End fire protection, Fire Chief Reg Rawlins said.

The plan -- which includes a new mutual aid agreement between the Bermuda Fire Service and the St. George's volunteer fire department -- is to be jointly announced within days by Finance Minister the Hon. Grant Gibbons and Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister the Hon. Quinton Edness, The Royal Gazette has learned.

Mr. Rawlins would not confirm any details of the plan. He would only say that "the announcement that's going to be made is going to resolve a number of issues.'' But sources said the plan includes: A new mutual aid agreement between the Bermuda Fire Service and St. George's which could see town volunteers responding first to blazes in St. David's and elsewhere while BFS trucks rush from Hamilton; and A deal with Airport contractor Serco Aviation Services Inc. under which Serco could be called on to respond to a fire call, assess how serious it is, and report back to the BFS.

Serco provides crash, fire, and rescue services at Bermuda International Airport.

Previously, St. George's had a mutual aid agreement with the Base firefighters. But it lapsed when Bermuda took over air operations from the US Navy on June 1.

That meant the first response to any East End fire outside the town limits of the Corporation of St. George was from Hamilton.

In June, Bermuda Fire Service Association president Mr. Randolph Lowe said the situation in the East End was a fire disaster waiting to happen.