Remembrance Day Parade - November 9, 2008

Barbados will honour its war dead on Remembrance Day, Sunday, November 9, 2008 with the customary parade and interdenominational service at the Cenotaph in National Heroes' Square, Bridgetown commencing at 8:00 a.m.

Governor-General Sir Clifford Husbands and Prime Minister David Thompson will lay wreaths in remembrance of the servicemen who lost their lives during World Wars One and Two.

The diplomatic corps and uniformed organisations will also participate in the wreath laying ceremony, during the parade of armed and unarmed units.

The Band Of The Royal Barbados Police Force will play for the armed units on parade and for the march from Central Police Station to National Heroes' Square. The Barbados Defence Force Band will provide music for the unarmed units to march from Queen's Park to the square and back.

Smoke Detectors To Aid Fire Prevention

Over the last eight years, Barbados saw a notable 22 people dying in house fires, with four of these deaths occurring this year.

In light of this, acting Chief Fire Officer, Anthony Blackman, has appealed to the Barbadian population to install smoke detectors and adhere to fire safety information.

The Barbados Fire Service (BFS) is leading by example, having so far installed 150 smoke detectors across the island, largely in the homes of the disabled and the elderly, at a cost of some Bds $8,000. Half of this was contributed by several churches and Cooperators General Insurance Company Ltd., which presented the Fire Prevention and Community Relations Unit with smoke detectors last Monday.

Today, fire officers of the unit distributed them to households in the Britton’s Hill and Garrison area, as the BFS ended Fire Prevention Week but left the theme Smoke Detectors Save Lives ringing in the ears of Barbadians.

During the first stop at Burke’s Land in Britton’s Hill, Attorney General and Minister of Home Affairs Freundel Stuart, who is also the parliamentary representative for the area, assisted in the smoke detector installation at a household.

Speaking to reporters afterwards, Mr. Stuart lauded the insurance company for supporting the programme and exhorted the rest of Corporate Barbados to do likewise, since this fire safety drive is islandwide and calls for smoke detectors, not only at the houses of the physically-challenged and the elderly but also at special schools, institutions and private homes.

Echoing the Fire Service’s concern over the rise in both house fires and resulting deaths, the insurance company is also disturbed about the number of uninsured houses destroyed by fire, especially when protection is available and at affordable rates. (BGIS/TA)

Community Outreach - Warrens, St. Michael

Members of the Fire Prevention and Community Relations Unit of the Barbados Fire Service took their message to Super Centre Supermarket in Warrens, St. Michael yesterday. The community outreach programme is part of the activities being held to celebrate Fire Prevention Week 2008.

The fire officers handed out fire safety literature and encouraged members of the public to implement fire safety measures in their homes as a matter of urgency. Fire Officer Shirley Phillips made mention of the high incidence of house fires this year and that four persons had died as a result of these fires.

Fire Service Responds To Bus Crash

On Wednesday, October 15, 2008 at 20:37 hours, fire officers from Fire Service Headquarters under the command of acting Station Officer Trevor Applewhaite responded with the rescue tender to a motor vehicle accident along Hinks Street in Bridgetown.

The accident involved two Transport Board buses, extrication was not required. However, fire officers stabilized the accident scene and assisted the seven persons who were injured and later transported to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. One omnibus was extensively damaged after it struck the James Fort Building while the other was slightly damaged. (HQFS)

Two Burn In Morning Inferno

A young St Thomas mother and her four-month-old baby were admitted to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) yesterday in critical condition after suffering burns to parts of their bodies as they tried to escape the flames that destroyed their home in Vaucluse.

The SATURDAY SUN understands that Martina Gittens, 22, suffered burns to her face while her daughter, Zaria received burns to her back in the early morning fire.

One witness said that on his way home, "about 12:30 a.m. or so, I see all the lights on, every light was burning in the house."

"And by the time I get home, it was only minutes after that I smell the smoke and heard the fire trucks," he said.

Station Sargeant John Rollick at District D said the fire destroyed the three-bedroom timber and wall house owned by Martina's 43-year-old mother, Debra Gittens.

