Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Desmond McKenzie, says the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) will be getting an additional eight trucks to bolster the country’s

“We are providing eight brand-new

trucks at a cost of over $400 million,” McKenzie said.

“When we take into consideration the

trucks that we got from the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) from the last

financial year and this financial year, the Fire Brigade will have at least

some 16 new trucks at its disposal, including water tankers.”

McKenzie was speaking to journalists

after a recent tour of the Barnett Street Fire Station construction project in

Montego Bay, St James.

JSIF is funding the works at a cost

of $534.9 million under the Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Programme (DVRP).

The new fire station, which will have the capacity to house 200 firefighters, will replace the old Barnett Street facility that was demolished in 2006. Since then, firefighters have been operating from the Montego Freeport.