Six fire tenders were formally handed over to the Penal Fire Station on Wednesday.

Highlighting years of institutional strain and equipment gaps, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar SC praised the resilience of the fire officers and announced a wider national rollout of similar tenders.

Reflecting on her experience when fire engulfed her family home, the Prime Minister marked the handover of fire tenders in Penal as a “correction of a failure that should never have persisted” and dedicated the handover moment to her late mother, who she said taught her “not only how to rebuild, but why we must ensure others are protected.”