SAVANNA-LA-MAR, Westmoreland — A suggestion by the National Water Commission (NWC) on how it will work with the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) to fight fires in Westmoreland during the ongoing drought is not adequate, Councillor Amorkard Brown (People’s National Party, Leamington Division) has argued.

He has suggested that firefighters explore other options to fight blazes.

However, during last Thursday’s monthly meeting of Westmoreland Municipal Corporation (WMC), the fire brigade’s district officer for the parish Norris Mitchell spoke of the challenges being faced.

According to Mitchell, low water pressure affects the performance of hydrants in Savanna-la-Mar, and there are challenges in Bethel Town and Negril where there are frequent water shortages. He added that Savanna-la-Mar is now receiving only 50 per cent of its usual supply due to blockage and deterioration of the water main, while some communities in Negril are getting water only twice per week.

“The NWC has stated that we should call them when there is a fire in any of these areas and they will send water trucks to assist the fire trucks,” he said.

However, mayor of Savanna-la-Mar and councillor of the Bethel Town Division, Danree Delancy expressed concern about how much it will cost to take this approach.

“Does the NWC have a standing order with these water trucks? And where will these water trucks get the water to fight the fire?” he asked.

Mayor Delancy was supported by Councillor Brown.

“Considering that there is a challenge with water, what additional strategies do you have in place to suppress fires? Do you have any strategies that could include [using] gases to suppress fires?” he queried.

Mitchell noted that while he is aware the technology does exist, it is not one that Jamaica now uses. He, however, said that JFB trucks are equipped with foam mixture and the law allows the fire department to use any nearby source of water to combat fires. These may include a residential pool or river.

According to an article published by the Airport Blog, there are five categories of fires — ordinary combustible materials, flammable liquids, electrical, combustible metals, and cooking media — and they are largely defined by what type of fuel is burning. Different categories require different types of firefighting agents to successfully extinguish the flames.

The article said while water and foam are standard in many countries, dry chemicals offer firefighters another option when combating different classes of fires. Dry chemicals are primarily made from potassium and sodium bicarbonate, and some fire trucks in other countries can carry several different types such as ABC, BC and Purple K. The ABC chemical is the most versatile and can be used to suppress all types of fires.