The drive to intensify a strong and enduring sense of personal responsibility
THE OBSERVANCE of Fire and Life Safety Awareness Week, 2018, is of paramount importance not only to the men and women of the Jamaica Fire Brigade, but indeed to the Government of Jamaica and to all Jamaicans.
The Fire and Life Safety Programme, which was introduced last year in St Andrew and in St Elizabeth and implemented in over 26 communities, strongly emphasises, among other things, education workshops and the creation of community fire-watch groups. The drive to intensify a strong and enduring sense of personal responsibility in preventing fires at the community level is critical to cauterising the significant levels of damage and loss of life that continue to occur across our country.
Last year, the Jamaica Fire Brigade received 11,359 fire calls. Twenty-five people lost their lives due to fires, while 2,390 people were left homeless. For the first quarter of this calendar year the fire brigade received 2,838 calls for assistance, 17 people died, and 55 people lost their homes.
As the name suggests, this week’s observances incorporate not only fire but life safety. In this regard, I wish to emphasise the role of personal responsibility in the enhancement of Jamaica’s built environment, and the role of the fire brigade in making it happen. Thousands of our citizens, particularly in urban centres all over Jamaica, live in poorly constructed dwellings on lands they do not own.
There are others who have erected various structures for business purposes in breach of building rules and standards. In neither instance has the permission of local authorities been sought, as is required under the Building Act. The potential and actual danger is clear and present. As one of the assessment agencies in the development approvals process, the Jamaica Fire Brigade has a crucial role to play in determining the quality of all structures that are being constructed, as well as those that already exist.
Therefore, you are not only critical to ensuring that we protect our national assets from fire, but also, to creating the new architecture that we all will benefit from: the new houses, hotels, schools, hospitals, churches, all the structures that are critical to the expansion and development of a modern society.
Your efforts are already greatly assisting the implementation of the Fire Safety and Protection Programme, which is one of the ministry’s priority areas for this financial year. The ministry continues to work assiduously to provide you, the dedicated men and women of the fire brigade, with the equipment you need to increase your effectiveness.
I want to use this opportunity to once again salute you and hold you high, as standard-bearers of one of the most recognisable institutions in this country. You continue to bring honour to the agency’s motto: ‘Saving Lives, Protecting Property.’