By Claudia Gardner, Gleaner Writer WESTERN BUREAU:
OFFICER IN charge of the Hanover Fire Department, Superintendent Maureen Thompson, has again expressed fears about "the gravely limited capabilities" of her fire department.
The lone fire unit serving the 170-square mile parish is frequently out of use because of mechanical problems. While making her report at the regular monthly meeting of the Hanover Parish Council, Superintendent Thompson told Mayor of Lucea, Lloyd Hill, that for most of the last quarter of 2002, the parish's fire service was dysfunctional.
During one of the storms which affected the island last year, the fire unit was on an emergency mission, and stalled in flood waters. As a result the fire truck was immobilised for over a month.
INADEQUACIES
During Hurricane Lilli the Hanover Fire Department had to operate with a pickup truck from the Hanover Parish Council, in its efforts to evacuate residents whose houses were flooded out.
Some residents of the parish have blamed the inadequacies of the fire department as the major reason why over five houses were destroyed by fire during June last year, before firefighters arrived on the scene.
"With all the representation that has been made hardly anything has been done," said head of the Hanover Fire Department. "We must recognise that Hanover is a medium risk parish and has the hotel strips to cover as well as a vast number of dwelling houses, most of which are made of timber and zinc; as such, this determines the result of our operations."
