Sav firefighters protest against deplorable working conditions
SAVANNA-LA-MAR, Westmoreland – Firefighters assigned to the Savanna-la-Mar Fire Department yesterday protested in front of the station on Dalling Street in this small seaside town, to highlight what they claimed is the deplorable conditions of the building that houses them.
“We can’t take this no longer,” said Acting Sergeant Dalton Simpson, who was among the more than 25 placard-bearing firefighters. “The building is in a deplorable state. There is no kitchen; there is only one toilet for the more than 70 firemen, so we are protesting to highlight our plight,” added Simpson.
Yesterday’s protest was apparently triggered by torrential showers in the area on Monday night which resulted in the flooding of sections of the building due to leaking roofs, forcing the firefighters to evacuate their rest quarters.
During the heavy downpour, a number of the firefighters’ beds and personal belongings were reportedly drenched with water.
The firefighters have for more than a decade complained about the unsatisfactory conditions under which they perform their duties.
The situation was made worse during the passage of Hurricane Ivan, the category four storm, which two years ago left the machine bay (area where fire units are kept) of the station roofless and caused severe damage to other sections of the facility.
Repairs started on the building more than a year ago but were discontinued months later.
Resumption of the work, the Observer was told, was scheduled for last Monday.
During a walk through of the decrepit building yesterday, divisional head of the Westmoreland Fire Department, Superintendent Vincent Hylton showed the Observer the porous roofs, the unfinished area earmarked for the kitchen facilities, leaky plumbing and the cramped recreation area which also serves as kitchen and bedroom.
At the same time, Hylton said he had been mandated by the leadership of the Jamaica Fire Brigade to find a suitable location to house the brigade.
“I have received a directive from the brigade headquarters to look around to see if we can find suitable alternative accommodation to relocate the firemen and we have began to search,” he said.
The Westmoreland fire chief said, however, that yesterday’s protest action did not affect the fire-fighting capabilities of the brigade, as the firefighters were still responding to calls.