by Nick Delgado

Guam - Due to today's legislative session, the Committee on Public Safety recessed this morning's informational briefing with the Guam Fire Department. The committee intended to get updates on the shortage of ambulances, the condition of fire stations and trucks as well as the status of the E-911 fund. For years, GFD has struggled with keeping an adequate number of medics up and running.

Fire Captain Reuben Olivas, speaking as a resident, believes the problem is a lack of accountability. "You could say the fire chiefs have a certain amount of responsibility and we've had quite a few of them lately, of course the legislature, the governor - the Administration, we all have a responsibility to maintain basic services for the people of this island through the organic act and when we don't maintain those basic services then you can only blame the government and everybody involved," he noted.

In the meantime, the briefing will continue tomorrow morning at 9am at the Legislature's Public Hearing Room.