Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Desmond McKenzie has announced that the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) has reached full membership capacity for the first time in many years.

This achievement was highlighted during his contribution to the Sectoral Debate in Parliament on Tuesday (May 28).

McKenzie emphasised the critical role of the JFB in safeguarding the people and assets of Jamaica, stating, “Our country, Madam Speaker, is emerging in such a way. One of our greatest assets is the Jamaica Fire Brigade.”

He noted that the agency has bolstered its capacity by adding 206 highly trained new firefighters in the last financial year. Additionally, the JFB has acquired essential vehicles and equipment to enhance service delivery, with these improvements costing just under J$400 million.

He attributed this milestone to the efforts of the government under Prime Minister Andrew Holness, remarking, “The 206 new graduates who have fallen in line, Madam Speaker, for the first time in many years, the Jamaica Fire Brigade is at its full complement of firefighters because of the work and effort of the government.”

He said the government has rolled out 25 standby generators at fire stations to guarantee 24/7 operations under any circumstances.

“Over J$24.5 million was spent to obtain five generators in the last financial year. Seven more will be purchased this year. This will result in an overall 25 standby generators in service at the fire brigade,” the local government minister said.

He noted this is a significant improvement, as only the York Park fire station possessed a standby generator in 2019.

He also announced that a modern electronic records management system will be installed at the Jamaica Fire Brigade this financial year.

“This system will streamline the JFB’s entire building inspection process for properties, including inspection schedules, reports of violations, and compliance tracking. It will store building plans islandwide in an electronic database, thus giving firefighters quick access to floor plans and fire escape routes. It will provide live tracking of fire personnel and equipment to ensure maximum safety and efficiency,” McKenzie said.

Noting that this system is a game-changer for the JFB, he added, “It will create and manage our firefighters’ shift schedules, including overtime and leave requests, thereby ensuring the efficient rotation of these frontline employees and preventing undue stress and burnout. Just as critically, it will manage emergency calls, log them, specify the nature and priority of incidents, and dispatch the appropriate personnel and equipment.”