Fire Service HQ set for July opening after delays

The long-delayed Barbados Fire Service and Emergency Service Complex at The Pine is finally on track for a July opening, Minister of Home Affairs Wilfred Abrahams announced on Friday, after setbacks linked to air conditioning issues and storm-resilience upgrades pushed the project over budget and behind schedule.

“We had some recent challenges in relation to the AC units and some technicalities in relation to the installation of the ACs that pushed us back a little bit,” he explained to reporters at a briefing. “The last date that I got from the project manager is that the station should be at a point of being handed over, towards the end of this month at the latest, very early next month . . . So we’re looking at a July date for the opening of the station. That’s all things being equal, but that’s where it stands.”

Abrahams gave an update on the construction status: “The station is pretty much almost completed. We’re doing architect certification and whatnot, but we just have to address the issues with the installation of a couple of the ACs . . . the bulk of the work in relation to the station is pretty much finished.”

Highlighting the urgency of ensuring the station becomes operational, he added that once the building is turned over, a “quick opening” is planned “because it’s the hurricane season and that forms a plank in our hurricane preparedness”.

The multi-million dollar project to replace the fire service headquarters at Probyn Street, The City, which was built in 1950, was originally budgeted at $30 million. It has experienced a delay, partly due to supply chain disruptions and building modifications intended to enhance storm resilience. These changes have increased costs by approximately $3.5 million.

Once completed, the new headquarters will centralise administrative functions, training facilities, and emergency planning operations, reinforcing the fire service’s critical role in providing fire suppression, inspections, disaster readiness, and public education.

“When it’s turned over, we plan to do a quick opening and get it into operation as soon as possible because it’s the hurricane season,” Abrahams said. “All things being equal, we’re on track. The bulk of the work is finished, and we’re in the final certification and snagging phase. We expect to get going very shortly.” (SZB)