KINGSTON, Jamaica— The Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) is looking to expand its fire warden clubs in schools programme as part of measures to heighten public awareness about fire safety.

The clubs were introduced as an extracurricular activity in primary schools to engage and empower students and their parents in fire safety.

“We are now in 24 schools and we are hoping to get into another 13 schools before the end of this year,” said Commissioner of the JFB, Stewart Beckford.

He was speaking at a digital town hall hosted by the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development on July 30, to outline achievements by the Ministry and its agencies.

The JFB commissioner said the fire prevention unit has undertaken several initiatives to heighten awareness about fire safety in light of the number of fire-related deaths over the last four years.

“We have developed animated skits, which are showing on some of our local cable networks and some podcasts are [being aired],” he noted.

“We remain concerned about our citizens, who have been killed in fires because over the last four years, 137 persons would have been killed to include 22 children and 322 persons were injured, including 75 firefighters,” the JFB commissioner said.

“We continue to urge members of the public to adhere to simple fire safety measures that have been established and have been promulgated by the fire prevention team,” he added.

He is encouraging persons to visit the Brigade’s website at https://jfb.gov.jm/ for fire prevention and safety information.

—JIS