Girl Guides tour the BVI Fire and Rescue Services headquarters Monday afternoon. Photo: CHRYSTALL KANYUCK

Not all fires should be dowsed with water, BVI Fire and Rescue Services Sub-officer Samuel Lettsome told a group of 10 Girl Guides Monday afternoon. The girls raised their eyebrows in disbelief, so officer Travon Gumbs broke it down for them.

“Let’s say you have fuel in the road burning. If you poured water on it, that fire would spread,” Mr. Gumbs said, explaining that fuel floats on water.

Girl Guides tour the BVI Fire and Rescue Services headquarters Monday afternoon. Photo: CHRYSTALL KANYUCK
Seeing that the girls still didn’t look convinced, Mr. Lettsome jumped in again. “If you have fuel sitting on the ocean, you can light that. It will burn,” he said.

The girls were learning about different types of fires and other information in order to earn fire safety badges, said troupe leader Sylvia Forbes.

After hearing a presentation from the officers, they toured the station and got a close-up look at some of the equipment there.

The fire officers reminded the Guides that part of fire safety is knowing how to call the fire department. Everyone knew to dial 911, but the girls were a little less clear on what they should do after dialling.

“The important things to know are what type of incident it is — we don’t want to send a water-carrying unit to a medical rescue situation — and also the location of the incident,” Mr. Lettsome said.

He added that a general location like the name of a road or village wouldn’t be enough information for many homes.

“You should give a landmark that everyone would know,” he said, adding that if possible, someone should be sent to that landmark to direct officers further on.

Officers quizzed the girls on “first response” for burns, and one explained that until a medical responder arrives a burn should be run under cold water and covered with a clean piece of plastic.

“That’s absolutely right,” answered Mr. Lettsome. He said that professionals would cover a burn with sterile gauze, but for anyone burned at home, plastic would be a suitable substitute.

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