Jamaica Fire Brigade District Officer (Fire Prevention), Sheryl Walters, addresses the Disaster Preparedness, Hazard Mitigation and Safety Committee meeting at the St Elizabeth Municipal Corporation in Black River last week.Contributed

JFB improving fire safety and preparedness in St Elizabeth

· The Gleaner

The Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) has been making steady progress in improving fire safety and preparedness in St Elizabeth.

District Officer (Fire Prevention), Sheryl Walters, said the JFB has been focusing on building inspections and maintenance of critical emergency infrastructure across the breadbasket parish.

“We continue to do inspections of specified buildings. Some are compliant and some are not. For the ones that are not compliant, recommendations have been made,” Walters explained.

She was addressing the Disaster Preparedness, Hazard Mitigation and Safety Committee meeting at the St Elizabeth Municipal Corporation in Black River last week.

Walters informed that follow-up inspections are scheduled over the next three months to ensure that necessary changes are implemented. These measures, she explained, aim to bring all businesses in line with safety practices to protect lives and property.

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She further indicated that the JFB is prioritisting the maintenance of fire hydrants in the parish.

“The maintenance team has reported that 14 hydrants were serviced and five repaired in the Horizon Park, Ashwood, Nain and Santa Cruz areas,” the District Officer advised.

The JFB has also intensified its community education and outreach efforts. Walters indicated that the agency has been reaching out to schools, churches and other community stakeholders and interests, to raise awareness about fire prevention and disaster readiness.

The committee meeting brought together a wide range of stakeholders to discuss safety initiatives across St Elizabeth.

Presentations were made by several other state agencies, including the Social Development Commission (SDC), National Water Commission (NWC) and Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

Updates provided covered activities aimed at enhancing infrastructure, resource management and community preparedness in the face of potential natural disasters.