fire_rescue

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the St. Kitts and Nevis Fire and Rescue Services is to protect and safeguard the lives and property of citizens and the general economy, by preventing or reducing the dangers and effect of fires and explosions.

                 VISION STATEMENT

1. To ensure a better equipped fire and rescue services with
    modern equipment responsive to the needs of the public.
2. To ensure more knowledgeable and professional Fire
    Fighters and positive public perceptive.

                                  The Fire and Rescue Services Act, 1999 - 6 (Extract from Pages 3 - 7)

Functions of the Service

4. (1) The Service shall be responsible
          (a) for working out well planned and executable fire prevention and inspection programmes;
          (b) for working out detailed policy guidelines relating to
                (i) the extinguishing of fires,
                (ii) the rescue and protection of life as well as property, in cases of fire or other calamity;
          (c) for protecting and safeguarding the lives and properties of people and the economy by preventing or reducing the dangerous
               effects of fires and explosions;
          (d) for extinguishing any fire outbreaks;
          (e) for rescuing and protecting life and property in case of fire or other calamity;
          (f) for carrying out regular inspection of business premises and residences;
          (g) for carrying out public awareness campaigns about fire prevention methods;
          (h) for carrying out any function conferred on it by this Act or any other law, or any function assigned to it by the Minister;
          (i) for doing anything which is incidental, related, necessary or desirable to carry out the above functions.

Powers of the Service

5. (1) The Service may, in the discharge of its functions conferred on it by Section 4 of this Act, authorise any person to enter or break into any premises
          (a) in which fire has or is reasonably believed to have broken out;
          (b) for the purpose of
               (i) extinguishing fire,
               (ii) preventing the spread of fire,
               (iii) protecting the premises from acts for fire fighting purposes,
               (iv) rescuing any person or property from any premises

    (2) The entry or breaking into the premises done under subsection 1 of this section may be done with or without the consent of the owner or occupier of the premises.

    (3) Where an entry or breaking into the premises is done in pursuance of the powers conferred by this section, then the Service shall do all such things as are necessary for
      (a) extinguishing the fire;
      (b) preventing the spreading of fire; or
      (c) accomplishing any other purpose giving rise to the entry or breaking.

    (4) The Service shall, through any of its Fire Officer who is present at any fire, take all reasonable measures to ensure that water supplies for fire fighting purpose are adequate, and may use any convenient and suitable supply of water with or without the consent of the owner, except that, in any case, where water is taken from a private storage tank the Chief Fire Officer shall, as soon as practicable, after the fire replace the quantity of water taken.

    (5) The Service may, in the discharge of its functions under this Act
          (a) organise such workshops, seminars and conferences for the purpose of educating the public
               (i) in ways of controlling fire hazards,
               (ii) in proper methods of evacuation,
               (iii) in overall fire safety practices; and
        (b) enter any business premises and residence for the purpose of
             (i) carrying out regular fire prevention inspections,
             (ii) controlling or eliminating hazardous conditions that may give rise to outbreak of fire.

    (6) The Service shall have such auxiliary powers as are necessary to enable it to carry out its functions.

Mode of exercise of powers of the Service

6. (1) The powers and functions of the Service may, subject to subsection (2) of this section, be exercised by an officer of the Service as the Chief Fire Officer may, in writing, authorise in that behalf.
    (2) An officer of the Service shall exercise such functions and powers of the Service as are conferred on the Service or the officer under this Act or any other law.

Qualifications for appointment into the Service

7. (1) Subject to subsection (2) of this section, no person shall be appointed to the Service unless he is a fit and proper person.
    (2) A person shall not be appointed to the post of Junior Fire Officer or Fireman if
         (a) he is less than 18 years or more than 35 years of age;
         (b) he does not satisfactorily pass a medical examination as to his bodily fitness, which examination shall be carried out by a duly
              qualified medical doctor appointed for that purpose;
         (c) he does not produce evidence that he is of good character;
         (d) he has not attained the standard of education and passed such tests and interviews as may be prescribed under this Act;
         (e) he is not of the required height and chest measurement, according to the standard prescribed under this Act.
    (3) The Chief Fire Officer may, in the recruitment of persons to the Auxiliary Fire and Rescue Service, recruit persons who are over
         the age of 40 years.
    (4) For the purposes of paragraph (c) of subsection (2) of this section, a certificate of good character issued by the Commissioner of
         Police shall be sufficient.

