Dear Editor,
I have not kept abreast of firefighting techniques in Jamaica or globally, or the response that has been mooted towards the spate of fires that sections of the country seem to be experiencing. I only know of one other means of fighting a fire of this nature — water aside — and that is using sand or like material.
I remember reading stories of cowboys versus Indians in the Wild, Wild, West, where the latter would many times attack the whites by burning their property. As a proactive measure, some whites would burn the vegetation surrounding their property. The logic should be obvious: what has been burned can hardly be burnt again. In so doing, the fire, while posing a danger otherwise, would not extend beyond the limits of the burnt area(s).
I am not suggesting that people engage in a wholesale burning of areas, but that especially property owners in liaison with the expertise and advice of the fire service, consider the possibility of controlled burning of areas surrounding buildings, etc, where applicable, so as to alleviate the danger of the fire being out of control by the time it reaches the property zone.
In the event that the above suggestion is deemed unfeasible, then I do hope those who do not wish to use fire to fight fire will have water. If not, I hope they will have enough hands to use the sand.
Michael Irving
Sandy Bay, Clarendon
irvingmichaelm@hotmail.com
What's already burnt...
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I have not kept abreast of firefighting techniques in Jamaica or globally, or the response that has been mooted towards the spate of fires that sections of the country seem to be experiencing. I only know of one other means of fighting a fire of this nature — water aside — and that is using sand or like material.
I remember reading stories of cowboys versus Indians in the Wild, Wild, West, where the latter would many times attack the whites by burning their property. As a proactive measure, some whites would burn the vegetation surrounding their property. The logic should be obvious: what has been burned can hardly be burnt again. In so doing, the fire, while posing a danger otherwise, would not extend beyond the limits of the burnt area(s).
I am not suggesting that people engage in a wholesale burning of areas, but that especially property owners in liaison with the expertise and advice of the fire service, consider the possibility of controlled burning of areas surrounding buildings, etc, where applicable, so as to alleviate the danger of the fire being out of control by the time it reaches the property zone.
In the event that the above suggestion is deemed unfeasible, then I do hope those who do not wish to use fire to fight fire will have water. If not, I hope they will have enough hands to use the sand.
Michael Irving
Sandy Bay, Clarendon
irvingmichaelm@hotmail.com
What's already burnt...
-->