Toco needs fire station urgently

THE EDITOR: As the NTA candidate for the Toco/Sangre Grande constituency, I share the deep concerns expressed by residents and business owners regarding the lack of adequate fire protection and emergency services in Toco and surrounding areas.

For over five years, this community has relied on a single fire appliance operated out of the Toco Police Station, with auxiliary fire officers on call to respond to emergencies. This arrangement is wholly insufficient, especially for a region as expansive and rapidly developing as Toco, which includes critical areas like Matelot.

Toco is home to a growing number of homes, businesses, and resorts, and its vulnerability is amplified by its distance from the nearest fire station in Sangre Grande – a journey that takes at least an hour under the best conditions. This reality places lives, livelihoods, and properties at significant risk.

It is unacceptable for the community to remain underserved in this way, particularly as bush fires continue to pose a recurring threat to residents.

The call for a dedicated fire station in Toco is not new, but it is more urgent now than ever. Successive governments have failed to address this glaring gap in critical infrastructure, despite the community’s repeated appeals. It is time for this neglect to end.

The construction of a fully equipped fire station, with full-time officers stationed in Toco, is not just a necessity – it is a matter of safety and security for the people of this constituency.

I commend the ingenuity of local business owners who have gone to great lengths and personal expense to safeguard their properties in the absence of adequate fire services. However, this should not be the responsibility of individuals. It is the duty of the state to provide essential services to protect all citizens and their assets.

The acting chief fire officer’s acknowledgement that the construction of a fire station in Toco is under consideration is a step in the right direction. However, I urge the authorities to act with urgency and transparency on this matter, and hopefully wooden ladders will not be included in the inventory of new items.

The people of Toco deserve more than promises – they deserve action. This community has been overlooked for far too long, and it is time we ensure that the safety and well-being of the people of Toco and Matelot are prioritised.

CHRISTINE NEWALLO-HOSEIN

NTA deputy chairman