The firefighting capabilities of the Guyana Fire Service will soon be expanded with the construction of a new Fire Service Outpost at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) at Timerhri .
The decision to construct the outpost came after a visit and inspection of the airport’s access routes by Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn, and Fire Chief (ag) Gregory Wickham on Monday.
In the coming weeks, engineers from the ministry will conduct another inspection to initiate the Bill of Quantities (BOQ) process. Following this, the project will proceed to the tendering stage.
The new outpost will be constructed on the recently expanded runway, at a hangar located south of the London Army Base. This effort aims to minimise response time at the airport.
Not only will this facility enhance the agency’s services in the country, but it will also create employment opportunities for both firefighters and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). A recruitment drive for these positions will be conducted soon, followed by training.
This new outpost underscores the government’s commitment to safety and emergency preparedness, ensuring robust fire and rescue services to support the expanded airport infrastructure.
It is also part of the home affairs ministry’s plan to build fire systems near crucial areas such as airports, schools, markets, and other busy places.
In this year’s National Budget, $44.8 billion was approved for the Home Affairs Ministry to enhance the country’s security sector. Of that sum, the Guyana Fire Service was allocated $4.3 billion.
The sum of 505 million will be dedicated to rehabilitating old fire stations and constructing new ones. Fire stations at Leonora in Region Three, Diamond in Region Four, and Bartica in Region Seven are all slated for completion this year.
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