Bajan Fire Fighters Blog

The Barbados Fire Service Sports and Social Club held its Annual General Meeting and Election of Officers yesterday at Fire Service Headquarters, Probyn Street, Bridgetown. The new Executive Committee (2010 - 2012) is as follows: President Ryan Lovell, 1st Vice President Grantley Greene, 2nd Vice President Troy Gibbons, Secretary Samuel Carrington, Treasurer David Vaughan and Assistant Secretary Treasurer Emmerson White. During the General Meeting the following persons were also elected: Cricket Captain Lonsdale Blake, Vice Captain Michael Dunner, and Team Manager Clarence Hinds. In football: Football Captain Troy Gibbons, Vice Captain Michael Dunner, and Team Manager Grantley Greene.

The man accused of destroying more than 60 acres of cane by fire will eventually face a judge and jury. However, before that time, Wycliffe Eastmond (here in handcuffs) will spend the next 28 days on remand after he appeared in the District "B" Boarded Hall Magistrates' Court yesterday. The 42-year-old, of Halton, St John, was not required to plead to destroying 13 acres of cane, belonging to Hannays Plantation, and another 63 acres of cane, belonging to the same plantation. Magistrate Robert Simmons remanded the accused to HMP Dodds until March 22 when he will reappear in the District "B" Magistrates' Court. (HLE) Source: www.nationnews.com

Lawlessness and deliberate burning have been given as reasons for the record-breaking number of grass and cane fires for the year. Up to Thursday, there were over 749 such fires: 646 grass fires and 103 cane fires. Acting Chief Fire Officer Randolph Cox told the SUNDAY SUN yesterday that based on investigations and reports from his officers, there was reason to believe that some of the fires could have been the result of lawless behaviour by wayward youth. ". . . I don't want to put any blame on the youth in general for lighting these fires. However, there maybe some who are misguided and resort to such," Cox said. The acting fire chief also spoke of occasions where firefighters had discovered "certain devices designed to ignite a particular area". "Included is an implement that would cause a delay action; and hence persons can set these fires, go home and go to sleep before the effects of these fires are realised," he added. The acting fire chief said...

The Belle, St Michael was the theatre of operation for most of yesterday as firefighters continue to battle the relentless spate of brush fires sweeping Barbados. This battle continued into the early hours of Saturday morning, the flames were eventually extinguished around 12:30 a.m. (e-Report video by G Alleyne)

"FIRE, FIRE in yuh wire, wire'' - so sang Tobago's Calypso Rose, to enthusiastic response in the late 1960s. But today in Barbados, with fires seemingly here, there and everywhere in recent weeks, such a refrain would be nothing but a set of sour notes. So sour that a senior fire officer is calling for the return of the fire patrol in Barbados. Station Officer Evans Morris of the Barbados Fire Service said this was necessary, given the high number of grass fires. "I would like to see the police and Barbados Defence Force do fire patrols again to curb the numbers of fires we are having. "In the 70s and 80s the patrol was used mainly during the crop season to protect sugar cane [from would-be arsonists]," he said. Morris added that in his 37 years in the service, this year was one of the worst he had seen in a long time as far as fires were concerned. He spoke to the SATURDAY SUN on Thursday at the scene of a fire, a house fire this time, in South Distric...

Yesterday was certainly an eventful day for firefighters. Apart from the relentless grass and cane fires, several fire officers had to make a hasty retreat as gun fire erupted at Storey Gap, Codrington Hill, St Michael around 15:30 hours. Fire Officers were in attendance at a grass fire a short distance away when several gun shots caused the abrupt cancellation of firefighting operations in the area. As firefighters took safe refuge behind their vehicle one man lay dead under a galvanised shed a few metres from the fire tender. Police were summoned and order was soon restored as members of the Royal Barbados Police Force arrived on the scene. Firefighting operations resumed later in the evening after the location was deemed secure.

