Clear the Land Responds to Criticism of the National Fire Service

The tragic fire that claimed the lives of four members of the Petillo family in Orange Walk Town on Sunday morning remains a talking point in light of numerous criticisms made against the National Fire Service.  Once again, the department has been disparaged for not responding promptly to the deadly blaze and when it did show up on the scene, it was ill-prepared to fight the fire.  The responsibility of the fire service falls within the portfolio of NEMO Minister Edmond Castro, who rose today to offer his condolences, as well as to outline new steps that government is taking to build the resources of the department.

Edmond ‘Clear the Land’ Castro

Edmond ‘Clear the Land’ Castro, Minister of National Emergency

“Madame Speaker, on behalf of those families that lost life, we noh want nobody lose dehn life eena wahn fyah.  Just like if hurricane di cohn, we, I pray to God every time, we noh lose one life.  How can you predict, right now, today, tonight, that we will have a fire on a street or a town or a particular area.  It is impossible for us to predict that.  What we can do, and I am telling you, that we are in the process of acquiring between six to ten water bowsers that carry about three thousand gallons.  We will disperse them across the length and breadth of this nation.  We are also in the process of purchasing some portable pumps.  The portable pumps will work best in areas like the islands of San Pedro and Caye Caulker.  So, Madame Speaker, I neva have no plans fi get up and talk todeh, but when yo di mash di department, di fire department, if it wasn’t for the fire department the fire still mi wah di burn because, you know what, unless yo got fire brigades and let me say this again, we at the fire department open up and we ask and we request for people from the villages and towns to come and get the necessary training so that they can assist us in times of crisis and help their Belizean people.”