Nassau, Bahamas — We are sick and tired of these members of the wutless media gathering at these so-called “PRESS EVENTS” looking for food. Every time, they go to an event, they miss the real story. Yesterday was the launch of the Fire Week Exhibition in the Mall at Marathon and everyone was in the mall telling onlookers what to do when there is a fire.

Tommy said his government allocated some $2.2 million in the Police’s budget for procurement of fire-fighting appliances and an additional $1million for in the Capital Budget of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport for the construction of a Fire Station in Grand Bahama.

He added, “just under $3million” well be spent to enhanced 919 system to improve response times, but what we uncovered yesterday amidst all that colourful language is indeed shameful, and not a member of the press looked deeper into the minister’s words.

The beautifully dress children attending the event was singing the song how to, “STOP, DROP, ROLL and haul…..” whenever there is a fire. The news came on last night, and with the minister telling them to go and talk to Michael Barnett about crime these days, no one asked him the pressing question we pondered on. That question being: is the fire department ready to combat another major fire in the country?

Let’s be more specific, if the Straw Market was to catch a fire in down town Nassau – GOD FORBID – will the fire department be ready and “EQUIPPED” to face the challenge? Not one WUTLESS reporter asked Tommy that!

You see, Bahamas Press has been investigating this department of late, as we wondered and pondered on this question all last week. We heard how a baby was burnt to a crisp at a home in Southern New Providence, but didn’t hear a ‘lick’ about the “late again”, no water bearing fire truck.

Since that horrific incident last Sunday your BP has been asking questions like a hound looking for food and what we uncovered is indeed shocking.

Bahamas Press has learnt, out of the nine fire trucks owned by the Government of the Bahamas ONLY four are working at this present time, and if you don’t believe us go to the back of the East Street North Police Headquarters and see the relics for yourselves.

For some reason[s], readers would discover five of the nine emergency fire trucks are down with multiple problems making them inoperable in the event of a fire. We are told fire trucks are down due to engine failure, transmission issues, rear-end damages just to name a few, but that’s not all.

Get this, sources deep in the OPM tell us, if a major fire were to breakout in dense residential areas of EASTERN and Southern New Providence, the GOVERNMENT would have to call on the assistance of the few private operators to battle the blaze. NOW ISN’T THAT A DAMN SHAME! Fire stations at LPIA, Paradise Island and in Cable Beach are the only out stations operational.

Sources also confirm a decision by the Ministry of National Security has shut down the fire departments in South Beach, Carmichael Road and in Elizabeth Estates – no wonder the children could not be rescued in in time during the recent fires.

We call on Tommy Turnquest to address this issue IMMEDIATELY! We want to know why were firemen at at the stations mentioned [ South Beach, Carmichael Road and in Elizabeth Estates] moved to East Street Hill’s location for the past few months? With road dig up everywhere and trenches in the way, wouldn’t it make sense to have firemen stationed closer to the residential communities and not away from them?

We call on this heartless government to reopen the fire stations closed in densely populated communities. Send the firemen back into the community stations so in the event of a travesty they quickly arrest any fire threatening the life of a child!

It is no wonder we have had five children lost their live in fires over the past couple months. The trucks are too few and too far away, and they still coming to the scene without water.

WUTLESS MEDIA, yinner better do yinner damn job and stop looking for food and lunch money! SMT!

WE COULD DO BETTER!