Company on Drive to Educate About Fires

Managing Director of AcVark Fire and Security Equipment Company, Delroy Tharpe, says his company is on a drive to educate persons about the dangers of fires and how best to use preventive measures to combat them.

Addressing a recent JIS ‘Think Tank’ at the Regional Office in Montego Bay, he said that in partnership with the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB), the company has been engaged in a number of community outreach programmes, including going into basic schools to create awareness of what has become a serious problem across the island.

“We see the need for persons to be properly educated as it relates to fire and prevention,” Mr. Tharpe pointed out.

“Fire is one of the things we fear the most when we are faced with it. However, when we are not faced with the problem, it then becomes something that we put in the back of our minds… almost like an afterthought. We have to change that kind of thinking and that kind of mentality,” he added.

The Managing Director said that the company wants persons to understand the nature and make-up of fires and to be better able to cope with them in the interest of their families, their homes and, most importantly, their lives.

“The fire brigade is here to fight fires and also to provide information on how to prevent them. Our role in this partnership, besides educating the public on preventive measures, is to deal with the equipment side of things… to provide the tools to combat fires,” he noted.

Mr. Tharpe said it is important that homes be equipped with firefighting devices to give the occupants a fighting chance at survival if a fire occurs.

He pointed out that a lot of lives could have been saved had persons had devices as simple as a smoke alarm to alert them of a fire.

“A smoke detector is something which is very important to have. Once smoke is detected it is going to create an alarm which is loud enough to wake persons, not just in a room but in the entire building. This will provide the opportunity for an early warning where a quick judgement call can be made,” Mr. Tharpe said.

He pointed out that a smoke detector, a fire extinguisher and a fire blanket are mandatory firefighting tools that should be available in the event of a fire.

“The fire blanket is something you need to have at home. This is something we are trying to get people to understand and appreciate. If you cannot adequately fight the fire and need to evacuate, then the fire blanket is there to protect you. It can be used to extinguish the fire and also to protect you from the fire,” he said.