Fire Service takes safety camp to East Coast students

Students from several schools along the East Coast of Demerara on Saturday benefited from basic fire safety tips after attending a safety camp hosted by the Guyana Fire Service at the Lusignan Community Centre Ground on Saturday.

The camp which was arranged specifically for children is geared at educating them about the various causes of fire, how to minimise them, and what to do in case of such an incident.

During the event, the children were involved in various interactive sessions with experienced firefighters. They were also given demonstrations on the usage of fire safety equipment and the operation of a heavy-duty firefighting machine.

The students were also presented with certificates of attendance and a fire safety booklet after the camp.

Delivering remarks at the exercise was Fire Chief (ag), Gregory Wickham, who noted that it is important to involve children in the fire prevention conversation.

“We want to stop the destruction of life and property by way of fire. And so, this is a means and a way of reaching out and educating our students on how they can help with the minimisation process,” the fire chief said.

According to Wickham, with the increase in fire during the past month, the service is taking its fire prevention sensitisation serious.

Additionally, also speaking at the camp was Chairman of the Mon Repos\La Reconnaissance Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) Jagroop who said that the camp would greatly empower the children living in the surrounding communities.

He added that it is also an opportunity for them to share their knowledge with their parents and other family members when they go back home.

“I would like to applaud the students for coming out to this important exercise because if you look at the news, almost every day there is a fire in the country… In collaboration with the fire service, we will host another camp this later on,” Jagroop expressed.

The chairman further stated that with such events happening, he foresees a decrease in fires.

The camp is the second to be held in Region Four, but the first to be hosted for the year. The fire service will continue this necessary sensitisation exercise as the new year progresses.