Communities Urged to Adopt a Fire Hydrant

The Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) has resuscitated the ‘Adopt a Fire Hydrant’ programme, which seeks to involve citizens in the care and maintenance of hydrants within their communities.

Public Relations Officer for the JFB, Emilio Ebanks, told JIS News that the programme was instituted in 2003, however, not enough communities, clubs, or groups took up the challenge.

According to Mr. Ebanks, “it is everyone’s responsibility to make sure that the fire hydrants are kept in working condition and that they are not abused, by making reports to the Jamaica Fire Brigade as soon as an incident occurs.”

He also said that persons have abused hydrants by knocking them down, parking in front of them, and by even inserting garbage into the hydrant pillars.

“We sometimes have a task of clearing the fire hydrants of garbage that is stuck in the hydrants, from juice and food boxes to bun and cheese wrappers, name it, we have seen it in fire hydrants,” Mr. Ebanks shared.

He is also reminding motorists that vehicles must be at least 10 metres clear of a hydrant. He said that fire fighters have responded to emergencies in communities and have been unable to access the hydrants because vehicles are parked in front of them.

Mr. Ebanks told JIS News that each fire hydrant cost at least $100,000 in addition to costs associated with maintaining them.

“That is a chunk out of tax-payers money, so it is very important for us to take care of them,” he said.