Residents in the Western Carteret Fire and EMS district (WCFD) will get the chance to comment on the proposed $3.2 million 2022-23 budget on Wednesday, March 2 at 6 p.m., reports carolinacoastonline.com.

The department officials’ proposed budget doesn’t call for any increases in property taxes, and, in fact, the 2021-22 department budget was about $3.4 million, according to the report.

The proposed budget aims to combat rapid service-call growth; calls during 2021 topped 2,000 for the first time, and officials fear that number could approach 2,500 soon.

The proposed budget includes a capital improvement plan—smaller than the prior year’s plan, which included a new $400,000 apparatus, the report says. WCFD serves the towns of Bogue, Cedar Point, Cape Carteret, and Peletier, plus unincorporated areas in and around those towns.

Three new additional appliances will join the firefighting fleet providing increased capability for the upcoming bushfire season.

The ISUZU FTS 4×4 crew cab tankers are modern, fit-for-purpose appliances that complement our existing fleet and provide our firefighters exceptional capability, said Assistant Chief Fire Officer Joshua Fischer.

“The new vehicles have arrived as we approach the Top End Bushfire Season. The vehicles will be allocated to Howard Springs Volunteer Fire Brigade, Koolpinyah Volunteer Fire Brigade, and Katherine Fire Station.”

The three new tankers originated in New Zealand, before being shipped to Adelaide. Members from the NTFRS Capability Development Command travelled to South Australia in October for final checks and handover, with the appliances making their way to Darwin before Christmas for final fitout and testing.

“These vehicles are the first of their kind for our firefighters, and they provide a variety of enhanced capabilities, necessitating induction and training in the use of the rear pump panel and crew deck pump. The trucks hold 3000 litres of water with two electric hose reels mounted to the rear of the appliance and a number of improved crew safety systems,” said Mr Fischer.

“This is part of the Northern Territory Fire and Rescue Services programme to modernise its fleet with state of the art appliances, designed for the current and future needs and incorporating the latest technology.”

Around 9 p.m. Monday, a Prince George’s County Fire and EMS medic unit caught fire.

Approx 9pm a #PGFD medic unit from Station 812/College Park was operating on the 4600 block of 49th Ave in College Park during a medic call when their engine caught fire. Another unit arrived to transport 1 adult female in critical condition. Fire was extinguished w/no injuries. pic.twitter.com/ZvJieUUPcc

— Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department (@PGFDNews) February 22, 2022

The apparatus from Station 812/College Park was operating on the 4600 block of 49th Avenue in College Park at a medic call when its engine caught fire.

The fire was extinguished sans further incident, and another unit arrived to transport an adult female in critical condition.

Construction of three fire stations across the island is to be completed during the new financial year.

These are the Montego Bay Fire Station in St. James, the Port Maria Fire Station in St. Mary, and the Yallahs Fire Station in St. Thomas.

A sum of $673.54 million has been allocated under the Jamaica Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project to complete these works and other activities.

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The money, which has been set aside in the 2022/23 Estimates of Expenditure, will also be used to complete the Port Royal Street Coastal Revetment Project in Kingston and facilitate training on the new Building Codes by institutions such as the HEART/NSTA Trust, Management Institute for National Development (MIND) and the University of Technology (UTech).

In addition, the allotment will go towards completing a three-year Seismology Research Fellowship, as well as completing the National Risk Information Platform (NRIP), and Microzonation Study and Coastal Assessments.

Up to December 2021 under the project, infrastructure works and equipping of the seismic support unit at the University of the West Indies (UWI) were completed, civil works on two box culverts in Church Pen were completed, two water trucks were procured and delivered to the Jamaica Fire Brigade and the Ecosystems Assessment Report and drafts of the revised Jamaica Fire Code and Jamaica Building Code were completed.

The project, which seeks to enhance Jamaica’s resilience to disaster and climate risk, is being implemented by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), with funding from the Government of Jamaica and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)

It commenced in April 2016 and is slated to end in June 2022 following an extension.