Mayor of Kingston Commends Firefighters

Firefighters battling the blaze in parts of the Mavis Bank communities of St. Andrew, have received high praise for their efforts in containing the fires, and creating safety for the affected residents.

The commendation came from Mayor of Kingston, Senator, Dr. Angela Brown Burke, while addressing the monthly meeting of the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC), at its Down Town Kingston chambers.

She told the meeting that although the situation in the communities is still cause for concern “given the vegetation, the wind, and the fact that there are several fires that need monitoring,” the work of the emergency personnel must not go unnoticed.

“I want to congratulate the members of the Fire Brigade, who have been working assiduously to bring these fires under control,” she said, as she shared her experience with the Council. The Mayor was part of a multi agency team of Government officials who toured the area on May 11, where they distributed relief items to the residents.

“I was also extremely impressed with the spirit of community that was in evidence. It was heartening to see the way residents came out to help each other, and to hear the stories of residents being in the right place at the right time, to prevent their neighbours’ houses from burning down, or from experiencing greater loss,” the Mayor said.

Dr. Brown Burke reported that the teams from various agencies have been in the communities from the start of the fires a week ago, and while the Government has started distributing relief to the most affected persons, until the estimates and verification are complete, the effort will be limited.

The Mayor said while help is being provided, the residents need to look at their own practices that have contributed to the fire, noting that information from fire personnel and residents have indicated that fires to clear lands for farming, and to burn things in backyards contributed to the fires in the affected communities.

“These are dangerous practices, especially at this time, given the drought, and the almost impossibility of controlling fires once they start in that terrain,” Dr. Brown Burke told the meeting.