Chief Fire Officer Errol Maynard is assuring the public that the island’s firefighting capacity remains solid, despite recent concerns about water shortages and fluctuating reservoir levels across parts of Barbados.
He told the DAILY NATION the Barbados Fire Service (BFS) has been monitoring conditions closely and remains confident that the network of fire hydrants is functioning effectively. He stressed that hydrant inspections are a core part of the department’s operational duties and carried out consistently to prevent any surprises during emergency responses.
“Our fire officers check the hydrants on a weekly basis, without fail. The reports we receive have consistently indicated that the majority of hydrants across the island are in good working condition. Whenever one is found to be defective, it is immediately reported to the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) for repairs. There is no delay, no waiting period; we treat it as an urgent matter every single time,” he explained.
Maynard noted that the close working relationship between the BFS and the BWA has helped ensure that any problems identified during inspections are dealt with swiftly.
He added that the system remains reliable, even as some communities have recently faced scheduled or unscheduled outages.
Questions have been raised in recent weeks about whether lower reservoir levels and intermittent water supply could hamper the fire service’s ability
to respond to emergencies. However, Maynard said they had not experienced any major setbacks. “At this point, we have not been negatively impacted by the lower reservoir levels. We monitor the situation extremely carefully and once we are aware that water is off in any particular area, we adjust our response automatically. We will dispatch additional water with our tankers so that we are not relying solely on the hydrants. In simple terms, we plan ahead so that the community is never put at risk.”
He said the fire service has been operating under this precautionary approach and officers are trained to boost resources whenever there is even a hint of diminished water supply.
“This is not something we take lightly. If we know an area is experiencing reduced water pressure or a full outage, we don’t take chances. We respond with the capacity we need from the outset. It is a proactive strategy and it has worked well for us.”
(TRY)
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