FORMER Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis, echoing others in the Free National Movement, has called for the urgent creation of an independent fire service, warning that the government’s current model is dangerously inadequate and rooted in a system that no longer serves the country’s needs.

“It is obvious from the recent fires that have taken place that our national fire service response is not where it needs to be,” Dr Minnis said in the House of Assembly yesterday. “It is disturbing that it took the major fire on Bay Street to finally move this government to make an announcement but I caution that announcements are not the same as action.”

His comments followed the tabling of the Bahamas National Fire and Rescue Service Bill by Central Grand Bahama MP Iram Lewis, a member of the Coalition of Independents. The bill proposes removing fire services from the Royal Bahamas Police Force and establishing a standalone agency with its own command, budget, infrastructure, and legal authority.

While the bill was not up for debate, it was seconded by Southern Shores MP Leroy Major — a PLP member — even though National Security Minister Wayne Munroe has publicly opposed creating a standalone agency.

Dr Minnis offered detailed critique of the existing system, pointing to recent fires in New Providence, Grand Bahama, and the Family Islands as evidence of an overstretched, under-resourced fire service. He noted that while the government has announced plans to acquire 15 to 20 new firefighting vehicles, this comes against a backdrop of severe existing shortages.

The Tribune understands that New Providence currently has only three functional fire trucks. In contrast, Marsh Harbour, Abaco, served by a volunteer fire department and with a significantly smaller population, has at least five operational vehicles.

“How many new fire trucks do we need in total for the whole country?” Dr Minnis asked. “Do we have enough trained firefighters? Are fire services on Family Islands populated with the necessary number of trained people and volunteers, especially given the many wildfires and hot summer months ahead?”

He also questioned whether the country’s water infrastructure is reliable enough to support firefighting efforts and whether firefighters are sufficiently trained to operate increasingly complex equipment.

Dr Minnis argued that the existing integrated model, where fire services fall under police command, was designed for an era that no longer exists.

He recalled that as early as 1977, when Grand Bahama established its own fire department, there were discussions about separating the fire service. However, the decision to keep it under police control was driven by limited resources. That legacy, he said, has undermined fire response ever since.

“Rather than increasing the fire department as well as the police department, we concentrated on the police department and removed the firemen to the police department, thus depleting it,” he said. “That is why it’s essential that we separate the two at this time.”

The Bahamas National Fire and Rescue Service Bill outlines the creation of a national agency led by a fire commissioner, supported by regional commands and a dedicated training division. It proposes funding streams independent of the police budget and gives the agency investigative and enforcement powers in fire-related matters. Personnel from the RBPF Fire Division and airport fire services would be transferred to the new body.

While Dr Minnis did not explicitly endorse the bill, which is unlikely to pass the House of Assembly, his remarks made clear his support for its objectives.

“We need to ensure that our fire services can handle the worst-case scenarios on each of our main inhabited islands,” he said. “Here in New Providence there are multiple hotels, and God forbid if any were affected by fire, do we have the facilities to reach that level?”