Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs (right) being given a tour of the fire station by Fire Chief Clive Richardson (left) and Pedro Wilson (centre).
PHILIPSBURG–The Fire and Ambulance Departments will be moving to temporary locations while repairs are being made to the fire station, said Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs during the Council of Ministers press briefing on Wednesday.
These moves are due to the “dangerous situation” at the fire station, said Jacobs. Since Hurricanes Irma and Maria damaged the fire station in 2017, the building has been troubled by moisture, which has resulted in mould growing in the air conditioning system.
Government planned to repair the building, but was waiting on insurance pay-outs, which were recently given to the building’s owner, the Foundation for Government Buildings SOG.
SOG planned to commence repair work in January 2020, during which time the Fire Department was to move to a temporary location. However, the Windward Islands Civil Servants’ Union/Private Sector Union (WICSU/PSU) requested a meeting with Jacobs and demanded that their members be moved immediately, given the current state of the building.
Jacobs was given a tour of the fire station late last week, after which an emergency meeting was convened with the secretary-general of General Affairs, SOG board members, and government’s financial comptroller. Jacobs requested that the repair works start as soon as possible.
Jacobs said government had finalised a new temporary location for the Fire Department earlier this week, with personnel and equipment expected to move to this location later this week. While revealing that the Fire Department’s management team will be moved to makeshift offices at the Government Administration Building in Philipsburg, she did not disclose the location of the new temporary fire station.
However, she assured that the new location can accommodate the “main trucks” used in firefighting missions. The other trucks will be stored at another location near the new temporary fire station. The management team are to move into their provisional offices at the Government Administration Building within two weeks, said Jacobs.
Similarly, she did not disclose where the Ambulance Department will be moved to.
According to a press release on Wednesday, the repairs to the fire station are expected to be finalised by the end of February 2020.
“I am happy to see developments, as my concern is for the health and safety of our emergency services, who are sworn to protect and save us in times of disaster,” said Jacobs. She also said government is doing everything in its power to finalise the logistics and agreements related to this temporary relocation.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/93011-fire-and-ambulance-departments-to-be-relocated-to-allow-for-repairs
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