BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE seeds of education planted by the members of the St. Kitts and Nevis Fire and Rescue Services have been yielding fruit, which are evidenced in the recorded reduction in the instances of fire in 2008 as compared with 2007.
According to statistics provided by the Fire Services, in 2007 there were 533 recorded fires in St. Kitts and Nevis and that figure fell in 2008 by 11.63 percent to 471.
In 2007, St. Kitts recorded a decrease of 18.86 percent in the incidences of fire, which stood at 440 while 357 were recorded in 2008.
In Nevis however, an increase of 22.58 percent was recorded last year. The figure stood then at 114 and in 2007 it was at 93.
Fire Sub Station Officer (FSSO) Clarence Hendrickson, who is responsible for the St. Kitts Nevis Fire Prevention Office, told SKNVibes that between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2007, the Fire and Rescue Services received 587 calls of which 52 were false, two were motor vehicle accidents and the others were actual fires.
He also explained that in 2008, 519 calls were received of which 44 were false, four of which were motor vehicle accidents and the remaining were fires.
Officer Hendrickson said he attributes the overall decrease in the number of reported fires to the intensification of the Fire and Rescue Services’ fire safety and prevention programme. He said the programme consists of several elements which include visits to business places and schools to educate individuals about fire safety and radio programmes on fire prevention.
The Fire Safety Summer Programme, Hendrickson said, also played a major role in the reduction of the number of fires recorded in 2008. In Nevis, he further explained, investigations into incidences of fire revealed that a significant number of them was caused by children. Notwithstanding the increase in the number of fires in Nevis, Hendrickson maintains that the Fire and Rescue Services’ Safety Summer Programme has proven successful, noting a decrease in fires set by children has been observed.
The officer promised that the department would not relent in its drive to educate the Federation about fire prevention and fire safety.
