– 1,034 fire emergencies dealt with to date
The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) has responded to 3,447 ambulance calls, including six newborn deliveries, and attended to 1,034 fire emergencies from January to date.
At the same time, the service continues to strengthen its operational readiness through strategic investments in training, recruitment and specialised response capabilities.
Speaking with the Department of Public Information (DPI) on Thursday, Chief Fire Officer Gregory Wickham revealed that no fewer than 300 firefighters have been trained over the past five years.
Another 107 new firefighters completed Basic Recruitment Course Number One of 2026.
The newly graduated firefighters underwent extensive training in areas including search and rescue, firefighting in confined spaces, ladder and pump operations, breathing apparatus use, self-rescue techniques, and several other critical disciplines.
As part of the GFS’s ongoing efforts to build a highly skilled workforce to meet the country’s growing demands, Wickham explained that firefighters are also trained in human resource management, mechanical operations, driver development, supervisory management, welfare support and other specialised fields.
He noted that 30 middle managers recently completed training at the Government Technical Institute (GTI), where they were equipped with skills in communication, supervision and management.
The fire chief said the government’s continued investment in fire tenders, breathing apparatus sets, turntable skylifts, fireboats and other equipment must be matched by a corresponding increase in trained personnel.
Wickham said, “Time after time, we’ll have to train until we have our quiver filled with firefighters to lend support in those different regions where we have the establishment and even building of new fire stations.”
He also highlighted the growing capabilities of the fire service’s marine section, describing it as one of the most advanced in the Caribbean.
“The marine section of the Guyana Fire Service is one that stands out in the Caribbean because many Caribbean nations do not have that marine support. However, Guyana has that support through our operators, wharves and ports of entry,” he emphasised.
The service currently operates the fireboat ‘Protector 8,’ which has supported firefighting operations along Guyana’s waterways and coastal areas, including incidents along Lombard Street where firefighting efforts were conducted from the water.
Wickham announced that a second firefighting vessel is expected to arrive in Guyana by the end of June or early July, significantly enhancing the service’s marine response capabilities.
When commissioned, Guyana will become the only Caribbean nation with two dedicated firefighting boats within its fire service.
The marine section currently has more than 20 trained personnel, with additional officers continuing to receive specialised marine firefighting instruction through collaborations with the Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard and the Maritime Administration Department (MARAD).
The chief fire said the service maintains strong partnerships with emergency and security agencies operating on Guyana’s waterways through established protocols, joint exercises and regular engagement, ensuring coordinated responses during incidents.
Over the past five years, six fire stations were built at Onderneeming, Charity, Parika, Diamond, Kuru Kururu and Mahaicony, with additional stations planned for areas in Canje and Tarlogie in Region Six. (Department of Public Information)
