BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – ONE of the important facts children learnt over the three-day St. Kitts-Nevis Fire and Rescue Services Summer Safety Programme is that fire was a good servant but bad master.
It was a good servant in terms of keeping them warm and cooking their food but became a bad master when the fire would burn homes and other possessions uncontrollably.
Children around St. Kitts attended the safety programme at the Basseterre, Sandy Point and Tabernacle fire station branches to learn how they could preserve their life and the lives of others in case there was a fire.
The closing ceremony was held on Friday, July 20 at the Basseterre Fire Station where certificates were handed out to those who did exceptionally well at the programme as Junior Fire Chiefs and Junior Deputy Fire Chiefs. Some performed a skit on a fire scenario at a school.
Vernique Herbert and Dario Esdaille were awarded Fire Chief and Deputy Fire Chief respectively from the Basseterre programme; from Sandy Point- Kante Jeffers and Sherrian Francis were Fire Chief and Deputy Fire Chief respectively; while Shesky Rawlins and Rayhan Morton were declared Fire Chief and Deputy Fire Chief from the Tabernacle programme.
The summer safety programme was started 11 years ago when according to Fire Sub-Officer Everette O'Garro, they had observed an increase in the number of fire incidents involving children. The senior officers then came together to discuss ways of curbing the incidents.
“Over the three days we will teach fire safety tips because we realize over the summer children are at home or they go on picnics. We’ve also included the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force to deal with traffic safety, and the Coast Guard to deal with water safety. So we’ll be covering a wide area other than fires,” O’Garro said.
Brief remarks were given by permanent secretary within the Ministry of Homeland Security who said he was happy the children were a part of the programme and had gained valuable information.
Many of the students who attended the programme in Basseterre were students of the Tucker Clarke Primary School. Tthe school’s Principal Sylvester Charles commended the Fire and Rescue Services for organizing such a programme.
“Even with little sponsorship they were able to host this event every year. And I want to urge everyone to remember and practice the tips they have learnt in this programme,” Charles said.
