Korps Brandweer Suriname (KBS) may soon have five additional fire engines at its disposal. During a stopover in the Netherlands, Minister Harish Monorath of Justice and Security reached an agreement with the company Kenbri on the delivery of the vehicles. The administrative processing has now been initiated.
The planned expansion is intended to contribute to improving the operational deployability of the Surinamese fire service. The corps has been dealing with outdated equipment for some time, resulting in high maintenance costs. In addition, some fire stations do not have their own fire engine. This limits their ability to respond adequately to fire reports and other emergencies.
Cooperation with Dutch fire service
In addition to the talks with Kenbri, Minister Monorath held discussions with Brandweer Haaglanden. Agreements were made on exchange programmes between the Dutch and Surinamese fire services.
The cooperation is to focus on knowledge transfer, expertise development and the sharing of practical experience. The aim is to support the professionalisation of the KBS and further strengthen its operational capacity.
According to the ministry, talks on the cooperation will continue at ministerial level. It will also be examined how the agreements can be incorporated into the Makandra-project, which focuses on cooperation and knowledge exchange between Suriname and the Netherlands.
Ageing vehicle fleet remains a concern
The announced delivery of five fire engines is intended to help resolve part of the existing equipment problems at the KBS. It is not yet known when the vehicles will actually arrive in Suriname, which fire stations they will be assigned to, or what the purchase costs will be.
It is also unclear whether the fire engines are new or used and how the purchase will be financed.
Minister Monorath was accompanied during his visit by Bieswadath Somai, director of Operational Services at the Ministry of Justice and Security, and Ravi Birtantie.
Afterwards, the minister expressed his appreciation for the talks and the reception by both Dutch organisations.
With the planned purchase and international cooperation, the ministry aims to further improve fire services in Suriname and increase the corps’ deployability.
