Arima mayor meets with officials to address fire station concerns

THE mayor of Arima, Balliram Maharaj, has met with officials from the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service (TTFS) to discuss several key needs of the Arima Fire Station.

The meeting took place at the temporary mayor's office in Arima on January 20.

A release from the mayor's office on January 21 said the issues of requisite appliances, apparatus, equipment and tools required to help the officers at the Arima Fire Station in their daily duties throughout the borough were raised.

Maharaj also visited the fire station to get a first-hand view of the station and the traffic issue that hamper the TTFS during emergencies.

The fire officials said inconsiderate parking in front of the fire station was another major concern, which Maharaj hoped can be addressed immediately.

Maharaj said he would take the needs of the officers to the business community with the aim of assisting the fire station with urgent requirements.

Those at the meeting were: Cranston Khan, acting assistant Divisional Fire Officer, Northern Division TTFS; Ainsley Bernard, acting Fire Station Officer, Arima Fire Station; Insp Farouk Mohammed of the Arima Municipal Police; councillor Dave Maharaj, chairman of the Disaster Management Committee; and the incoming president of the Greater Arima Chamber of Commerce, Jonathan Bhagan.

This meeting comes after the death of Minister in the Ministry of Education Lisa Morris-Julian and two of her children in a fire at their home on Farfan Street on December 16.

A call was made to the Arima Fire Station about the fire, but the fire service said the station’s firetruck was unavailable, having been deployed to an industrial fire. The Tunapuna Fire Station was subsequently contacted, but its truck was also busy, responding to another house fire.