SAVANNA-LA-MAR, Westmoreland

Concerns have been raised over the inability of the Jamaica Fire Brigade-operated Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to carry out its functions effectively, owing to a lack of ambulances at fire stations in the western parishes of Hanover and Westmoreland.

The absence of the ambulances has reportedly de-motivated the emergency medical technicians (EMT) manning the essential service.

“You will be aware that we have a whole lot of motorbike and motor vehicle accidents in the parish [Hanover] … it is hard, persons [emergency medical technicians] are becoming very demotivated,” said District Officer Taleeni Francis, head of the Hanover EMS.

“Because when they look at it and see that they have to come to work and they don’t have anything to work with to perform their core functions as EMTs … they have to be riding the fire truck to help respond to fire calls and they are not able to practise under their scope,” the district officer added.

The service, which is operated by the Jamaica Fire Brigade, was started in April of 1996 in Savanna-la-Mar, Negril and Ironshore, with Lucea being added to the list in August of that same year. Falmouth and Linstead were later added.

The facilities are staffed by EMTs who respond to road traffic accidents, life threatening trauma and severe bleeding, among others incidents.

However, it’s understood that the EMS Department is partially crippled as, to date, only Negril and Ironshore have a working ambulance.

Francis said Hanover’s 17-year-old Ford ambulance has been out of operation for the past six months. He said the vehicle is beyond repair, emphasising that a new one is badly needed.

He added that a written proposal was sent to the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) seeking funding to purchase an ambulance.

TPDCo, he noted, has acknowledged receipt of the proposal, but is yet to formally make known their decision.

In the neighbouring parish of Westmoreland, head of the parish’s fire department, Senior Deputy Superintendent Floyd McLean, also bemoaned the impact the lack of an ambulance is having on the service.

“One of the worst things for the firefighters (EMS technicians) here now, I can tell you, is having the ambulance there not moving. Because when you get a call and you can’t respond, you almost feel like you are to be blamed,” said McLean.

McLean added that a Japanese-donated ambulance based in Savanna-la-Mar has been out of service since January, pointing out that the necessary spare parts to get it up and running again are not available in the island.

Meanwhile, McLean said Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie has made good on the promise he made last October during a tour of the fire station to address a number of deficiencies at the facility.

The minister had promised to sign off on the installation of air conditioning units and the purchasing of beds for the male and female dormitories at the station. Directives were also given for the beams supporting a water tank on the property to be repaired, and the malfunctioning sewage system addressed.

According to McLean, four air conditioning units have so far been installed, while mattresses are “currently being worked on”. Repairs to the decaying metal water tank beams were also addressed, he said.

He added that efforts are now being made to have two Japanese fire pumpers at the Savanna-la-Mar Fire Station retrofitted with water tanks, as directed by McKenzie.

“The minister’s promise is not empty. Work has been done,” remarked the senior deputy superintendent.