Volunteer Fire Officers

8. The Chief Fire Officer may, with the approval of the Minister, utilize the services of volunteer fire officers on such terms and conditions as the Minister may prescribe.

9. (1) The Chief Fire Officer shall, subject to the general order and direction of the Minister, be responsible for the efficient administration of the Service, and proper expenditure of any public moneys appropriated for the operation of the Service.
    (2) The Chief Fire Officer may make available to the public the services of the Service, in any case, where the provision of such service is regarded by the Chief Fire Officer as a special service, and to charge such fees as may be prescribed for those services, except that no fees shall be charged for any measures taken for the purpose of rescuing life or extinguishing fire.
    (3) The Chief Fire Officer may, in the discharge of his functions, order any member of the Service or request any member of the Police Force to remove a person whose presence in any premises interferes with or obstructs the operations of the Service.
    (4) The Chief Fire Officer may, with the approval of the Minister, engage the services of any person to assist
         (a) in extinguishing any fire;
         (b) in removing property from any building or place that is on fire or is in danger of fire;
         (c) in securing property removed in accordance with paragraph (b) of this subsection.

Powers exercisable by the Chief Fire Officer

10. The Chief Fire Officer may, in the event of an outbreak of fire
      (a) take command of any person who may voluntarily place his services at his disposal;
      (b) cause any water to be shut off from the mains and pipes in any area in order to give a greater supply and pressure of water in the area where the fire or danger of fire exists;
      (c) cause any water to be extracted or taken from any well, pond, stream, tank, cistern or receptacle for use in extinguishing any fire or the spread of fire;
      (d) generally, take any measures that may appear expedient for the protection of life and property, and in that connection shall have power
           (i) to break into or through any building,
           (ii) to take possession of any building,
           (iii) to pull down or destroy any building,
           (iv) to destroy any material;
for the purpose of controlling or extinguishing any fire.

11. (1) Any fire officer who is on duty may, in the event of an outbreak of fire, exercise the power conferred on the
Service by subsection (3) of section 5 of this Act.
     (2) A fire officer who is present at any fire may take all reasonable measures to ensure that water supplies for fire fighting purpose are adequate, and may use any convenient and suitable supply of water with or without the consent of the owner, except that where water is taken from a private storage, the Chief Fire Officer shall, immediately after the fire, replace the quantity of water taken.
     (3) Afire officer who is present at any fire may, for fire fighting purposes
          (a) close to traffic any street or regulate such traffic if it is necessary or desirable to do so,
          (b) designate a fire zone into which no unauthorised person is allowed to enter or remain except for fire fighting purposes.
     (4) A fire officer may, with the consent of the Chief Fire Officer, examine any building, structure, premises, vehicle or vessel, excluding a private dwelling house, by arrangement with the owner or occupier for the purpose of ascertaining all material circumstances that may affect fire ire fighting purposes.
     (5) Any fire officer who is on duty at any fire shall have the power, authorities and immunities of the member of the Police Force, and may, without a warrant, arrest any person who assaults or obstructs a member of the Service in the execution of his or her duties under this Act.

Protection of members of the Service

12. (1) No liability shall attach to a member of Service or any person engaged or volunteering in the performance, in good faith, of any function conferred by this Act on a member of the Service.
     (2) Any damage occasioned by the Service in the execution of its functions under this Act shall be deemed to be damage by fire within the meaning of any insurance policy against fire.

ST. KITTS - NEVIS FIRE & RESCUE SERVICES
(NEVIS DIVISION)
Emergency Phone No. 469-3444 : Fax No. (to be posted)
Email Address ([email protected])