The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune. 

An open letter to Wayne Munroe. 

Dear Minister Munroe,

I read your remarks in this morning’s paper with great interest. While I appreciate your defence of the current structure, it is clear that a string of recent destructive fires and concerns from citizens underscore a national demand for more effective, transparent, and well-resourced fire services.

With respect, I believe the time has come to seriously explore a dedicated National Fire and Emergency Services Branch, separate from the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

Here is a constructive plan and rationale for how such a transition can be managed with improved accountability, efficiency, and national safety:

1. Structure and Oversight

Proposal: Create a National Fire & Rescue Authority (NFRA) as a civilian emergency agency, under the Ministry of National Security but with its own leadership, budget, and legislative mandate.

Commissioner of Fire & Emergency Services: Appointed leader with direct accountability.

Regional Divisions: Units in New Providence, Grand Bahama, and key Family Islands.

Disaster Response Linkage: Strong integration with NEMA and public health.

Why?

This avoids silos by establishing proper inter-agency collaboration protocols, not more bureaucracy. The agency would no longer compete with criminal investigations or policing priorities for attention and funding.

2. Fire Truck & Equipment Needs

Minimum National Standard Proposal:

New Providence: Ten modern pumpers, two aerial ladder trucks, one hazmat unit.

Grand Bahama: Six pumpers, one ladder truck.

Abaco, Exuma, Eleuthera, Long Island: Two pumpers each, plus one tanker per island.

Small islands (Bimini, Andros, Cat Island, etc.): One quick-response unit per major settlement.

Total Estimate:

35–40 fire trucks across the country (new or upgraded fleet).

$20–25m investment, aligned with your recent mention of $20m allocation.

3. Manpower & Training

Proposal:

Initial Staffing Target: 300–350 trained firefighters nationwide.

200 in New Providence

60 in Grand Bahama

90 across the Family Islands

Ongoing Training Cycle: 50 recruits per year in certified fire academy with modules on:

Fire suppression

Rescue operations

Fire investigation

Community fire education

4. Budget Accountability

Proposal:

Separate annual line item for the National Fire & Rescue Authority in the national budget.

Annual performance audits and public reporting of:

Number of fires responded to

Equipment uptime

Emergency response times

Community engagement programs delivered

5. Community Engagement & Prevention

Launch a national fire safety awareness program.

Partner with local councils and schools for fire drills and extinguisher training.

Use community-based volunteer auxiliaries in outer islands with smaller populations.

Closing Thoughts

This proposal is not about discrediting your efforts or those of the Royal Bahamas Police Force. Instead, it recognizes that fire services demand specialised focus, resourcing, and community engagement that a standalone branch can better deliver.

A well-structured, accountable fire authority can be a proud national institution—prepared, professional, and responsive in every settlement across our islands.

I look forward to your thoughts and hope this can start a wider conversation across political lines and agencies. The safety of our people is too important for it to be an afterthought.

Richard Rudon

New Providence

May 13, 2025.