THE status of fire stations throughout the country -- including the still incomplete Piarco station -- comes up for hearing after Christmas.

A report on the stations has been demanded by the Joint Select Committee of Parliament appointed to inquire into and report on Government Ministries, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises.

The National Security Team has been given 14 days to respond at the next sitting of the committee.

The ministry has to state how many functional fire stations there were in Trinidad and Tobago and how many stations the country should really have.

They have been specifically requested to file a report on the Piarco Fire Station that has been under construction for too long.

The new airport was built without accommodation for fire appliances but correction of this oversight is now three years in the making.

Further, a status report on training and technology education throughout the National Security Ministry must be given.

Finally, all outstanding reports required by the constitution must be submitted.

The non-submission of constitutionally required reports by key arms of the Ministry of National Security was the main point of contention at the first Parliamentary meeting of the committee concerning national security issues last week Tuesday.

The TnT Fire Services and the office of the Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) were the chief culprits.

The Joint Select Committee compiled chairman Parvatee Amoisingh-Mahabir, Hedwidge Bereaux, Eddie Hart, Senator Wade Mark and Satish Ramroop.

Defending the Ministry of National Security was Permanent Secretary Anthony Bartholomew, acting Permanent Secretary Jennifer Boucaud-Blake, Deputy Permanent Secretary Veron Belgrave, Director of Finance and Accounts Bernadine Thomas, Chief Fire Officer Lennox Alfred and Chief Executive Officer of ODPM Paul Saunders. The ODPM came under examination as members of the JSC showed little confidence in the disaster preparedness of TnT.

Bereaux noted that like the New Orleans hurricane disaster that came suddenly and left disaster preparedness officials scampering for someone to take charge, so too would Trinidad and Tobago find itself in a real disaster.

Bereaux felt that even though the ODPM had many plans and links with other ministries, it should be ultimately responsible when a disaster hits and even more so in educating the public before it reaches that point.

Saunders noted that this was true and stated that as long as approval is given to the ODPM’s organisational structure, they would be properly staffed to train and re-train disaster preparedness officials as well as carry out its strategic plan.

He spoke about the role of communities and individuals and partnering with non-governmental agencies to make sure the country is ready when a disaster strikes.

He also spoke about the rise in industrial accidents and ODPM’s plan to educate the various industries on areas of health and safety.

Senator Mark asked that the public be told how to get in contact with ODPM even though it is not as fully operational as it would have liked to be at this time, when smaller disasters occur.

Ramroop also pointed out that he hoped they were not trying to re-invent the wheel of disaster preparedness in Trinidad and Tobago but was just trying to improve and add to what was already in place.