Fire Department appeals for better equipment

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Fire Chief Elvis Weaver

By Theresa Goodwin

[email protected]

The country’s Fire Chief is appealing for more modern equipment with greater capacity to fight blazes as the department reports a rise in fire calls.

Elvis Weaver said acquiring a ladder truck was essential in light of the increasing number of multilevel buildings being constructed.

He also said officers are in need of more personal protective gear to help them carry out their duties effectively.

Weaver told reporters at a recent news conference that a total of 494 fires had been reported last year, compared to 401 in 2019. Bush fires saw a marked increase, soaring from 156 in 2019 to 243 in 2020.

There was also a hike in the number of electrical fires on record with 56 reports in 2019 and 65 in 2020.

House blazes saw a slight dip, with firefighters responding to 77 in 2019, and 61 last year. They also extinguished 31 vehicular fires in 2019 and 30 in 2020.

The fire chief also reported that there were 30 false reports in 2019, rising to 48 last year.

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