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Posted: Thursday 5 May, 2016 at 7:37 PM

Fire Service continues safety drills with private sector entities

By: Jermine Abel, SKNVibes.com

    BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – A frantic scene had developed outside First Caribbean Bank yesterday morning (May 4) where staff and customers of the financial institution were seen evacuating the building because of what appeared to be a fire within.

     

    However, all fears were allayed as it turned out to be a simulation exercise between the Fire Service and the financial institution, Chief Fire Officer Everett O’Garro told SKNVibes.

    It was shortly after 10:00 a.m. when the sound of sirens were heard amidst those of the customary busy mid-morning hustle and bustle in Central Basseterre as fire officers quickly sprinting into action.

    Curious onlookers took the time to snap a few pictures while others calmly video recorded the scene.

    The Fire Chief explained that over the last several months his Department has been running a number of programmes with private and public sector agencies on the islands to ensure they are ready in the event of a fire.

    “There are some programmes that we are doing with the banks and other businesses where, periodically, they would have simulation exercises and they will have evacuation teams there.”

    A similar exercise was recently conducted at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort which had caused some degree of embarrassment.

    During the opening ceremony of the recently-held ECLAC Meeting at that venue, then acting Prime Minister Vance Amory was delivering the keynote address when fire alarms in the hotel went off.

    That incident saw the meeting coming to a standstill for over 15 minutes as the hotel’s administrators scampered to address the situation.

    According to the Fire Chief, this is done to keep staff of various up to date with emergency measures in the event of a fire, while fire officers would be geared and ready to respond to burnings at any institution or home.

    Earlier this year, Chief O’Garro told SKNVibes that there was a decrease in the number of fires for last year.

    Providing statistics to back up his claims, he stated that there was a 10 percent reduction in fires across the Federation.

    He disclosed that there were some 653 fires in 2015 but, alarmingly, there was an increase in bush fires for that period.

    To this end, he said, measures have been implemented to minimize those fires.
     
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