Bajan Fire Fighters Blog

A SENIOR FIRE OFFICER wants businesses and home-owners to install water sprinklers and fire detectors. Divisional Officer of the Barbados Fire Service Randolph Cox said the sprinklers would help bring a fire under control until a tender arrived. He said fire detectors would also assist people in identifying the location of fires, which would assist officers in their response time. "We are advocating active fire protection systems for business houses and homes," he stated. He said it was a costly undertaking, and some people opted for hand appliances like fire extinguishers and buckets of water or sand. Firemen were in the field last Saturday with workers from the Ministry of Transport and Works placing blue markers to identify fire hydrants in Nelson Street and its environs. It was the continuation of a programme which will see makers being placed ten feet away from hydrants throughout The City. Cox told the media it took about ten minutes for a wooden st...

Happy Father's Day A Dad is a personwho is loving and kind, And often he knows what you have on your mind. He's someone who listens,suggests, and defends. A dad can be one of your very best friends! He's proud of your triumphs,but when things go wrong, A dad can be patient and helpful and strong In all that you do, a dad's love plays a part. There's always a place for him deep in your heart. And each year that passes, you're even more glad, More grateful and proud just to call him your dad! Thank you, Dad...for listening and caring, for giving and sharing, but, especially, for just being you! Happy Father's Day

There has been a 50 per cent reduction in all types of fires from 2008 to 2009 for the period ending on June 3. This information was revealed by Sub Officer, Henderson Patrick of the Barbados Fire Service (BFS) yesterday in an interview with the Barbados Advocate. He stated that at this time last year there were 1211 fires overall, whereas there were about 1102 for the same period this year. In terms of structural fires – private dwelling houses, they have had about four or five fires in the last couple of days in areas such as Mason Hall Street and Shorey Village and it appears as though “we are having a spike in structural fires. However, in the overall context of fires, we are actually down”. Last year for this same period there were 55 structural fires and for this year they have responded to 41. As for sugar cane fires, there has been 67 fewer fires now than they had last year, “which is a significant reduction in that particular category,” said Patrick. Last year, there were 173 ...

The Barbados Fire Service values the public's assistance in fighting fires but that help must come under the guidance of its officers. Divisional Officer Randolph Cox said civilians were not allowed to take up and use any of the service's equipment. "I can understand people's enthusiasm and that they want to assist but they have to do so under the guidance of the fire service," he said. Cox was speaking to the Press last Friday at the scene of a fire in Mason Hall Street, The City, where one house was extensively damaged and three others slightly affected. Hindered Fire officials reported they were hindered in doing their jobs by residents who were trying to help, although they also thanked the residents for removing some of the items from the houses. Winston Callender and Charles Jackman were among the first people on the scene. They live nearby and made sure the gas bottles in the most severely damaged house was removed, as well as some items from the other hous...

Jason Howard lost almost everything he owned in a few minutes yesterday. The 28-year-old resident of Garden Land, Bank Hall, St Michael, said everything seemed fine when he left his rented home to buy some medicine for a cold but upon his return the house was engulfed in flames. "I was sleeping then I got up to buy some multi-symptom because I wasn't feeling well, but by the time I came back I saw saw white smoke coming from my room at the back of the house," he said. Howard said his brother-in-law whom he had left at home came through the door yelling for someone to call the fire department and the only thing they saved was a single bed before the three-bedroom, one-bathroom wall and timber house was destroyed. Howard rented the house from Velsey Moore and lived with his sister Nefferti Howard, 30, and her three children: Davione Sealy, 12; Dominic Ash, nine, and Tyrese Layne, four, all of whom were at church when the fire started. He said he did not know what they would...