The Cayman Islands Fire Service will be conducting island-wide home-safety checks to ensure families have proper measures in place in case of fire-related emergencies, following last month’s explosion which destroyed a Newlands home.
The explosion on 5 June, which also damaged surrounding properties, was caused by a gas leak, according to the findings of David Schudel, the UK expert who was brought in to investigate the blast.
Four people were injured by the explosion, which occurred on Bayfield Crescent.
The Fire Service home-safety programme, which is set to begin 1 Aug., will start with visits in the Prospect area, a government statement said.
Chief Fire Officer Randy Rankin, in the statement, pointed to the importance of the safety checks.
“Our Home Safety Inspections are a major part of our proactive fire safety education practices. Visits will be conducted on all three islands, and the Fire Service will also share information on its channels to keep the public safe and informed,” he said.
The initiative, the statement said, is designed to increase fire-safety awareness within the community, particularly for high-risk individuals such as senior citizens, households with minors, smokers, disabled persons and those who reside in wooden structures.
The inspectors will be checking all smoke detectors to ensure that they have been properly installed and make recommendations if necessary.
They will also help individuals develop an effective fire-evacuation plan, according to the statement.
In addition, they will “verify electrical safety by checking for electrical overload, improper use of cords and other hazards”.
Fire inspectors will be also discuss cooking safety and fire-safety practices for children.
The Fire Service has developed a home safety survey as part of the initiative, to collect data on current practices within homes in the Cayman Islands.
Related Videos
This seems to be overkill – how often have we had homes destroyed by explosion or fire,and how many homes have fire detectors?.