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Lucea Fire Station set to be renovated

Published:Monday | January 18, 2021 | 12:14 AM
In this 2005 file photo Lance Corporal Demetri Rankine inspects a fire tuck at the Lucea Fire Station, in Hanover
In this 2005 file photo Lance Corporal Demetri Rankine inspects a fire tuck at the Lucea Fire Station, in Hanover

Fire personnel from the Hanover Division of the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB), based in Lucea, are expressing high hopes that the deplorable conditions in their work environment will be remedied soon as work on the building from which they operate is scheduled to start on Monday January 18, 2021, and last for three months.

The deplorable condition of the building, which sits next door to the Hanover Municipal Corporation’s administrative offices, was highlighted by JFB District Officer, Tangeni Francis, while delivering a report at the HMC’s monthly meeting held on Thursday January 14. He went on to mention that a contract for approximately J$10 million has been granted for the repair of the building, and work is expected to start in a matter of days.

“For quite some time now, the Lucea Fire Station has had a number of issues as it relates to infrastructure. The fire station building is in need of repair as ceiling is damaged, cracks in the walls, damaged windows, external staircase damage, mold infestation, and the driveway at the front of the building needs to be fixed,” Francis pointed out, adding that the integrity of the building, from which fire personnel work, has been compromised, making their work environment a hazardous one.

While making mention of the intended repairs scheduled to take place on the station building, Francis stated that personnel are now seeking suitable relocation facilities until the repairs have been completed.

“We have identified two areas. One is in Esher and the second in Hopewell, but there are issues as it relates to unresolved problems with ownership of the lands,” he stated.

He asked for recommendations or suggestions from anyone with regard to solving the relocation problem of the Lucea fire personnel until the slated repairs to the divisional fire-station have been completed.

There are 55 full-time fire fighters stationed at the Hanover Divisional Fire Station in Lucea. For the month of December 2020, they responded to 64 emergency eedical services calls and 25 fire calls.

- Bryan Miller