The establishment of satellite fire response stations

across the island could become a reality soon as the Government responds to

years of outcry over the protracted period of time that it has taken fire brigades

trucks to get to the scenes of fire in rural communities.

Local Government and Community Development Minister Desmond

McKenzie says the Jamaica Fire Brigade has adopted a program out of Canada and

will be carrying a pilot project in southern Trelawny before it can be

implemented.

While Minister Mckenzie did not reveal the commencement

date of the pilot test, he said the plan is well advance and the Government is

confident that following its pilot phase it will help to solve the problems of

getting fire units to respond to incidents of fire and other acts of disaster

much faster.

 “We are well advance in implementing that and we

going to be looking to use South Trelawny, as an area to test it- to see how it

will work,” McKenzie said in response to a question from BUZZ recently.

“I don’t want to say much on it, but a team from the

[Jamaica Fire] Brigade went to Canada, looked at a situation that I think is

workable,” he said.

Earlier this year Montego Bay’s Mayor Homer Davis,

reiterated his call for the establishment of satellites first response stations

in rural communities of St. James that are located within an average 20 miles

away from Montego Bay.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I again renew my call for the

establishment of three satellites first response stations in the rural parts of

St James, namely: Maroon Town, Cambridge and Adelphi,” Mayor Davis stated.