Canterbury to finally get fire hydrants

WESTERN BUREAU:

The St James Parish Council has decided to assist the St James Fire Department to obtain the necessary fittings to install fire hydrants in the community of Canterbury, Montego Bay.

The decision came after Councillor Suzette Brown told Superintendent Dolfin Doeman of the fire department that she was gravely concerned about the length of time it was taking his organisation to install the hydrants in the community, which falls within the Montego Bay South Division. Doeman had told the meeting that the St James Fire Department was still awaiting components, which were required for installation.

"Superintendent, how long has this matter been occurring on the agenda? Can you recall?" Brown asked.

"About one year," Doeman replied.

"And you are still awaiting components. We are proposing putting in fire hydrants in these communities without components to install them. A hole that was dug up in the area to facilitate a fire hydrant has now been filled up, because I was up there recently, and I saw that. And we are going to have to pay to have it dug again. Am I to expect that we are going to have to wait another year or two to get the components? I hope not," Brown said.

Brown was supported by Deputy Mayor of Montego Bay and Councillor of the Granville division Michael Troupe.

"Canterbury is prone to fires. We all know. There are some things that call for urgency, and the fire hydrants is one of them. If you look in the Canterbury area, most of the houses are made from board. And you have to have fire hydrants to get extra water. Am I correct sir? So I don't like to come to a meeting and hear that we are waiting. We need to get a deadline, for example, within the next 30 days or 60 days, so we can go back and tell our constituents," he said.

"But it cannot be that we are waiting without a timetable; it cannot be that we are waiting. It is time we do what is on the agenda and get things done and stop waiting," Troupe stressed.

After Troupe's comments, Montego Bay Mayor, Glendon Harris, who was chairing the meeting, suggested, after consulting with Doeman, that the council provide the requisite assistance to the fire department so that the matter could be resolved.

"We need to act. What are the fittings that are needed? So I would request that the superintendent of roads and works be brought in on that matter (accessing hydrant fittings), and if it can be done, be concluded before the next council meeting," Harris said.

- C.G.