Cedric Stephens | Jamaica’s under-resourced fire department is risky business

Artificial Intelligence is one of the features that was recently embedded in my web browser. The AI in my browser is called Copilot. I like that name.

Copilot lists five points that holders of that position and things with that name do. The one that stood out for me uses the analogy of an aircraft: “Unlike captains, co-pilots do not have full control over the aircraft and its passengers. Their authority is subordinate to that of the captain.”

In the case of this and other articles, I am the principal. My editor and readers can rest assured that control will not be ceded to Copilot.

‘JFB to get new fireboats to tackle skyscrapers’ read a headline in The Gleaner two weeks ago about the Jamaica Fire Brigade. The words grabbed my attention, as headlines should. Other than that, they failed to meet four more criteria that Co-Pilot named as being examples of first-class headlines.

The heading of the article did not match the content. Fireboats cannot effectively extinguish fires at high-rises that are not located in areas close to the seashore. There was nothing in the piece that suggested that the proposed fireboats were being designed to combat fires in the new skyscrapers that are populating Kingston and St Andrew and other parishes across the island.

The article about the JFB’s intentions appears to be a half-hearted response to my February 25, 2024, article, ‘Fire services out of Sync with the Island’s Needs’. Below are a few key points from that article:

• JFB Commissioner Stewart Beckford did not provide any information about the causes of the fires in the brigade’s 2023 report;

• It was not stated how many persons were killed and/or injured in fires last year;

• No information was provided about the brigade’s average response time to calls seeking emergency assistance;

• The report omitted to discuss the institution’s responses to Auditor General’s analysis of its performance audit that was conducted last year and 10 years earlier;

• There was no discussion in the commission’s 2023 report about work that was being done to prevent the fires generally and especially in relation to multistorey buildings; and

• The JFB’s commissioner’s 2023 performance report would have received a failing grade if I were an examiner.

The Gleaner’s March 12 ‘new fireboats’ article while commenting on the “country’s real estate development now advancing into high-rise skyscraper buildings,” said “the JFB is encouraging Jamaicans and visitors alike not to worry as your safety is their priority and they have been proactive in their firefighting capabilities, including improving their fleet of fireboats.”

When asked by the reporter about the brigade’s ability to deal with fires in high-rise buildings, the commissioner was quoted as saying: “In this year’s budget, we are planning to procure two ladders or aerial units to reach about 20 floors,” that the JFB was trying to ensure that automatic smoke detection and fire suppression systems are integrated in the building design and are carefully examined when the building is being considered for approval by the authorities.

“We are doing everything in our powers to ensure the safety of those residents who occupy these facilities,” he said.

Factory Mutual is a global insurer that has been in existence for nearly 190 years. It was established 36 years before the JFB. Factory Mutual publishes an annual Global Resilience Index, which helps businesses evaluate the relative resilience of 130 countries. Denmark occupies the top spot as the most resilient business environment.

The index, incorporating AI-enhanced risk modelling, now includes several new factors to consider in a country’s ability to mitigate risk, including education and climate change exposure. This expanded scope provides businesses with a comprehensive understanding of potential risks and volatility, aiding strategic decisions like site selection, supply chain design and loss prevention.

Here’s some of what came out of the 2024 Global Resilience Index, which evaluated 130 countries and territories for their business resilience:

• 18 resilience factors were considered in the ranking based on quantitative data. These include six physical factors, namely fire, seismic cybersecurity, and climate. Six new factors were added in 2024: education, inflation, internet usage, water stress, greenhouse gas emissions, and climate change exposure;

• The top 50 countries in the index recover over 30 per cent faster from property losses, on average, than locations in other countries;

• The topmost resilient business environments are Luxembourg, Singapore, Switzerland, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Belgium, and the central United States. The US is divided into three separately-ranked regions in the report;

• Jamaica was ranked 105 and assigned a total score of 38.6. The fire risk quality was ranked 109 and was assigned a score of zero.

Even though it has not been publicly acknowledged, there is information that suggests JFB has been on life support for over a decade. This condition needs to be admitted and plans formulated to address the problems instead of relying on words that seem reassuring.

Cedric E. Stephens provides independent information and advice about the management of risks and insurance. For free information or counsel, write to: aegis@flowja.com or business@gleanerjm.com