Firefighters save properties valued at millions of dollars

Quick action by personnel from the Trelawny Division of the Jamaica Fire Brigade in December and January prevented properties, valued at more than $775 million, from being destroyed.

For the months of December 2010 and January 2011, a total of 65 calls were responded to by personnel from that division, 54 of which were genuine calls, while two were categorised as special service calls. There were also three malicious false alarms, four motor vehicle accidents and two false alarms with good intent. 

Over the period approximately five houses were destroyed by fire in the parish, leaving six adults and two children displaced, while there was one death caused from a house fire.

Acting Deputy Superintendent with the Jamaica Fire Brigade in Trelawny, Micol Israel, revealed the information in a report tabled at the monthly meeting of the Trelawny Parish Council, recently.  He pointed out that the 65 calls his division responded to were made up of 32 calls in December 2010 and 33 calls in January 2011. 

He said that the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) attached to that division was also kept very busy over the period, as they responded to 38 calls in December and 45 in January.

Mr. Israel pointed out that the EMS responded to four motor vehicle accidents, three in December, which resulted in the death of three adults, and one accident in January, with no death or injury reported.

He noted in the report that an attempt is being made, with assistance from the National Water Commission (NWC), to repair a number of non-functioning fire hydrants throughout the parish.

CONTACT:  BRYAN MILLER

                    JIS REGIONAL OFFICE

                    MONTEGO BAY