Jicomé firefighters face eviction risk and deteriorating station

Firefighters in Jicomé, Dominican Republic, are facing an additional danger beyond their emergency response duties: the threat of eviction from their dilapidated station. The local fire department operates out of a borrowed building that shows significant structural deterioration, posing a risk to the very personnel who protect the community.

The situation has become more precarious as the property owner has requested the return of the premises. This leaves the 13 firefighters in uncertainty, as they not only lack a dedicated station but also rely on a single, borrowed fire truck and face shortages of essential equipment and rescue tools needed for emergencies.

For over a decade, the firefighters have occupied the privately owned wooden and zinc-roofed building. Community members have voiced concerns about the building's condition, pointing to holes and structural flaws that endanger those inside. "They are just waiting for it to fall on the firefighters to build a new station," one resident remarked, highlighting the urgency of the situation.

This precarious state is particularly concerning given Jicomé's inclusion in the National System of Emergency and Security Attention 9-1-1. The limited resources, including only three complete sets of firefighting equipment and a lack of specialized rescue tools for traffic accidents, significantly hamper the firefighters' response capabilities. The search for a permanent solution includes plans for a new station, with support from the district board and the Ministry of Interior and Police, and a plot of land has already been secured for the project.