Trelawny Fire Service Responds to 18 Calls, Saves $109 Million in Property

The Trelawny Division of the Jamaica Fire Brigade responded to 18 fire calls during the month of December 2008, and was able to save some $109.5 million in property.
Of the calls, 10 were genuine fires, two were malicious false alarms, one was categorised as a false alarm with good intent, and five were special service calls.
“There were five structural fires and 10 adults and four children were made homeless,” informed Head of the Trelawny Division of the Jamaica Fire Brigade, Deputy Superintendent Dolfin Doeman, at the monthly meeting of the Trelawny Parish Council held on Thursday (Jan. 8) in Falmouth.
“For the period, we had an estimated loss, due to fire, of $26. 9 million, with a total risk of $136.5 million, which means that we saved approximately $109.5 million in property value,” he added, noting that all three fire units in the Trelawny Division are fully functional.
As it relates to the work of the Emergency Medical Service (EMS), Deputy Superintendent Doeman said that the team responded to approximately 31 calls, four of which were motor vehicle crashes. One life was lost as a result of the accidents.
Turning to community outreach, the Deputy Superintendent informed that the homework centre operated by the Fire Division has reopened, following a brief break for the December festive season.
On an average, approximately 25 primary school students utilize the homework facility on a daily basis.