JFB Urges Persons to Prevent Fires in Their Homes

The Christmas period is generally one of increased public activities, and the same is experienced within homes as persons prepare for the holidays and welcome visitors for the season.

The Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) is reminding the public of precautions to take, both at home and while using the roadways during this usually busy period.

“We have always been telling individuals, regularise your electricity supply. If you’ve had your house wired over five years ago and passed by the governing body, what you need to be doing now is looking to have a licensed electrician come in and do a general check,” Senior Deputy Superintendent and Public Relations Officer of the JFB, Emeleo Ebanks, told JIS News.

This activity, he likened to general doctor’s visits to ensure the body is in good health. Similarly, the JFB urges citizens to listen to their bodies and refrain from cooking when tired or intoxicated.

Mr. Ebanks also recommended the use of heat detectors in kitchens and smoke detectors throughout the home, explaining the benefits of the detectors.

“A simple detector costs maybe $2,000 to $3,000. It comes with a nine-volt battery and two-side tape. Stick it in the middle of your ceiling and that will give you 70 to 80 decibels of noise in the event that a fire starts. These detectors can pick up the smoke from a cigarette. If it is that low, by the time it starts, you can get up and put that fire out,” he explained.

Commissioner of the JFB, Stewart Beckford, added that from the Brigade’s observations of fires that take place in homes, often overlooked combinations are the cause.

“Most stoves are located near a window and windows often carry curtains. The person may have left the kitchen and there is a strong wind and that curtain may come in contact with the naked flame and a fire will result. We have also seen persons smoking in bed or their sofa and falling asleep and the next thing you now is a fire would result,” he shared.

The experts say that 90 per cent of the fires that people die from start at nights and many of those casualties are from smoke inhalation. Reducing the home’s fire load and using warning mechanisms can help prevent potential loss of life.

“Electrical short-circuit is another that we have come across as well. Sometimes this is due to inappropriate connections or overloading of circuits as we put up Christmas lights and decorations. We recommend that you do not use an extension cord for some of these things. Plug them directly into the wall,” Commissioner Beckford advised.

He also suggested that persons not rest their laptops and phones in sofas or on beds while charging, as the heat generated from the devices can result in a fire if there is a short-circuit.

In the meantime, Mr. Ebanks pointed out what persons should look for if they have to purchase extension cords for use.

“Make sure you are using one with three pins – the negative, the positive and the ground – and make sure you are seeing ‘UL Rated’. If it is one that is manufactured in Jamaica look for our own Bureau of Standards Jamaica sign on it that says this item is built to the specifics they say, to carry out the duties they say. If it does not carry these, it is simply a power strip,” he said.

Persons are also reminded to place live Christmas trees in a pot of water to keep them from drying out and to unplug Christmas lights before going to bed.

Mr. Ebanks said every visitor to your home must know your home’s safety plan. If one is not in place, the JFB asks that persons use them as a resource in developing one.

For motorists, the JFB Public Relations Officer is appealing to all to “stay within the ambit of the law”, as motor-vehicle accidents account for a notable portion of the emergencies to which the Brigade has to respond.

The JFB is encouraging persons to visit fire stations and become familiar with the operations of the Brigade, and to have the telephone numbers of their local fire stations stored as emergency contacts.