Grand Cayman, 01 March 2026
The Minister for District Administration and Home Affairs, Hon. Nickolas DaCosta, JP, MP, together
with senior officials from the Ministry, participated in a comprehensive facilities tour of the Cayman
Islands Fire Service (CIFS) to engage directly with firefighters and support teams who play a vital role
in safeguarding lives and property. The tour provided the Minister and his delegation with first-hand
insight into CIFS operations, station readiness, training, and modernisation priorities.

Chief Fire Officer Dwight Rankin and Deputy Chief Fire Officer Roy Charlton hosted the visit. Chief
Officer Michael Ebanks, Deputy Chief Officers Debbie-Ann Whittaker and Christina McTaggart,
Strategic Advisor Kacey Mobley, and other members of the Ministry’s core team were all present and
included in the tour.

The delegation began at Frank Sound Fire Station, continued to George Town Fire Station—where
they also visited the current recruit class in session—and concluded at West Bay Fire Station. Across
sites, discussions centred on capability upgrades, facilities improvements, and resilience planning,
with emphasis on supporting frontline conditions and performance.

Chief Fire Officer D. Randy Rankin thanked the Minister and the Ministry team for their engagement.
“Readiness is built every day — through drills, maintenance, and teamwork. The dialogue today supports
the practical improvements that help us respond faster, operate safer, and serve the public better,” he
said, acknowledging the dedication of CIFS personnel across all stations

Chief Officer Michael Ebanks noted that the tour deepened the Ministry’s alignment with operational
reality. “Hearing directly from our crews is a critical part of continuous improvement — from station
layouts, fleet maintenance windows, and training cycles to emerging risks and threats — this information
ensures our policy direction and resource allocation reflect frontline needs and the expectations of
the public we serve,” he said.

Minister for District Administration & Home Affairs, Hon. Minister Nickolas DaCosta, JP, MP, said the
visit underscored the Government’s duty to enable and equip the Fire Service to reach world-class
standards. “Our job is to make sure firefighters have the right resources, the right equipment, and the
right knowledge to protect our property and lives,” he said. “We are delivering now and preparing for
tomorrow. Investing in safe, modern facilities, rigorous training, and capability upgrades to ensure our
Fire Service can protect our communities with confidence. That’s how we advance our shared mission of
a world-class Civil Service—practical improvements that frontline teams can feel and that the public can
trust.”

Throughout the day, the team was briefed on incident trends, prevention programmes, training and
professional standards, and facilities development plans. They also met with frontline personnel to discuss the ongoing work, in alignment with the Government’s broad outcomes and the Ministry’s public
safety priorities.

This visit joins a series of agency and facility tours undertaken by Minister DaCosta and the MDAHA
senior leadership team, aimed at strengthening inter-agency collaboration, recognising frontline
achievements, and identifying opportunities to modernise systems and improve operations
across the Ministry’s portfolio.

To stay connected with the Ministry of District Administration & Home Affairs, follow us on social media (@mdahacayman) or visit our website at https://gov.ky/mdaha/