Cedric Stephens| Synchronising fire service with high-rise trend

Is the rate of construction of high-rise buildings surpassing the capabilities of Jamaica’s fire brigade and prevention services?

According to the National Fire Protection Association, “high-rise buildings present several unique challenges not found in traditional low-rise buildings; longer egress times and distance, evacuation strategies, fire department accessibility, smoke movement, and fire control”.

The question is posed in the context of the Auditor General Department’s March 22, 2023, performance audit report for the Jamaica Fire Brigade. A performance audit is an independent assessment of an entity’s operations to determine if specific plans or functions are working as intended to achieve stated goals. This definition implies that the entity’s operations and plans keep pace with environmental changes.

The auditor general’s analysis of the JFB’s activities was conducted when private and commercial buyers in Jamaican, regional, and global insurance markets face a double whammy: significant property insurance price increases and market capacity shrinkage. This is due to an estimated 387 natural hazards and disasters that resulted in the deaths of 30,704 people and caused economic losses of around US$223.8 billion in 2022.

Fire insurance is sold with natural disaster insurance. Prices are not expected to fall soon. The AGD’s assessment of the JFB’s performance is unlikely to be viewed by insurers and reinsurers as positive.

The Auditor General’s key findings were:

• Nearly 10 years after its 2014 report, the JFB has partially implemented three of the four (75 per cent) of the AGD’s recommendations;

• Six (or 40 per cent) of 15 of the recommendations from the JFB’s 2019 National Fire and Rescue Cover aimed at improving the JFB’s effectiveness in fighting fires and responding to emergencies were implemented;

• ‘Out-of-commission’ fire and emergency vehicles (FEVs) limited the JFB’s ability to respond effectively to fires. As of February 2023, the JFB’s non-operational vehicles accounted for 41 (39 per cent) of the 105 FEV fleet. Engine and transmission failure; leaking water tanks; mechanical issues, and accidents were the main problems. Actual service intervals exceeded recommended service intervals by two to 24 months;

• The JFB’s rate of building certification was affected by a high degree of non-compliance among buildings inspected. The rate of follow-up inspections for non-compliance was low. For five selected parishes, 3,623 (or 46 per cent) of the 7,873 building inspections were not certified due to non-conformities identified. Section 22 of the Fire Brigade Act authorises the commissioner or his nominee to enter any specified buildings or part thereof at any reasonable time to determine the condition of the building regarding its safety against fire or other disasters. From 2017-18 to 2021-22, the JFB conducted 36,868 inspections. Non-compliant features included the absence of an emergency plan, fire alarm system or smoke detectors, an inaudible fire alarm system, loose electrical wiring, and deficiencies in emergency exits, among other defects;

• Only one out of every 10 buildings that failed to meet the required standard was followed up;

• The JFB investigated less than one per cent (210) of the reported 44,764 fires over the five-year review period; and

• The approved budgets for 2017-2018 to 2021-2022 were consistently lower than the requested budget. The total recurrent expenses for 2021-22 were $ 7.3 billion while projected capital expenses were estimated at $1.9 billion. About 90 per cent of the recurring costs was allocated to compensation.

I quickly reviewed the JFB’s website and compared it with the Barbados Fire Service after reading the results of the auditor general’s performance audit. The result: the BFS appears to be in better shape than the JFB. The latter is an agency of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.

The performance metrics and key indicators that were the subject of the Auditor General’s 2014 and 2023 reports were not discussed in the minister’s contribution to the 2020-21 Sectoral Debate in Parliament.

I would be most surprised to learn that the capabilities of the island’s fire brigade and prevention services are in sync with the rate of construction of high-rise buildings.

n 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