The Barbados Fire Service (BFS) will be headquartered at Prince Road, Pine, St Michael, on the same compound as the CXC buildings.
This announcement came from Minister of Home Affairs Edmund Hinkson who also told journalists today that the proposed state-of-the-art facility will replace the Probyn Street Bridgetown headquarters earmarked for demolition.
After that takes place, he said, some firefighters would be relocated to a temporary fire station at Prince Road while others would be accommodated at the Worthing, Christ Church, and Arch Hall, St Thomas, stations.
“Arrangements are being made to retrofit a building in the same compound as the proposed new fire station in Prince Road. The building is managed by the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Maintenance. But that building has to be refurbished. The Barbados Tourism Inc. is facilitating and providing funding for this.
“But we are also looking in the longer term while the construction of the new fire station takes place, at the British American buildings in Upper Collymore Rock, St Michael. But again that building would have to be refurbished and retrofitted to accommodate a temporary fire station on the first and second floors,” he said.
Following Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley’s announcement that the fire station and nearby old NIS building at Fairchild Street would be demolished to accommodate the Golden Square Freedom Square, it was reported that firefighters were unhappy with a relocation to outfitted containers at Bay Street.
However, Minister Hinkson put this down to the firefighters not being aware of planned developments.
He explained that the containers were an outpost for firefighters carrying out inspection and other duties in the City to relax and take a break.
“The executive of the Fire Service Association is involved and has been kept abreast of these developments and my understanding is that they are satisfied that the best is being done and they don’t have any issues,” Hinkson said.
The Home Affairs minister said the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) has agreed to fund the construction of the new station for which the survey plan was recorded at the land registry last week. He explained that the Ministry of Housing was now preparing a paper outlining further details for the proposed fire station which is to be presented to Cabinet for further approval.
“Ultimately we will ensure the improvement of the fire service’s framework and what we offer to the people of Barbados. We do not know when a natural disaster will come, but we have to be prepared for it.
“I can assure you as Minister of Home Affairs that we are creating the environment for the improvement of the Fire Service both in terms of infrastructure, development, training, and administration,” he added.
anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb
