Preventing Fires This Easter through Safe Measures

House fires are as bad as forest fires and can also easily be prevented if the time is taken to ensure that nothing is left turned on and unattended. At this time of year, people are planning to travel for the Easter and many times they go and leave electrical appliances plugged in and turned on or candles lit. Mortis advises that asking a neighbor to look out can help when we leave for the holidays, while for the forest fires; he explained that the fire department will team up with other agencies to get a handle on those fires.

Via Phone: Kenneth Mortis

Via Phone: Kenneth Mortis, Belize District Supervisor, Belize National Fire Service

“It’s a collective effort, whether it’s a community effort, whether it’s a village council effort, whether it’s a mayoral effort. You know, you have a chairman in all these villages. Try to see how best you can be the help until help arrive. Keep your area clear, keep your vegetation around you as low as possible, and work with us and we’ll work with you all to the best of our ability. What we will make an attempt to do in the near future is to probably take a sit down with the Forest Department and see what exactly their role is in terms of how they can assist the National Fire Service with all these fires – exactly what their role and responsibility, and at same time, how far do we, the National Fire Service want to extend our resources. Looking at fire profession versus fire personnel, it’s no secret that we are not where we are supposed to be, but we still do what we could with what we have. So we need to step back and look at a more conservative approach in terms of other agencies out there that can assist with fires,  trying to save some of the damages, trying to minimize the damage, whether it’s an, environmental aspect or Forestry. When it comes to traveling, like you rightfully mentioned, you want to make sure that you take the time, do that last minute check before your walk through your door. Did I leave anything on? Did I leave anything plugged in? And at the same time, if you are in a heavily residential area, communicate with your neighbors. Tell your neighbors that you know what, I’ll be out for a couple days or I’ll be out for a duration or period. Keep an eye on my property for me. My thing is today you watch for me tomorrow I watch for you.”