The Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) is encouraging citizens to install smoke detectors in their homes as part of efforts to incorporate the use of technology to minimise fire-related deaths and injuries.

“These detectors will give you early warning. You can integrate them with your Alexa, Siri and Google Home. They can notify you on your mobile devices that you have an emergency in your home, so you can respond appropriately,” deputy commissioner in charge of fire prevention at the JFB, Sean Martin, said.

“In a fire, every minute counts. Instal these devices in your home. It will protect you in the event of a fire,” he emphasised.

Martin noted that smoke alarms are not very expensive, and they give early warnings, allowing persons to get out.

“The majority of our fires occur at nights within the homes and most times it’s because persons are sleeping and the smoke from the fire will put you into a deeper sleep, but if you have smoke alarm, the alarm will give you an early warning and wake you up,” Martin said.

While smoke alarms need to be maintained, he informed that they are mainly smart devices that do a lot of maintenance checks themselves.

“By the light emitting from the smoke alarm, it tells you whether the battery is low, it tells you whether it needs to be cleaned or be replaced. There is a simple button that you just push to test it to ensure that the sound is emanating from it,” he informed.

Jamaicans are encouraged to check their smoke detectors once a month, and follow the manufacturers’ instructions, which will state how often batteries should be checked and replaced.

Meanwhile, Martin said that the most common causes of home fires in Jamaica are careless use of candles, leaving cooking unattended, faulty stoves or electrical.

“When we talk about electrical, there are short circuits, persons having an illegal [electricity] connection, when persons try to bridge their electricity, and you have overloading circuits. So, these are the main categories in which we have residential fires,” Martin pointed out.