Fire official: not enough attention being paid to fire safety

- by Barbados Today May 10, 2023

The Barbados Fire Service is concerned that Barbadians are not taking fire safety seriously.
Acting leading fire officer and research officer Natasha Forde said that it appeared that Barbadians did not see the significance of fire prevention and this was a major concern as there has been an increase in house fires over the past year.
“People are not paying enough attention to what is being said,” Forde said.
Speaking to the media during a press briefing at Ace H&B Hardware in Six Roads, St Philip on Tuesday, to announce the business’ partnership with the private sector in a fire prevention initiative, the fire official said it is alarming that figures have moved from 21 to 31 house fires, over the January to May 9 corresponding period. Forde said there is reason to be concerned since it appears people are not taking fire safety seriously enough.
“It means that we as an organisation, although with limited resources, need to get the messages out there more.
“A lot of young people do not understand the significance of fire safety. They don’t think about it in terms of it happening to them. So I am peeved to see the numbers, when we are trying to have them decreasing by ten per cent each year, have gone up during this period. It means we need to do more in the department to get these numbers back down,” she said.
Forde said there were four fatalities from the 31 house fires this year and “they were things you can do to protect yourself”.
She urged members of the public to invest in smoke detectors as they could save lives.
“There is not a price that we can put on one’s life realistically and I don’t think $20 is too much to invest when it comes to your safety.”
She added that though officers were trained, discovering bodies while outing a blaze was a heart-wrenching exercise.
“Yesterday was an emotional one, a mother and her eight year-old daughter. At the end of the day fire officers also have families . . . and when you see things like that you relate it back to your own. It is not an easy task, it is quite emotional.”
There have been three house fires in three consecutive days.
A fire on Sunday in Passage Road, St Michael left a family of six homeless. On Monday, firemen discovered the charred remains of 43-year-old Kim-Marie Greenidge and her eight-year-old daughter Nazariah Greenidge while battling a blaze in Heddings Development, St Philip. On Tuesday, at least six people were left homeless after a fire gutted their home at Mayers Road, My Lord’s Hill, St Michael.
During the briefing, chief executive officer of Haigh Communications Joy-Ann Haigh said she wanted to partner with Ace H&B Hardware to assist the fire service as she felt the need to do something to help people understand the importance of fire prevention.
With the help of the hardware store, Haigh Communications will be donating 51 pieces of fire prevention equipment including audible and light smoke detectors and fire blankets.
The items will be distributed by the fire service who will also assist with installation. The items will be donated to people ages 70 and up, with a focus on those who live alone.
Haigh also called on insurance companies to get involved in the fire prevention programme stating that they had an important role to play in this regard.
Hardware manager Al Roach noted that they welcomed the opportunity to be involved in the project.
He said the team at Ace H&B was disheartened over Monday’s fire and felt compelled to help the fire service in any way they could.
(SZB)

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