JFB blames water thieves for damaged fire hydrants

WESTERN BUREAU:

Norris Mitchell, district officer for the Westmoreland branch of the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB), says the practice of illegal extraction of water has damaged the valves of approximately 300 fire hydrants leaving firefighters and residents at great risk.

He made the observation on Thursday while sharing the preliminary report from an audit of the parish’s fire hydrants at the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation.

The audit was requested by Ian Myles, deputy mayor of Savanna-la-Mar, following an incident last month in which fire destroyed a supermarket.

Firefighters responding to the blaze then had encountered difficulties in getting water from several hydrants in the parish capital.

“We were able to audit around 502 hydrants in which 264 are found to be working satisfactorily,” Mitchell told councillors.

“Two hundred and fifty eight (258) are not working, and the main reasons are that; there was either no water in the area at the time of the inspection or damage to the valves which is mainly caused by private individuals in terms of water theft, especially in Negril and Whitehouse,” the senior firefighter revealed.

Mitchell said the magnitude of the problem of persons stealing water from the system had contributed to the over-tightening of the valves and resulted in them being damaged. “This will help to contribute to the low water pressure that we experience most of the time in terms of carrying out firefighting duties,” he reasoned.

“For the township of Savanna-la-Mar, most of the hydrants are working,” Morris informed, however.

Myles said the situation represented a grave problem and danger waiting.

“I am not sure what is causing the drop in terms of water in these areas where the hydrants are located, and moreover in the township of Savanna-la-Mar, and what can be done at the earliest to have that situation rectified.

“I am now learning that the hydrants are intact, and working (but) I don’t know how workable they are without water and therein lies another problem,” the Jamaica Labour Party councillor for the Little London division said.

“There is a serious concern and one that has to be rectified expeditiously,” he added.

The Savanna-la-Mar deputy mayor encouraged the fire brigade to collaborate with the National Water Commission on a workable solution.