Martina's four other siblings and two other children also lived in the home. They all escaped the fire without injury.

Member of Parliament and friend of the family, Cynthia Forde, said both the mother and child were in hospital while the other family members were staying with relatives in Bank Hall, St Michael.

"It is so sad what happened to Martina and her baby, to this family. To go through this, is awful. They have lost everything in that fire and I believe that the house only just recently had repairs.

"I am happy though that the agencies have gotten in contact with the family and are working urgently to help them out," she said.

At about 12:30 yesterday afternoon, Martina and her daughter Zaria were still in surgery at the QEH, while over in St Thomas what was left of the Gittens home still smoked.

Police are investigating the fire. (TM)

Source: www.nationnews.com

Bajans Warned Of Fire Threat

Today is International Fire Prevention Day and the Barbados Fire Service (BFS) has issued an appeal to Barbadians to take the threat of house fires more seriously.

Over the last eight years, Barbados has recorded 21 deaths as a result of house fires with three of those deaths occurring this year.

Smoke detectors have been installed by the fire service in the homes of disabled persons.

Acting Chief Fire Officer, Anthony Blackman said yesterday, "The BFS wants to send a message to every house-holder that a simple inexpensive smoke detector could be the difference between life and death in a house fire."

Blackman said there were significant increases in house fires as well as well as fire calls - a worrying sign for the department.

"Up until October 1, 2008, house fires in Barbados moved from 78 to 87, a 12 per cent increase from 2007 fire calls jumped from 2023 to 2434 for the same period last year and these statistics pose a great challenge to our Fire Prevention and Community Relations Unit," Blackman stated.

Station Officer responsible for the Fire Prevention and Community Relations Unit, Wilfred Marshall said that programmes were in place to make the public more aware of the threat of fires.

"We have already started the SAFE programme that targets the primary schools through the Ministry of Education. The RISK WATCH programme targets parents and staff associations in the public day nurseries, the Community Outreach Kitchen Safety programme targets home owners

in the community and the Smoke Detector installation programme has given free detectors to the disabled," Marshall said. (PA)

Source: www.nationnews.com

More Fire Stations, Training

Two new fire stations and a sub-station at the Bridgetown Port are in store for the island to help fire officers better deal with fire and emergency rescues.

Acting fire chief Anthony Blackman told the 53rd Chief Fire Officer's Parade at the Arch Hall station yesterday, there were plans for improved infrastructure.

"There have been ongoing discussions with the Barbados Port Authority Inc. in connection with having a sub-station in the Port. This means that officers will have to seek training in marine firefighting. We are also looking forward to the development of a training facility at the old fire station and you will soon be hearing more of that.

"A new fire station is being constructed to replace the existing station at the airport. These facilities will be outfitted with modern pieces of equipment and are to improve working conditions that currently exist for officers," he said.

Blackman added that there was also a proposal to build a new station at Six Roads, St Philip.

The fire chief said they were also developing a stronger academic base for their officers to help enhance their future operations.

"The department is in discussions with the Barbados Community College to establish a degree in fire science and this depends on a memorandum of understanding between the Barbados Fire Service, the Barbados Community College and Hillsborough Community College. That was submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs to be finalised."

The Barbados Fire Service has also established a Caribbean Examination programme to help those who did not achieve certification before; they have covered Mathematics, Accounts, Principles of Business, and English and the tutors have come from within the department.

Training has also been undertaken in the last year and this year in the areas of customer service skills, supervisory management, industrial relations, public service excellence and hazard material awareness.

Blackman said that on August 21 officers were trained in dealing with hazardous materials through a programme co-ordinated between the Barbados Community College, the Fire Service and Hillsborough Community College in Florida, United States.

Five officers also returned to the United States to complete their associate degrees.

The parade was spectacular with various drills and musical accompaniment from the Barbados Prison Service.

The new drill, battle of the axes was done by young fire officers who were trained by chief training instructor at the Regional Police Training School, Christine Stanford.

There was also a roof rescue of an injured man.

Fire Service Week continues with a fair today at the Probyn Street headquarters. (WB)

Source: www.nationnews.com