Firefighters had their hands full again yesterday with grass fires at Waterford, St. Michael. A pumping station operated by the Barbados Water Authority became the latest casualty after it received extensive damage from a grass fire which destroyed the electrical equipment used to pump water. (e-Report by G Alleyne)

Another Barbadian family is without a home after it was destroyed by a fire at South District, St. George yesterday. Three fire tenders from Fire Service Headquarters under the command of Station Officer Evans Morris responded to the 11:52 a.m. call. Firefighters arrived on the scene to find the stone and timber structure completely engulfed in flames. A motor vehicle parked in the garage of an adjoining house was also extensively damaged by the fire. Police and Fire Service officials are investigating the cause of the fire.

The fire bug continues to stalk Barbados. A family of five lost everything they owned after their home was extensively damaged by fire this afternoon. Deann Moseley, 25, said she left home in South District, St George, to take a shower at her stepmother’s home in Mapp Hill, St George when she was told her father’s house was burning. “As soon as I started to bathe my stepsister told me the house was on fire. I told her that couldn’t be true because I didn’t leave anything on the stove and there was nothing to burn but before we could even leave my stepmother’s house, my house was flat,” she said. A tearful Moseley said neither her father, Michael, 60, nor her three children were home at the time. She said she was unsure whether the house was insured. Station Officer Evans Morris said a nearby abandoned house was destroyed and a vehicle damaged by the blaze. He said three tenders and ten fire officers responded to the 12 p.m fire. Personnel from Barbados Light & Power and the Roving ...

More than 250 acres of canes have been lost from this year's sugar harvest to fire. Chairman Barbados Sugar Industries Limited, Dr. Atlee Brathwaite, says it will affect the amount of sugar produced for the international market. Barbados was hoping to produce 30 thousand tonnes of sugar. The sugar cane harvest period is normally a sweet one for both planters and reapers....but this year they've had to deal with a major pest......THE FIREBUG. From St. Philip to St. Lucy large areas of land have been scorched by fire. Which will also affect next year's yields. Chairman Barbados Sugar Industries Limited, Dr. Atlee Brathwaite says there's also concern about the fires creating a pest problem. Fire officials were kept busy Wednesday across the country battling cane fires. A major fire at the Belle in the afternoon destroyed several more acres of canes. The smoke affected visibility and created problems for motorists on the ABC Highway. The fire service was also forced to clos...

Grazettes Business Fires Raising Suspicions As investigations continue into the origin of today’s fire at Grazettes Industrial Park, which destroyed Tropical Beverages, one business owner says the situation is worrying. While stopping short of charging arson, Colin Appleby of Glass Fibre Limited told Barbados TODAY: “I got a call at half past 4 this morning telling me there’s another fire in Grazettes and you think ‘Oh what’s left’.” The fire was the latest in 18 months during which time Yankee Garments and Talius were destroyed. Those structures have since been knocked down. ”Three weeks ago this Wednesday I came in to find that my back workshop was totally destroyed with fire and nobody knew. We think the fire started around 12 o’clock because the clock melted at 20 to 1. There was no fire alarm. It burned inside all night and totally destroyed what I had in there,” he said. The managing director noted that despite the setback, the company was still able to meet all their outstanding...

The number of fire incidents in Barbados continues to skyrocket, with 237 fires being reported since Acting Chief Fire Officer, Lloydson Phillips, made an appeal to the public to be “fire smart” just 11 days ago. As of yesterday, the Barbados Fire Service have recorded a total of 879 fire calls for the year in comparison with 140 during the same period last year. Of these, 587 were grass fires – a massive increase over last year’s 35, private dwelling stands at 18 as opposed to 13 in 2009 and 90 cane fires have been tended compared to 22 last year. Malicious false alarm calls stand at 33 as compared to last year’s figure of nine. Phillips told Barbados TODAY that the next highest figure for the same period within the last five years was 2008, when 261 calls were recorded. “These statistics are of great concern to the Barbados Fire Service since the resources ... are stretched to the limits, to respond to these fires, but there is an economic cost as well. When an appliance responds to...

