Fire trucks don’t go empty to fight fires -Fire Officer

Fire tenders in the Fire Department of the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF), do not respond to fires without any water. This is one of the claims that members of the Fire Department sought to clarify during a recent Cop Chat progamme on WEFM 99.9 on the topic ‘ Understanding Fire Safety and Prevention’.

“When we are leaving the barracks, we have to leave with the truck at its full capacity of water, when we are returning we have to go back with the truck at its full capacity of water. We cannot return to barracks with an empty truck,” explained Corporal Clifford Phillips.

He said the severity of the fire they are responding to can, at times, force the fire truck to have to refill at a hydrant.

“If we are talking about we are on a scene where the water has already ben used up and then we have to go at the hydrant to replenish, then yes, we are going to fetch water from the hydrant. But there has never been a case where the truck leaves empty and shows up without water.”

He said the Department has identified areas where additional hydrants can be placed, adding that they continue to work with the Central Water and Sewage Authority (CWSA) on ways that the system can be improved.

Corporal Alfeno Haynes highlighted a concern recognized by the Fire Department, which is, that some persons delay in placing a call to the Department’s emergency line.

“Individuals don’t do what is one of the most important things sometimes. That is, to call the Fire Brigade. They don’t do it initially when it is in the ignition phase. They try to fight it for themselves and then when it is in the fully developed stage, that is when they say ‘this fire out of hand let me call the fire department”.

Corporal Haynes explained that the four stages of a fire are ignition, growth, fully developed, and finally decay, which occurs after the fire has died down to coals and ash.

The Fire Officer stressed that the call to emergency services should be made at the ignition stage.

“The best thing to do once there is a fire, call the fire department and then see if you can extinguish it, if it is safe… the sooner you call us, the sooner we can reach.”

Corporal Phillips said while large buildings can take up to 15 minutes to reach the fully developed stage, small structures take only about five minutes.

“Sometimes we would receive a call … and it take us about 30 minutes, and based on the structure of the home we are not going to meet that house at a low stage, and most people when they make the call the fire [is] already great. No fire is going to wait on anybody.”

Members of the public were reminded to develop a fire plan for their families and businesses and practice evacuation plans until everyone is confident with the process.