WESTMORELAND:
A DISCLOSURE that there is an inadequate number of fire hydrants in the parish caused concern and alarm among Councillors who attended the monthly meeting of the Westmoreland Parish Council last Thursday.
"The situation is even more serious and frightening, when it is considered that in Negril, a major tourist resort, there are very few functioning fire hydrants," Dave McLaughlin, Superintendent in charge of the parish's fire service told the meeting. He disclosed that on several occasions when the sole fire unit is on call putting out a fire in Negril, it has to return to base to refill and get back to the scene of the fire.
At the December meeting of the Council, Michael Mills from the Fire Department reported that some hydrants had not been working for years, while one situated in the centre of the town of Negril was removed and not replaced and this was causing a problem for the department.
Bertel Moore, Councillor for the Negril area, said there was a recent fire in that resort town and when the fire truck arrived it did not have enough water and a back-up had to be called.
"It is madness for the fire unit to respond to a call, especially in a town like Negril, when it is not equipped to put out a fire," Moore said.
The Council accepted that the Fire Department was experiencing problems both in respect to the shortage of fire trucks and the inadequate amount of fire hydrants on the road.
"We need to deal with the matter urgently. We will bring it forcefully to the new Minister of Local Government," said Mayor Ralph Anglin.
