It’s not the flu!

FIREFIGHTERS FACE multiple risks daily as they go about their jobs to protect life and property. They are vulnerable to smoke inhalation, injuries, as well as long-term, job-related illnesses like asthma, cancer and lung damage. And, as we learnt recently, exposure to carbon monoxide gas is just another of the risks associated with their job.

Concerns were raised in the monthly meeting of the St. Catherine Municipal Corporation about the welfare of a firefighter who was taken to hospital with flu-like symptoms which turned out to be carbon monoxide poisoning. She was part of a crew responding to a bush fire along Old Harbour Road in St Catherine – one of nearly 500 calls in April. We were not told whether fire crews are equipped with carbon monoxide monitors, but, if not, it is something to be addressed urgently.

Looking largely like the flu, the symptoms associated with carbon monoxide poisoning can easily be ignored. Indeed, traces of carbon monoxide filter into homes from gas-burning stoves and ovens without doing great damage. Perhaps most people would not lose any sleep over the incident under discussion. But exposure to combustion gases like carbon monoxide could prove fatal in circumstances where the emission level is categorised as “dangerous to life and health”. This is determined by taking readings with a carbon monoxide monitor.

PROTECTIVE GEAR

Which brings us to the matter of protective gear and equipment required to do a safe and effective job, especially in this electric age. At the moment, Jamaica has few electric vehicles but more are coming and soon they will become common. Our firefighters must be trained and equipped to deal with fires in vehicles with lithium-ion batteries, which are already being used in public passenger buses operated by the Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC). Electric buses were introduced in 2023 as part of the government’s thrust to reduce pollution. The challenge is that lithium battery fires are said to burn hotter and faster than other types of fire, and need more water to fully extinguish them. Are our firefighters ready for this?

Business owners and householders also need to consider auditing their premises to see how prepared they are to respond to emergencies, including fires. For example, offices and homes could well benefit from outfitting their premises with firefighting tools, conducting fire drills and having a prevention and protection emergency plan.

Fireproofing one’s home is a smart way to protect what may be your most valuable asset. The experts say installing a smoke detector in the home, for example, reduces your risk of dying in a fire by some 55 per cent. A fire risk consultation has to be seen as a worthwhile investment, especially in these current dry conditions which leave some areas vulnerable to wind-blown flames. Other ways to ensure one’s safety include using fire-retardant building materials and paints and installing fire extinguishers and having them serviced regularly.

So, carbon monoxide poisoning which puts a firefighter in hospital may not raise many alarm bells because it may seem like a small thing, similar to the flu. Big problems mostly start as small, fixable problems that have been ignored for too long.

We recognise the challenges faced by firefighters and other emergency service workers who put themselves at risk in the line of duty. We wish for our St Catherine firefighter a speedy recovery!