The endless spate of grass fires continue around the island. Firefighters wage a constant battle to keep the fiery beast at bay. Graeme Hall, Christ Church was the theatre of operation as Blue Watch personnel wage war with the beast. (e-Report photo by R Best)

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Raging inferno, flames from a grass fire leaped 15 feet in the air at Neil's Tenantry, St. Michael. Wednesday night was just as busy for firefighters as they continued to combat fires around the island. (e-Report video by G Alleyne)

A St Stephen's Hill mechanic is tonight counting his losses after fire destroyed his two-bedroom wall house and all its contents. David Bishop told Barbados TODAY that he was on his way home when he got a call that his Miller’s Tenantry, St Michael home was ablaze. “I left home this morning and was at my daughter’s school’s sports for the whole day. I was near the Stadium when I got the call. All I had plugged in was the fridge,” he said as tears streamed down his face. Firemen battled the blaze in an effort to stop it from spreading to the nearby houses. The house, which also housed his mechanic shed to the front, was lost to flames but the cars and tools were saved. Bishop lived alone and will be spending the night at a relative. Parliamentary representative for the area, Chris Sinckler, who was on the scene, said that whatever could be done to assist Bishop will be. Two fire tenders from the Probyn Street fire headquarters, with seven officers under the command of Station Office...

Barbados continues to lose much foreign exchange as a result of cane fires. Yesterday was no exception as a cane fire at Locust Hall, St. George caused much anxiety as it came close to some houses before being extinguished by fire officers with assistance from a auxiliary tender (water cart) in the area. (e-Report photos by T Griffith)

Smoke and cow itch was in abundance yesterday as firefighters continued their daily battle to contain brush fires around Barbados. The residents in Cane Vale Crescent, Christ Church also endured another day of discomfort as fire destroyed approximately 5 acres of brush during the afternoon. (e-Report by G Alleyne)

The district of Bourne's Village, St. George continues to be a regular hot spot for firefighters. The large volume of cow itch in the area seems to be at the root of several fires which erupted in the neighbourhood including Tuesday night and yesterday morning. (e-Report photos by T Griffith)

An elderly woman was saved from certain death in a house fire at Britton's Hill, St. Michael. Firefighters responded to the call around 1:57 a.m. and discovered the woman was unable to escape due to burglar bars which were erected on the doors and windows of the smoke filled house. Three fire tenders with 10 officers from Fire Service Headquarters under the command of acting Divisional Officer Wilfred Marshall and Station Officer Tyrone Trotman responded to the fire which extensively damaged the eastern side of the stone building. The elderly woman was transported to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital by ambulance suffering from smoke inhalation. Police and Fire Service officials are investigating the cause of the fire.

The little water that is available to Barbadians because of the current drought, is being depleted even more to fight fires. Acting Chief Fire Officer Randolph Cox, who is currently on leave, wants people to be even more vigilant and protect the environment and natural resources by immediately reporting any suspicious looking individuals who may be setting brush fires. (Lloydson Phillips is the current acting Chief Fire Officer). The Fire Service was again forced to respond to a number of brush fires yesterday and according to the Cox, the same water used to extinguish those blazes is water that should be flowing through taps. "People must consider we are in a drought situation and we at the fire service use the same water they drink to fight fires. If this continues, we will suffer a serious water shortage in Barbados," he said. Cox said a fire tender contained an average of 600 gallons of water. He said one tender usually responded to a grass fire, but often had to be refil...

