Safety Monitor Training Conducted for St. Elizabeth Municipal Corporation Staff

The Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) Fire Safety Prevention and Investigation Branch in St. Elizabeth recently collaborated with the St. Elizabeth Municipal Corporation to conduct safety monitor training for staff.

The training, which also included representatives of the St. Elizabeth Infirmary, was aimed at equipping the agencies with essential knowledge and skills to effectively handle emergencies.

Corporal assigned to the JFB Fire Safety Prevention and Investigation Branch in St. Elizabeth, Dwight Campbell, underscored the importance of having a well-prepared response plan for various emergencies, including fires, earthquakes and medical crises.

He further emphasised the need for regular drills and inspections to ensure compliance with safety standards, citing these as crucial.

“Based on what I’m seeing, so far, there is a plan at the Corporation… but there is definitely room for improvement. When it comes to fire safety, it is not just talking about it but it’s actually the doing. So, it’s the action part of the plan that needs some work,” Mr. Campbell outlined.

Additionally, he highlighted the importance of entities having trained and certified fire wardens or first-aiders, as well as ensuring that the buildings are inspected and certified by the JFB.

He said the Brigade conducts these trainings periodically across the parish for various government agencies and non-governmental organisations.

Since the start of the year, the JFB has conducted several community fire-safety trainings, including sessions for the Malvern Community Development Committee, and the Goshen, Pepper, and Jerusalem communities.

“So, for those businesses in Jamaica, especially for St. Elizabeth, I would recommend that you contact the fire department to have an inspection [and] ensure that you have an emergency response plan, fire equipment, trained staff members, and an emergency response plan,” Mr. Campbell underscored.

The training session was attended by Deputy Inspector of Poor, Jermaine Porter, who emphasised the importance of the exercise in dealing with vulnerable groups, including the mentally ill and disabled.

He highlighted the need for clear exit signs and assembly points in buildings to ensure the safety of all occupants.

Matron at the St. Elizabeth Infirmary, Bianca Mitchell, who participated in the training, expressed appreciation for the exercise, noting that it would enhance her ability to manage emergencies and train her staff as emergency responders.

“There are some things I am going to keep in mind, and I will impart this knowledge on my staff as well, because I think a lot of us did not know certain things. So, it’s just to improve our strategies, and definitely implement them,” she stated.