KINGSTON, Jamaica- Citizens are, again, being urged to take steps to safeguard fire hydrants and avoid actions that could render them inoperable.

Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) commissioner, Stewart Beckford, says while the entity is committed to protecting life and property, the public must play its part in ensuring that hydrants remain accessible and functional.

“We see people doing construction, and they dump the material on these hydrants. We also see where vehicles knock them down, and that poses a challenge,” he told JIS News.

The commissioner emphasised that hydrants can be the determining factor between saving a life or a property from complete destruction, particularly as damaged or blocked hydrants significantly impact response times.

Earlier this month, the JFB reported an increase in the number of operational fire hydrants islandwide and noted significant improvements in the functionality of existing ones.

Beckford said the increase is linked to ongoing infrastructure developments and encourages Jamaicans to take responsibility for maintaining hydrants, particularly those near their homes.

“Protect them because, if there’s a fire and we turn up, the tank of water that we come with… will be pumped out in less than 10 minutes. So what do we do next? If the hydrant is nearby, we connect to that hydrant, run it to the truck, and we pump. That [hydrant] is basically an inexhaustible source of water,” he pointed out.

-JIS