Better fire fighting

The Bahamas is one of the most geographically complex nations in the Western Hemisphere.

Spanning more than 100,000 square miles of ocean with at least 16 inhabited islands, cays, and settlements scattered across this expanse, governing and resourcing such an archipelago is not without challenges.

But difficult does not mean impossible.

The recent fires in Grand Bahama and, in recent memory, Exuma, demonstrate the urgent need for better forward planning when it comes to fire safety and emergency response across our islands.

These were not routine flare-ups. They were dangerous, destructive events that endangered lives, property, and livelihoods – and exposed glaring gaps in our capacity to respond.

Last week, residents of Grand Bahama witnessed one of the worst brush fires they could remember.

Fueled by dry undergrowth and fanned by gusty winds, flames reportedly towered 20 feet into the air, leaping across roads, threatening homes, and engulfing communities in a dense blanket of smoke.

Residents were forced to grab buckets and hoses in a desperate attempt to save their properties.

Grand Bahama Power Company had to cut electricity to multiple subdivisions.

Lucayan International School closed for days due to unsafe air quality.

Entire neighborhoods were on the edge of catastrophe.

East Grand Bahama MP Kwasi Thompson described it as a war zone.

Firefighters worked around the clock, but their efforts were hampered by limited resources.

Only two fire trucks were operational.

They had to rely on the assistance of trucks from the airport, container port, and private entities.

That kind of patchwork response is not sustainable.

It is also not acceptable for the second most populated island and the industrial hub of The Bahamas.

Thompson’s calls for more brush fire trucks, volunteer firefighter training programs, and mobile water tankers are reasonable.

What is unreasonable is that they were needed long before this disaster.

What is indefensible is that the same conversation had to be had last year – when Exuma suffered a fire that wiped out part of the George Town fish fry.

That fire in Exuma destroyed three stalls, robbed vendors of their peak business period, and forced us to confront once again how deeply unprepared we are.

No fire trucks were available outside the one that is stationed at the airport.

A nearby hydrant was non-functional.

And we understand the water bowser at the police station was empty.

The fire was contained using heavy equipment and quick thinking, not coordinated emergency infrastructure.

A businessman had to buy a fire truck for Exuma out of his own pocket a few months later.

Deputy Prime Minister and Exumas and Ragged Island MP Chester Cooper said the island was still awaiting a fire truck from the Royal Bahamas Police Force and has acknowledged that the island realistically needs five.

To be clear, no one is suggesting that equipping and staffing a full-service fire department on every cay is feasible.

But there is a vast and unconscionable distance between perfection and the current state of affairs.

A single functioning fire truck per major island is not a luxury.

Neither are trained local volunteers, accessible hydrants, or working water tankers. Yet time and again, these basics are not in place.

This is not about political blame.

The gaps in our emergency preparedness span administrations.

But the time for treating these fires as one-off tragedies has long passed.

The frequency and intensity of fires – fueled by longer dry spells and climate-related shifts – are increasing.

Our planning must reflect this new reality.

We need a comprehensive, transparent, and well-resourced national fire and disaster response strategy.

That means an honest audit of equipment on each island.

It means mobile units that can be quickly deployed.

It means fire safety education, building code enforcement, and maintenance plans for hydrants and fire trucks.

It should not take a social media video of a business burning down or plumes of smoke visible for miles to take action.

To its credit, the government has pledged support for those affected.

Cooper has committed his MP salary to rebuilding efforts in Exuma.

That generosity is commendable.

But private donations and personal gestures cannot replace policy.

And they cannot substitute for planning.

The same way we maintain ambulances, schools, and clinics across our archipelago, we must treat fire safety as essential public infrastructure. Our geography makes it harder. That is a reason to plan better – not an excuse to plan poorly.

The fires on Grand Bahama and Exuma will not be the last.

But they should be the last to catch us unprepared.