JOB WELL DONE. It was smiles all round after fire officers insalled a smoke detector in Angela Brewster's (seated) home. From left are Fire Officer Henderson Nicholls; Fire Prevention Officer Shirley Phillips-Griffith and Fire Officer Michael Hollingsworth. Minister of Family, Youth Affairs, Sports and the Environment Esther Byer-Suckoo, shares in Brewster's joy.

by CARLOS ATWELL

THE NUMBER OF FIRES for the year has climbed to more than 1 100.

Of these, 29 were house fires, said Station Officer Wilfred Marshall, adding that the death of Anita Griffith, who perished when the house in which she rented a room went up in flames, brought the number of deaths by fire to 22 within the past eight years.

Marshall said the exact number so far was 1 174 and again called for the public to either refrain from burning garbage or exercise extreme caution when doing so. It is now the dry season and such fires could get out of control.

Marshall was speaking to the Press yesterday as Fire Prevention Officers installed smoke detectors at the home of Angela Brewster, who has cerebral palsy, and in the workshop of BARNOD president Patrick Forde, an amputee.

In addition, Fire Prevention Officer Shirley Phillips-Griffith said, there had been 60 false alarms so far and appealed to parents to speak to their children about the danger of hoax calls. She also pleaded with older people who knew better to desist from the practice.

Minister of Family, Youth Affairs, Sports and the Environment Esther Byer-Suckoo who was present, said the service had acquired 60 of the detectors but were now in need of more.

"Fire detectors are not part of our culture but they are readily available. With so many fires, we need to start education programmes to show how you can minimise damage if you have an early warning system," she said.

Marshall agreed, suggesting that insurance companies could also play a part by lowering premiums for homes equipped with detectors.