A ceremony was held at the Grand Turk Cruise Center, with the Mardi Gras ship in the background, to celebrate the arrival of a fire truck donated by Carnival Cruise Line and the City of Miami Fire-Rescue Department to the Grand Turk Fire Services in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Carnival Cruise Line worked with the City of Miami Fire-Rescue Department to secure the donation and organize the shipment of the truck. The Grand Turk Domestic Fire Services was established three years ago, and currently has six trained personnel to provide fire-rescue services. However, the department only has one fire truck available for use.

“The addition of this truck is a critical step towards protecting lives and safeguarding property in Grand Turk and advances the top priority of this ministry to ensure an effective response to emergencies and fire suppression across the Turks and Caicos Islands,” said Hon. Minister Otis Morris, Minister of Home Affairs, Transportation, Broadcasting, Energy and Utilities and Telecommunications for the Turks and Caicos Islands Government.

“We are deeply grateful to Carnival for securing this welcomed donation and for the efforts of the City of Miami Fire-Rescue Department with this incredible gift to our community. This donation enhances the positive impact of Carnival in Grand Turk far beyond its operations by contributing to the well-being of our residents.”

The newly donated fire truck, built by Pierce Manufacturing, weighs 15 tons and has a water capacity of 500 gallons. It will be solely assigned to the Domestic Fire Services and will be used to serve the community. The City of Miami Fire-Rescue Department has also offered to train Grand Turk firefighters on how to operate the truck, demonstrating their ongoing commitment to supporting the department's efforts.