<TABLE cellSpacing=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=news_postinfo></TD></TR><TR><TD class=news_byline>Report recommends removal of defective fire trucks</TD></TR><TR><TD style="HEIGHT: 9px"></TD></TR><TR><TD class=news_summary><TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE cellPadding=0 align=left><TBODY><TR><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD class=news_imagecaption><SPAN style="WIDTH: 160px">An electrican working on a fire truck at the Waterford Fire Station in Portmore, St. Catherine. This truck, like many others around the island, breaks down frequently.</SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><SPAN class=news_summary>A team which conducted a recent assessment of the new <SPAN class=kLink style="FONT-WEIGHT: 600; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue! important; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana,Arial; POSITION: relative">fleet</SPAN> of fire trucks has recommended that all the units should be withdrawn from service until questions relating to the safety of the trucks are addressed by the suppliers. </SPAN>
<SPAN class=news_body>It has also forwarded several recommendations which should be pursued to correct the faults on the units.
The report was compiled by a five member team from at least three state agencies, including the National Works Agency, the Island Traffic Authority, and the Ministry of Water.
The team was asked to determine whether the fire trucks had mechanical faults following several <SPAN class=kLink style="FONT-WEIGHT: 400; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue! important; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana,Arial; POSITION: relative">accidents</SPAN> in which sections of the units were separated from their chassis.
Among other things, the team of <SPAN class=kLink style="FONT-WEIGHT: 400; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue! important; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana,Arial; POSITION: relative">investigators</SPAN> concluded that the design of the fire trucks as it relates in particular to the chassis and fire fighting equipment is not safe for the operators or other users of the road.
The team stated that the trucks do not allow for safe handling on the typical Jamaican road, neither do they allow for fast movement in and out of traffic.
The team observed that t
<SPAN class=news_body>It has also forwarded several recommendations which should be pursued to correct the faults on the units.
The report was compiled by a five member team from at least three state agencies, including the National Works Agency, the Island Traffic Authority, and the Ministry of Water.
The team was asked to determine whether the fire trucks had mechanical faults following several <SPAN class=kLink style="FONT-WEIGHT: 400; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue! important; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana,Arial; POSITION: relative">accidents</SPAN> in which sections of the units were separated from their chassis.
Among other things, the team of <SPAN class=kLink style="FONT-WEIGHT: 400; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue! important; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana,Arial; POSITION: relative">investigators</SPAN> concluded that the design of the fire trucks as it relates in particular to the chassis and fire fighting equipment is not safe for the operators or other users of the road.
The team stated that the trucks do not allow for safe handling on the typical Jamaican road, neither do they allow for fast movement in and out of traffic.
The team observed that t
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