 The St. Lucia Fire Service, of course, everyone knows its mandate in relation to the provision of emergency care and, of course, preservation of life and property, has been inundated and overwhelmed with this COVID pandemic. Unfortunately, that it has hit our shores, but all the various departments of the St. Lucia Fire Service have been overwhelmed making sure their available resources and manpower are available to combat the ever-increasing influx of COVID-19 patients, whether for transfer to the hospital, but unfortunately with all the hospitalizations and deaths, they have really taken the toll, not only on the members of public but also the St. Lucia Fire Service members, because many persons have tested positive, a number of them have been on quarantine, isolation. So it has really been challenging times throughout the past year and a half in handling calls with our influx of other calls like road traffic accidents, gang violence, domestic disputes, and even, of course, regular medical emergencies. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a lot of our resources being outstretched and overwhelmed. With this current fourth wave that has actually hit us by storm, we've seen a number of our own firefighters tested positive. I won't say the entire fire service, but many of our firefighters, both North and South, have tested positive. They have contracted the virus and have been exposed to quarantine and isolation, infection protection, prevention measures. In response to the medical emergencies for COVID positive patients for transfer to the hospital, every single day we have 10, 15, 20 calls going to Victoria Hospital. It has been very challenging, even in this hot and humid climate, wearing the personal protective equipment, which we know is mandatory. We don't have a problem in knowing how to wear them, how to don and off them, but again, with this hot and humid climate, it causes us to be very, very tiresome, very burdened, overwhelmed, hypothermic, and just name it, we are experiencing it. We do urge the members of the public to make a reference to the Ministry of Health mandate for wearing your mask, staying home, washing your hands, maintain a six foot distance, avoid crowds. We employ the members of the public to follow the protocols because without that, without following the protocols, they are putting themselves in arms' way. In relation to vaccination, there's a lot of reservation towards it and I know it's not mandated. I am fully vaccinated this time and many of my officers are. Of course, many are not. And of course, many members of the public are and many are not. But from a personal standpoint, I urge every solution to do the right thing and get fully vaccinated.