Kenicia Francis
More fire trucks are to be added to the local fleet due to the greater demand for firefighting services, and the need for smaller vehicles to access the country’s narrow roads.
According to this week’s Cabinet notes, due to the volume of housing, shopping facilities and office buildings being constructed across the country, there is a greater demand on the Fire Service.
Firefighters have explained that the larger fire trucks move too slowly and cause their drivers difficulty when manoeuvring Antigua’s narrow streets.
The Cabinet agreed to five additional fire trucks, one each for St John’s, Cobbs Cross, All Saints, Johnson’s Point, and one for the VC Bird International Airport. Two tankers will also be purchased for the Fire Department.
Chief of Staff in the Prime Minister’s Office, Lionel Hurst, told media yesterday, “The chief of the Fire Department explained to the Cabinet that big fire trucks are not the way to go in Antigua and Barbuda.
“First, the roads are narrow, and second, big fire trucks are much slower than their smaller counterparts. So they proposed that we bring these water-carrying tankers that can hold as many as 2,500 gallons each, and also to purchase fire trucks that carry a thousand gallons each, so that in attending a fire, you can have both the trucks that will arrive first … and then the tankers that will also arrive on the scene in the event there is need for additional water.”
When asked about the cost of the new trucks and tankers, Hurst said he wasn’t able to recall the exact amount, but believes the cost for a used truck is around EC$500,000, while a new vehicle could be double that. Hence the Cabinet’s decision to likely purchase used trucks.
“In all likelihood, they’re not going to be new. But in many parts of the United States, for example, they routinely change fire trucks because they might have a certain shelf life. We have found that by taking very good care of them, they can last much longer,” Hurst added.
These trucks will be the newest additions to the fleet since 2022 when two trucks were brought in, one from the UK and one from the US.