A large fire which enveloped the areas of Bannatyne, Kendal, South Ridge, Vauxhall and Sheraton Park in Christ Church engaged fire officers for more than 5 hours today. It was another fiery day as firefighters endured the blazing heat and sun to contain the fire. (e-Report by G Alleyne)

St Philip and Christ Church have been the hardest hit by the firebug so far this year. According to statistics released by the Barbados Fire Service, there were 117 fires in St Philip and 93 in Christ Church, for January. In St Michael there were 76. In an appeal, Acting Chief Fire Officer Lloydson Phillips urged Barbadians to desist from rash and unwise burning of all types. "Whatever the reason, there is a failure to recognise the inherent danger and the high level of risk which others are exposed to as a result of this indiscriminate action. "A telling example was the house fires that resulted from a grass fire in Christ Church earlier last month," Phillips told the WEEKEND NATION . "This is just one example of the economic impact that these fires are having on our country at a time when we can ill afford it," he said. Another danger pointed out by the senior fire officer was the environmental risk involved with fires. "The products of combustion from f...

January 2010 was the most fiery ever recorded in Barbados. And acting Chief Fire Officer Lloydson Phillips has appealed to Barbadians to stop the dangerous practice of igniting grass fires which accounted for a phenomenal 304 of the 452 fires recorded for the month. As a result, the island’s 249 fire officers have been severely stretched trying to respond to the large number of fires. Phillips told the WEEKEND NATION he was particularly concerned about the sudden upsurge in grass fires and noted there were four times as many fires over the highest ever number (82) in 2008 in a comparative five-year period (2005 – 2010). “Persons light fires and cause open burning for many different reasons. It may be to get rid of rodents, cow itch vines, to clear a lot, to improve security or to beautify their surroundings,” the acting chief fire officer said. “Whatever the reason, there is a failure to recognise the inherent danger and the high level of risk which others are exposed to as a resul...

Brush fires have stretched the Barbados Fire Service to the limit. And Acting Chief Fire Officer Lloydson Phillips is appealing to Barbadians to stop indiscriminate burning. Phillips said: “At the beginning of 2010 we are faced with an abnormally high number of fires as they rage in every section of the Island and have placed a very heavy demand on the resources of this department. “Where at the end of January 2009 we had 13 grass fires, at the end of the corresponding period [this year] we have had 304.” The statistics also showed there were 36 cane fires at the end of January, compared to just five the previous year, while rubbish fires stand at 38 as opposed to last year’s 15. Particularly troubling is the hike in false alarm calls to the fire service from six in 2009 to 17 in 2010. “Persons light fires and cause open burning for many different reasons. Whatever the reason there is a failure to recognise the inherent danger and the high level of risk which others are exposed to as a...

Raging flames erupted as counter-fire operations were conducted at Arch Hall, St. Thomas on Tuesday. The exercise lasted approximately 3 hours as firefighters tried to control a fire in several acres of cow-itch infested bush. (e-Report by G Alleyne)

The Barbados Fire Service is using today’s technology to share its business with the public. “I know that we are the pioneers because none of the other emergency personnel so far have broadened their horizons in this area,” revealed fire officer, Glyne Alleyne, while explained they were using social network sites such as Facebook to enhance contact with Barbadians. “We are leading the pack, having created a network and all of these avenues have allowed us to share what we do with the public.” “Each station is fully linked to headquarters via network and right now we are looking at the possibility of having mobile terminals on board our appliances, enabling our personnel to get floor plans for buildings on scene and allowing for geo-mapping”, Alleyne added. He noted that one meeting and informal discussions had been held so far regarding having an Automatic Vehicle Location and GPS tracking for fire officers deployed. “Barbados is a small country, but still we are trying to establish th...

The Bajan Fire Fighters' Network is happy to announce the launch of our Electronic Report (E-Report) service. We will be testing this facility during the coming week and invite you to send us your incident photos or short video clips. Your photos and videos can be sent to us via mobile phone or email. During the testing period you may use our email address: bajanfirefighters@gmail.com to submit your pictures or videos. Be apart of our Fire Network (FireNet) by sending us photos or short video clips of accidents, fires, rescues, floods, etc. Be sure to submit your name and a brief description of your photo or video when forwarding information, this will be used when posting to our network on the internet. Our network currently includes Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, Ning, YouTube and Ustream.