The community of Anse La Raye/Canaries witnessed a historic milestone today with the official opening of the West Coast Fire Station, a long-awaited facility that, in a powerful symbol of its necessity, responded to its first emergency call in the middle of the opening ceremony.
For decades, residents along the west coast have faced dangerous delays during fires, road accidents, and medical emergencies, with the nearest stations located miles away in Castries or Soufriere. Today, that changed.
Parliamentary Representative Wayne Girard, who championed the project from the day he took office, said the moment marked “the end of years of suffering and broken promises.”
He told residents, “From 2016 to 2021, this constituency lived through tragic fires and heartbreaking losses while promises were made but nothing was delivered. But today, you can see with your own eyes, a fully operational fire truck, trained firefighters on duty, and an ambulance ready to respond this very minute. This is real service finally delivered to real people.”
Girard also pushed back strongly against claims circulating online that the station was a “sham,” stating,
“The only sham is the person spreading that misinformation.”
Chief Fire Officer Ditney Downes traced the long journey to securing a fire station for the region, an effort dating back to 2009. He noted that not until the current administration took office did the initiative finally move from paper to reality.
Downes highlighted the hands-on involvement of Minister Girard and the Prime Minister, who approved the purchase of the building within minutes of visiting the site. He also announced a unique social intervention; a mentorship program where each crew at the station will guide 15 vulnerable boys from the community, building discipline, life skills, and confidence.
The Fire Chief said the new station finally eliminates the life-threatening wait times residents have endured.
“In fire emergencies, every minute counts. The geographic distance put homes, lives, and livelihoods at risk for far too long. Today’s opening directly addresses those dangers.”
Minister for Home Affairs Jeremiah Norbert called the opening “a deeply meaningful moment,” noting that the government rejected initial plans to rent a building and instead insisted on purchasing and fully retrofitting a permanent, modern station for the community.
Norbert condemned attempts to politicize the project, saying.
“There is a time and place for politics, but not when it comes to essential services that protect people’s lives. The people of Anse La Raye/Canaries deserve better than misinformation.”
He also praised the significant national investments in fire service equipment, training, and infrastructure over the past four years, improvements he described as “unprecedented.”
Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre criticized deliberate misinformation about the facility, calling it dangerous and harmful to the public servants who risk their lives daily. He stressed that emergency services serve every Saint Lucian, regardless of political affiliation. “When firefighters respond, they don’t ask who is UWP or SLP. They save lives. Public safety should never be weaponized for politics.”
Pierre noted that the station joins a series of major investments in national security, including new fire appliances, ambulances, police recruits, and improved facilities island-wide.
As the speeches continued, the shrill alarm of a pager cut through the ceremony, and firefighters rushed into action, a real-time demonstration of the purpose behind the day’s celebration.
The West Coast Fire Station is now open, staffed, equipped, and ready to serve thousands of residents and visitors along one of Saint Lucia’s busiest and most vulnerable corridors.
