Prevention cheapest fire-fighting strategy
-New chief
Stabroek News
June 21, 2004
The new Fire Chief, Lawrence David believes that the Guyana Fire Service has to take the initiative by acting rather than reacting to ensure fire safety and improved community relations.
And he believes this can be achieved through positive community interaction such as teaching First Aid to community groups and forming volunteer fire-fighting groups in those areas where the Fire Service does not have a presence.
In a telephone interview with Stabroek News, he said the Fire Service also has to work more with the business sector and the regional democratic councils, so as to build another level of support in addition to that being given by central government.
He said a focus of the Fire Service's relations with businesses and local government bodies would be fire prevention, which he describes as being more cost effective than purchasing fire-fighting equipment.
David describes himself as a down-to-earth fireman who has been given the opportunity to serve the Fire Service at the highest level. He joined the Fire Service 33 years ago, come December, as a fireman.
His first promotion was to leading fireman, which came in 1979, followed by promotion to the ranks of Section Leader in 1984, Sub-Officer in 1988, Station Officer in 1993 and Divisional Officer 2002, the rank he held before being appointed Chief Fire Officer on June 1, 2004.
During his career with the Fire Service, David has served in several positions including several stints as Fire Prevention Officer, Divisional Commander for 'A' and 'B' divisions and Commanding Officer of the Aerodrome Unit.
He has attended a number of courses in fire-fighting and disaster preparedness and management locally and in the United States of America, Trinidad and Tobago and Japan. He also attended the Senior Commanders' Course run by the Guyana Police Force at its Ogle Management Training Centre in 1995.
David was born at Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara, and attended the St Swithin's Anglican School and Dartmouth Primary on the Essequibo Coast before attending the West Demerara Secondary School.
The Chief Fire Officer is a widower with a teenage son who is about to graduate from the Government Technical Institute.