During recent Standing Finance Committee (SFC) deliberations, BVI Fire Services Chief Fire Officer Zebalon McLean outlined major challenges facing the department including a lack of personnel, equipment, and support.
Quoting the SFC report, McLean shared that “One of the issues they faced with filling vacancies was that with reduced budgets, they were unable to get the requisite equipment, clothing and certain items for firefighters.” He noted a full firefighter kit costs $3,000-$5,000.
“If you brought a person on to train, these are things that were needed to have in place to outfit them before they can even train, much less respond.”
McLean reported they currently have 38 staff but require 64 including administrative roles.
Statistics shared with the SFC revealed approximately 742 calls were received in 2022. McLean stated these included fires, accidents, medical calls and rescues, with medical being the highest number annually.
The picture painted is of an understaffed, underfunded Fire Service lacking key equipment but called upon for expansive emergency response duties including frontline medical care. Significant resources and support are urgently required per McLean’s SFC testimony.
Ageing Equipment in Urgent Need of Replacement
Alongside understaffing, McLean highlighted outdated equipment as another pressing concern, especially regarding fire trucks. The SFC heard that five mini pumpers acquired in 2019 “were supposed to be a stopgap” but no new larger trucks have been purchased since then.
“Their desire would have been to have started receiving some new equipment – trucks specifically.”
With only two functional larger trucks still in operation beyond the mini pumpers, acquiring modern vehicles is an urgent need.
Expanded Medical Response Role Strains Resources
According to McLean, the Fire Service’s role has grown to include robust public education, medical response and rescue. This has increased demands on limited staff and equipment.
McLean told the SFC that firefighters frequently arrive before ambulances to emergency medical calls, having to provide life-saving care until paramedics arrive. To supplement ambulance services, the goal is to have an ambulance stationed at each fire station.
But without increased resources, this expanded medical function further strains the constrained Fire Service.
McLean described a lack of support for the EMT initiative so far.