GFS hosts kids camp to promote fire safety in Berbice

The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) continued its push to promote fire prevention and safety by taking its message straight to children through a series of “Kids Camps” across Regions Five (Mahaica-Berbice) and Six (East Berbice–Corentyne).
On Sunday, the latest camp was held at the Rose Hall Fire Station, attracting more than 60 children between the ages of three and 16. Similar sessions were held on Saturday at New Amsterdam for children of Angoy’s Avenue, East Canje, and East Bank Berbice, drawing nearly 160 participants combined.

Divisional Fire Officer for Berbice, Clive McDonald related that the camps form part of the Fire Service’s 2025 Fire Prevention Programme and are designed to teach children the importance of fire safety, first aid, and healthy lifestyle habits.
“We’ll be teaching them basic medical and fire prevention tips. By educating one child aged three or four, that child goes home and shares the message with parents and siblings, so immediately, four or five people are reached. That’s how we build safer communities.”
The programme focuses on making fire prevention a household discussion.
Children were shown how to “stop, drop, and roll”, how to identify fire hazards, and how to alert adults or emergency services in case of danger. The interactive format also allowed participants to experience firsthand the work of firefighters and emergency medical technicians (EMTs).
McDonald said that while this activity targets children, the overall message is for everyone, especially given recent fire statistics for Berbice.
Between January and September 2025, the Guyana Fire Service in Regions Five and Six responded to 264 emergency calls, including 67 structure fires that had left 105 persons homeless.
Despite these numbers, McDonald noted that the overall number of fires in the New Amsterdam district has decreased, which he attributes to ongoing public education campaigns.
“We have seen a reduction in fires within the New Amsterdam district. However, with the dry season upon us, people must remain vigilant. Many wildfires result from simple neglect, and awareness can prevent that,” McDonald said.
He also announced that the next Kids Camp is scheduled for Corriverton next week, and the Fire Service intends to continue the initiative throughout the year.
“We don’t want to make this an annual or quarterly activity. Fire prevention must be continuous,” he added.
Sunday’s session ended with demonstrations by firefighters, hands-on learning activities, and motivational talks aimed at empowering children to become fire safety ambassadors in their homes and schools. (Andrew Carmichael)