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Repairs begin on rot-plagued Lucea Fire Station

Published:Wednesday | January 20, 2021 | 12:17 AM

WESTERN BUREAU:

Personnel at the Hanover fire brigade are expressing cautious optimism that the deplorable conditions at their base in the parish capital Lucea will soon become history as repair works, slated to last three months, started on Monday.

The dilapidated condition of the building, which sits next door to the Hanover Municipal Corporation’s (HMC) administrative offices, was highlighted by Tangeni Francis, the Jamaica Fire Brigade’s district officer while delivering his report to the monthly meeting of the HMC last Thursday.

He further told the meeting that a contract for approximately J$10 million of repair work has been signed.

Francis said that the Lucea Fire Station has had infrastructural rot for some time, making working conditions hazardous.

“The ceiling is falling, cracks in the walls, damaged windows, external staircase damaged, mould infestation, and the driveway at the front of the building needs to be fixed,” Francis said. “The integrity of the building, from which the fire personnel work, has been compromised.”

A search is now on for suitable relocation facilities until the repairs are completed.

Two sites have been identified – in Esher and Hopewell – but negotiations have been complicated because of unresolved problems with ownership of the lands, said the district officer.

There are 55 full-time firefighters stationed at the Hanover station. For the month of December, they responded to 64 calls for emergency medical service and 25 for fire.

Bryan Miller