several fire stations. “Stations at Rio Claro, Mon Repos, Princes Town, Siparia, Point Fortin, Woodbrook, Four Roads, Tunapuna, Chaguaramas, Arouca, Wrightson Road and Lady Hailes, San Fernando, are currently in the design and review stage,” she said. She said the Couva South and Sangre Grande Fire Stations had already been completed and were being refurbished and equipped before being commissioned. The Piarco Fire Station, she said, would be soon occupied.

The new vehicles and equipment commissioned yesterday were:
• Six water tenders
• Five water tankers
• Two Hazmat vehicles
• One emergency tenders
• One hose laying lorry
• One car carrier (flat bed wrecker)
• Four passenger buses
• Two double cab light trucks
• Six high pressure portable pumps.

Source: http://guardian.co.tt/