Firefighters working in the smoke to tackle a forest fire near the landfill last week. Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff
By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
AS toxic smoke continues to billow from the New Providence Landfill, Bahamians have been shocked by the sight of firefighters confronting the unruly blaze without the aid of protective gear.
Pictures of the men without masks battling through the conditions as ash settled on their bare heads were published by The Tribune last week.
The men carried fire hoses and other tools as they spent hours trying to contain and extinguish the fire that disrupted the lives of Jubilee Gardens residents, damaged properties and renewed questions about the state of the landfill.
Heather Carey, the spokeswoman for Raising Awareness about the Bahamas Landfill (RABL), said on Friday that such working conditions are nothing new for the firefighters.
“I’ve been seeing it for years,” she said. “I go out every year to cover these and I’ve seen pictures and commented that the drivers (of firefighting trucks) don’t have any gear. I’ve addressed it. I was more disappointed this time and upset because I watched them go into the fire, not standing behind the fire line.
“They were in there for two hours and there was no way to communicate with them. I cried and I went through the whole range of emotions. To later realise from the pictures that none of them had anything in terms of appropriate facial gear was so concerning.
“People are irate and upset about the fact that they are fighting without any gear.”
The problem has angered some in the policing community, according to Police Staff Association (PSA) Chairman Inspector Dwight Smith, who spoke to The Tribune about the matter last week.
Concerned officers have contacted Insp Smith to express their frustrations.
“Someone help please,” one officer said to him via messenger service WhatsApp. “Our firefighters have no mask or safety equipment in Jubilee Gardens at this moment.”
Said another: “Police officers’ lives matter! No mask! No safety equipment for police officers! Thank God Royal Bahamas marines offered meals to their comrades in arms and showed them camaraderie. (But) shame on our police leaders - Signed, disgusted officer.”
Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) officers in the Jubilee Gardens area appear to have been better equipped with protective gear than the police firefighters.
Sanigest Internacional, a leading healthcare consultancy and management company in Costa Rica, donated 20 facemasks to the firefighters, delivering them to the men late last week.
“The (masks aren’t) perfect but the community wanted them to have something,” Ms Carey said. “The firefighters said they also need eye protection gear. They were really happy for what they got and were glad that people were thinking about them and were appreciative.”
RABL wants to do more for the firefighters and is examining costing associated with this.
“If we can come up with a plan that enough people are passionate about, the question is, can we move fast enough in the next few weeks to help them? If it takes three months to get what we want, then at that point we’ll reassess our plan. If election happens and there is a new party in place that’s more receptive to budgeting for this then that will influence our plans as well,” Ms Carey said.
When contacted, head of Police Fire Services Superintendent Walter Evans countered the concerns.
“Officers from the Fire Services, they have masks,” Supt Evans said on Sunday. “Their masks are of the higher quality tech, which is used for smoke for the environment.
“The department has masks for the staff members who work in smoke for the environment,” he added.
The landfill fire, which began a week ago, is still burning, however last Thursday Prime Minister Perry Christie said the blaze was close to being extinguished. However smoke emanated again from the dump over the weekend.
Comments
Itellya 7 years, 8 months ago
Always operating in crisis mode. Each fireman should have his/her own personal SCBA mask fitted to his/her own face and head size, not shared, if its going to effectively protect them! (If that happens, I could be wrong) (I WOULDNT WANT TO BE SHARING MASKS WITH ANYONE).....Its difficult I imagine being an arm of an agency who's main focus is crime fighting not fighting a fire, where most of its fiscal budget goes towards crime fighting initiatives, understandably so. Has to be even more difficult to run a fire department when a good number of your firemen are transferred to the street to fight crime leaving you short staffed, again what else do you and expect when boots are needed on the street.
That being the case why not civilianize the department, combine them with the airport fire department but make airport fireman a sub specialty, give them their own "adequate" budget, buy all the equipment they need (Not just a fire truck but "ALL" the other equipment they need) recruit an adequate number of firemen/woman, re-open all the stations that were closed and add a few more stations and make it a career option for persons who are not really interested in being a police officer. These fire officers must be fatigued by now fighting this fire for 8 days straight which brings up another issue, the fire officers wellbeing. Guys could have a heart attack. A fireman by nature of his job alone is at risk for cancer let alone having to work without an appropriate breathing apparatus . The above picture is scary. I know you're supposed to lay your life on the line to save others but not without "ALL" the equipment you need. Keep up the good work guys and stay safe ( as best you can)! Oh and make sure wash those coats and pants and don't carry that stuff home to your family!!
banker 7 years, 8 months ago
I hope that they don't get cancer or lung problems. My god, what a stupid government.
SP 7 years, 8 months ago
......................................... Totally, Absolutely, Unconscionable .........................................
The little Haitian, one man band, and the middle finger dancing jackass are both useless pricks!
History will record them as the worst leaders in the region for the millennium.
reverendrichlkemp 7 years, 8 months ago
If they had access to masks and refuse to wear them, them it's on them. If there were no masks and they still engaged in working the fire, it's on them. Under no circumstance would a sensible person risk his health. Your health is your wealth. If they were not provided masks, that is a sin and a shame on the Fire Department. Who heads the fire department?
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 8 months ago
That's not really true. When you're trying to save lives, the absolute LAST thing on your mind is OMG I could get cancer. The government failed them.
ashley14 7 years, 8 months ago
If it's like in the US, then they end up sick and the government doesn't want to take care of them. Our 9/11 firefighters ended up with all kinds of respiratory problems and cancer. They have had to fight for what they deserve. Our veterans are others that are provided below standards of care at our VA facilities. They come back from war without limbs, internal injuries, Ptsd and sometimes don't even have a place to go because they lost their homes and cars while they were at war. Unbelieveable!
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 8 months ago
Crooked Christie could not care less about the health and well-being of the fire fighters breathing toxic fumes from the dump fires. Crooked Christie is much more concerned with peddling political influence for the benefit of his son (the able one) who continues to be favoured by his father's Red China friends who pay him very generous so called "real estate related commissions." What a joke!
The_Oracle 7 years, 8 months ago
RBDF officers have the Chinese Riot Masks to wear, Mainly used (unused so far) for filtering out tear gas! The Police Ain't been issued those yet, Perry them don't know which side they'll be on! Overall, yet another sad indictment of our misplaced priorities, money and sense.
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