JFB Encourages Frequent Fire Drills

Citizens are being encouraged to practise drills to ensure safe evacuation from buildings in the event of a fire.

Addressing a recent JIS Think Tank, JFB Commissioner, Stewart Beckford said that conducting regular fire drills is very important, especially within the home.

“You want to ensure that you practise your drill, not just in the day but also at night, because what we know for a fact is that most fire-related deaths occur in the night,” said Commissioner Beckford.

He noted that many of those deaths are a result of persons being disoriented.

“So, you are in your deep sleep, you are awakened for whatever reason, and you become disoriented, you lose your way and you may fall and that’s the end of it,” Commissioner Beckford said.

He advised families to implement an emergency plan and to ensure that every member of the household is aware of what to do.

The Commissioner indicated that the plan should include the assembly point so that persons know where to go when they evacuate the house.

He stressed that once persons evacuate a burning building, they should not re-enter. “You go to your assembly point and the first thing you should do is to call your nearest fire station and stay away from that building,” he said.

Commissioner Beckford said the JFB will be placing greater focus on conducting drills.

“We understand the significance and importance of these drills, especially in those facilities where a large number of persons tend to congregate, whether it is in the schools, theatres [or] nightclubs,” he pointed out.

A total of 1,432 fire drills were conducted in 2023, an increase of 117 per cent when compared to the previous year.

The Commissioner noted that following the earthquake in October last year, it was observed that institutions and organisations that had regular drills, whether for fire or earthquake, responded better to the incident.

“So, it is important that organisations and institutions, it doesn’t matter how small, have an emergency plan, and part of that plan should include having at least two fire drills each year,” said the Commissioner.

He said that the JFB is prepared to come in, monitor and provide guidance as to how the process can be undertaken.