Fire Officer Stresses the Importance of Fire Prevention
Basseterre, St. Kitts, April 11, 2023 (ZIZ Newsroom)–When it comes to fire prevention, Fire Sub-Station Officer within the St. Kitts and Nevis Fire and Rescue Services, Timothy Martin says the Federation needs to be more proactive.
He shared this view during his appearance on ZIZ radio’s programe “Fire Talk” on Tuesday.
Mr. Martin noted that it is better to put in place the necessary preventative measures before a fire occurs rather than after.
He stated, “Instead of waiting for when something happened to deal with it, you try to analyze a situation and come up with ways to mitigate it before it happens. So that is, as I said, one of our main concerns.”
He stressed the need for persons to have a fire prevention plan in the home or workplace.
“So when we look at fires that happens in the workplace and at home, what are some of the ways that we can mitigate these fires? Before it starts? And one of the main things that we like to stress on is having a plan. And you would’ve heard me say a few times, well, that, you know, a plan is essential and we just want to really hit it home to our residents that having a plan is more than 50% of your job.”
Martin encouraged persons to look in areas around their homes where a potential fire can occur and put in the necessary preventative measures to reduce that possibility.
“Let’s talk about the home, for example. What are some of the situations that can cause a fire within your home? Of course, we know that the kitchen is one area that is likely to generate a fire. And so, we want to look at the kitchen. You’d would want to look at your electrical supplies whether your fuse or your power source is adequate enough to deal with the appliances that you have within your home. You’d want to look at if you have children in the home or elderly persons within the home, what can I do to mitigate them from getting their hands on any item that might start a fire matches, for example, lighters.”
He also advised persons to not only draft a plan but also practice it.
“Fire Talk” air every Tuesday at 9:30 am on ZIZ Radio during the “Morning Show” with GCue.