Fire officers better equipped to tackle forest fires and conduct forensic investigations

The Guyana Fire Service Senior Officers’ Conference commenced on Thursday, with Fire Chief Gregory Wickham stating that the Service has reinforced efforts to combat fires and conduct investigations that meet international standards.

The two-day conference provides an opportunity for Fire Officers to address shortcomings and discuss measures that can be implemented to improve the GFS. The 2025 Senior Officers’ Conference is being held under the theme “Fostering Community Collaboration for Enhanced Emergency Response.”

During his remarks, Fire Chief Gregory Wickham noted that, through significant funding from the Government of Guyana, the GFS has become a leader in firefighting across the Caribbean region.

In January, it was announced that the GFS had acquired helicopter helibuckets to combat forest and bush fires. The Fire Chief said tenders are essential equipment for the Service, and with $674 million allocated, their firefighting capacity is expected to significantly improve.

“In the Caribbean, the Guyana Fire Service is leading the way. We have in our possession two Bronto Skylift tenders that will allow us to conduct aerial firefighting and rescues,” Wickham stated.

He added that the country’s development is progressing rapidly, and to ensure each citizen receives the expected level of emergency response in a developing nation, continuous training and improvement of the GFS is vital. With this in mind, the Service has worked to reduce its emergency response time.

The Fire Service is now also equipped to conduct forensic fire investigations.

“We’ve had the success of three of our officers undergoing and completing training at an internationally recognised university in Forensic Fire Investigation. We are now better prepared to respond to any eventuality of that nature,” the Fire Chief said.

He further stated that refresher courses and on-the-job training remain key to building the competency of Fire Officers.

Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn emphasised the need for improved collaboration between all agencies within the disciplinary services. He noted that in responding to emergencies, agencies under the supervision of the Home Affairs Ministry must be able to act as a cohesive unit.

“You have the collective intelligence to respond in ways that align with the imperatives of the country’s new development. These developments bring new challenges and require new training and experience within the Fire Service,” the Minister said.

He also encouraged the Fire Service to be more mindful of gender inequalities, and to ensure that all Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and Fire Officers, regardless of gender, are treated with respect.