Nedburn Thaffe, Gleaner Writer

AS MEMBERS of the essential service yesterday prepared to respond to the fury of Hurricane Sandy, firefighters at one fire station in the Corporate Area said they were ill-equipped to carry out their jobs.

The firefighters, who asked not to be identified out of fear of being victimised, said "not even the basic flashlights we don't have".

One firefighter told The Gleaner: "They took them off the truck just to replace the batteries and they have not replaced them. If you nuh have a flashlight weh yuh buy fi yourself, yuh a work inna darkness."

The firefighters also complained the trucks they have been given to carry out their duties are without air conditioners, which sometimes impacts visibility when the windshield gets foggy.

"When it rains, we have to open the windows so that the windscreen doesn't become fogged up," the firefighter stressed.

RESOURCE CONSTRAINTS

In the meantime, John Morais, acting senior deputy superintendent in charge of operation for Kingston and St Andrew, said all firefighters across the Corporate Area were briefed on the issue of resource constraints and were asked to work with what was available.

"They were all aware of it. They were addressed up to 10 o'clock this morning (Wednesday). From time to time, as government institutions, we are short on resources, and we just have to rely on our abilities. We are not going to get everything perfect, we just have to improvise," Morais said.

nedburn.thaffe@gleanerjm.com