LOCAL government minister Portia Simpson Miller yesterday appealed for greater protection, from fires, for children, senior citizens and persons with disabilities.

She was speaking at the launch of National Fire Safety Week at the Tom Redcam Library in Kingston.

“Most of the devastation and human suffering caused by fire could have been prevented if people were more informed,” she said.

According to figures supplied by minister Simpson Miller, between 1997 to 2002 there were 146 deaths caused by fire and of that number 52 were children. Last year she added, 13 children died in fires, while so far this year 16 persons including eight children have perished in fires.

“We have to take action now,” the minister urged. “Children are a part of the innocent victims.”

She called for fire prevention to be taught, more rigorously, in schools and homes.

“Schools should take more interest in fire safety. The education must begin at schools and in the home,” she said. “This is not being taken seriously. Too often there is this outrage when a child dies in a fire…. after that parents are still leaving their children at home unsupervised and we need to take some serious action.”

Children, she added, should be taught basic rules about fire, such as not to play with matches and how to respond if their clothing is ablaze.

“When you learn, from early, to be fire safety aware the awareness stays all through life,” she said.

In an effort to promote more awareness of fires, the members of the Fire Brigade will be making efforts to visit communities, especially high risk areas where there is overcrowding and illegal connections.

“There is a strong link between vulnerability to fire and poverty,” minister Simpson noted. “(The Fire Brigade) plans to be highly visible, putting on exhibitions, lectures, demonstrations and video shows. They will also be meeting with community organisations and visiting homes.”

She also urged Jamaicans to utilise the ongoing exhibition that is conveniently designed to appeal to children and young people to learn about the Fire Brigade and pick up life-saving information on fire prevention.

This year, Fire Safety Awareness Week is being observed from Sunday October 26 to Saturday November 1.