14397: Schweissing: Nassau Guardian: Haitians to be educated on fire safety (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Daniel Schweissing <dan_schweissing@hotmail.com>

Bahamas

The Nassau Guardian Friday, January 10, 2003

Haitian to be educated on fire safety
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Director of Fire Services, Assistant Superintendent Alexander Roberts,
pictured at a press conference yesterday to announce the Fire Services
Departments new fire awareness program for Haitian Nationals. Also pictured
is Walter Evans, Fire Administration officer.

Photo by FARRENO FERGUSON




By TAMARA McKENZIE

Guardian Staff Reporter


Realizing that six of the seven fire deaths recorded in 2002 were amongst
Haitian nationals, the Fire Services of the Royal Bahamas Police Force will
be making every effort to educate them on fire safety and prevention.


According to Director of Fire Services, Assistant Superintendent Alexander
Roberts, Haitian nationals have been the main targets in 2002 of fire
injuries, informing that of the 31 injuries as a result of a fire, 14 were
Haitian nationals.


"We recognized immediately that this is definitely a concern of the fire
department and also recognize that our efforts during the year 2002, in the
fire prevention section was very excellent, but these statistics are showing
us that while it (fire prevention) is reaching the Bahamian community, the
Haitian community is not being reached," he said.


Superintendent Roberts said that not adequately informing Haitians about
fire safety and prevention is a situation that cannot be placed on the
shelf. He explained that the RBPF Fire Services has the resources that can
be implemented in the Haitian communities. He also stated that a walkabout
was held within a Haitian community last year and additional touring of
Haitian villages are expected to continue in 2003.


"What we extracted from the walkabout is how readily the Haitian community
is to reach out to us. We recognize that they want to partnership with us
and work with us to prevent injuries, the lost of lives and damage to their
properties. We look at this as a bold step and as something that is
necessary. Hopefully in 2003, there will be no lost of life, whether it is a
Haitian national or Bahamian," he said.


Supt. Roberts said walkabouts within the various Haitian communities in the
capital would be "on-going" in 2003 and hopes that their programme will
inject every village on the island. "We also recognize that we cannot do it
by ourselves, so we are going to partnership with churches, business places
and all persons who are hearing our efforts and feel like they can make some
sort of contribution," he said.


When walkabouts are staged within the various Haitian communities, Supt.
Roberts said there are individuals that work along with the police in the
community that speak fluent Creole. He said a determination is then made on
how well fire services are welcomed into such communities. This, he said,
has so far not been a problem.


"What we do, is tell them the don'ts and do's as it relates to fire safety
and prevention. We tell them that they cannot do certain things around a
fire, or leave the house unattended with small kids and candles or kerosene
stoves or lamps. We say to them that a fire would result in injuries, death
and perhaps loss to property," he explained, also adding that when
necessary, smoke detectors are distributed.


In addition to walkabouts, Supt. Roberts said the fire safety division
intends to take its message into the schools and plan to organize some fire
tips with kids. "There is a stop, drop and roll programme that just about
every kid in this country is aware of. We aim to take this also to the
community of the Haitians," he said, adding that it is a programme that they
intend to launch in the Carmichael Road area and will move on to target the
more than 40 Haitian villages in the capital.


Meanwhile, Mr. Roberts informed that in 2002, the fire department attended
to 1,065 fire calls and recorded $4,233,000 as an estimated loss to such
properties.


"In the fire department, we have an awesome responsibility and our
responsibility is to provide fire safety and fire protection to all in the
Commonwealth of The Bahamas, whether it be our guests, residents, or
citizens alike," he said.







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