Carisa Lee
Reporter
carisa.lee@cnc3.co.tt
Overcome with emotion, Fire Service Association Second Division president Keone Guy teared up as he shared how many fire officers have been ignoring health and safety guidelines and putting their lives at risk.
The reason for this is a lack of self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), which Guy described as the most needed piece of equipment for a fire officer.
He estimated that the approximately 2,000 fire officers at 24 stations across the country have only ten breathing apparatus at their disposal. Guy estimated that they needed at least 400 apparatus to serve officers.
“It is time the Government acts and addresses these concerns, we will not stand for it any longer,” Guy cried.
He said as recent as Easter Monday, officers of the Siparia Fire Station were hospitalised for smoke inhalation after they responded to a house fire in Penal.
“On arrival, those officers were informed that one person was missing. These officers, even without the prescribed personal protection equipment (PPE), entered the building and attempted to perform a rescue. All six officers, including one who collapsed on the scene, required medical treatment,” Guy explained.
He said this incident showed how important the equipment was to their operations.
He added that for 2024 so far, 20 other fire officers faced a similar fate.
Guy, who himself was injured on the job on Republic Day 2023 due to a lack of breathing apparatus, said smoke inhalation is not merely a discomfort, but a silent killer that causes debilitating effects such as repository distress, carbon monoxide poisoning and even death.
“I stand before you today and seeming as though I might be well but I still deal with trauma, psychological impact and there are still scars on my face that I am living with daily...it was as a result of a lack of this critical component,” he shared.
Guy gave details about the available breathing apparatus. He said in the Northern Division there are two sets, in the Central Division there are three, and in the Southern Division there are also three sets.
“We probably have less than ten in circulation right now in the whole of Trinidad and Tobago, so essentially we do not have,” he said.
Guy said fire officers have been complaining about the issue since 2021 and nothing has changed.
In October last year, Divisional Fire Officer in charge of Public Relations Welfare and Research Dexter Hodge said 225 pieces of breathing apparatus should arrive in the country in eight to 12 weeks.
However, Guy said officers are still waiting, which is why he wants the Cabinet to intervene.
“We call on the Cabinet to swiftly and expeditiously address this dire situation. Our firefighters deserve better, their families deserve better, members of the public deserve better,” he said.
Guardian Media yesterday called and messaged the Minister of National Security Fitzgerald Hinds, who said he was busy but would call back. A follow-up message was sent but up to late evening, there was no response.
Chief Fire Officer (CFO) Arnold Bristol also did not respond to calls and messages.