KINGSTON, Jamaica – Having responded to more than 20,000 emergency calls in 2023, the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) has reported that over $713 billion worth of property was saved from fires in that same year.

Speaking at a recent JIS Think Tank at the agency’s head office in Kingston, Commissioner of the JFB, Stewart Beckford, said that saving lives and protecting property is a critical area for the JFB.

“So, for last year, we saved, in value, approximately $713.4 billion worth of property; property loss stood at approximately $10 billion, and property at risk stood at $723.3 billion,” he noted.

Regrettably, the Commissioner pointed out, there were several fire-related deaths in 2023.

“We lost 32 persons last year to fires when compared to 24 the previous year, an increase of 33.3 per cent,” said Commissioner Beckford, adding that the number of deaths comprised 28 adults and four children.

The Commissioner also informed that Kingston and St Andrew had the highest death count of nine, followed by Westmoreland, five; St James, four; and St Ann and St Mary with three each.

“[I am] happy to report that Manchester, Portland and St Thomas had no fire-related death last year,” he added.

Fires in 2023 resulted in 1,539 individuals being homeless, a decrease of 207 or 11.9 per cent when compared to the 1,746 individuals who were left homeless in 2022, due to fires.

The total number of homeless persons last year included 1,121 adults and 418 children.

-JIS