Duties of the country’s Fire Service have been under review for the past four days at the request of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The UK’s Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser Peter Holland travelled to the Cayman Islands Friday with Fire and Rescue Adviser David Norris to look over the operations and services of the unit.

“When we took over as the ministry responsible for Fire Services, we identified matters relating to the fire service and now we’re trying to get a full understanding of all of the issues,” said MHA Chief Officer Eric Bush.

When Mr. Bush was in the UK in November in a trip sponsored by the Governor‘s Office, he talked to Mr. Holland about issues within the fire service and asked if a review could be done. The UK paid for the trip; the Cayman Government had to only provide transportation, room and board.

Messrs.’ Holland and Norris will file a draft report within a month, feedback will be offered on factual findings and a final report will be given to the Ministry for publication.

Initial findings show that fire safety levels in hotels and buildings in the Cayman Islands are up to standards and that all fire stations are well equipped. Mr. Holland praised the stable of fire trucks within the service, which were purchased at $6.5 million in 2005 and have a 15-year life span.

“They really are fantastic pieces of kit,” Mr. Holland said, praising the foresight of the Progressives when they headed up Government administration from 2005-2009. It is the Progressives Government that put the Fire Service under the Ministry of Home Affairs in July after winning the May election, taking it away from the Ministry of Tourism.

Mr. Holland said his initial concerns are that the personal protection equipment for individual firefighters is lacking and that training needs to be addressed.

He was impressed with the 911 facility, but said thought should be given to dispatching Fire Service responders from the building instead of from the Owen Roberts International Airport’s Fire Station. He also suggested that the Cayman Islands look at some type of retained duty fire officers, especially in light of development taking place in the Eastern Districts.

He also said the Police and Fire services should be using the same jargon when they communicate.

“They work well together, but they can do better,” he said.

He suggested that Fire Service personnel be trained to become first responders; they would need to be trained to use defibrillators.

“That’s certainly not insurmountable in any way, shape or form,” Mr. Holland said.

Crews could also be used more for building inspections to check alarms, exits, emergency lighting and such, he said.

Morale is low, he said, because of overtime issues and personal safety equipment problems.

Mr. Bush said he is aware of overtime and accrued vacation issues and that Government will ensure staff is compensated, but, he said, the Ministry has to get at the root of the issue so it doesn’t find itself in the same predicament in six months’ time. He estimates compensation will cost between $500,000 to $1 million and that all 125 staff is affected.

Government is actively recruiting for 26 fire officers to replace the 40 that have left the service in the past three years. The Service is comprised 100 per cent of Caymanians.

Mr. Bush said some of the changes that will be recommended can be made immediately after the report is returned; others, he said, will take longer.

PHOTO: From left, UK Fire and Rescue Adviser David Norris, UK Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser Peter Holland, Ministry of  Home Affairs Chief Officer Eric Bush and Acting Fire Chief Rosworth McLaughlin. Photo: Tammie C. Chisholm