Chief Fire Officer made this request during a recent interview with BVI News ahead of the upcoming festive season that is expected to see increased parties, alcohol consumption, and traffic.

“I have one message for all the revellers. Whenever something happens in this day and age, people pull out their phones and take pictures and take videos and post them to whatever social media outlets they have available to them. We have a couple of instances where real emergencies and the emergency has been ongoing for quite a number of minutes while there have been people on the scene using their mobile phones to take videos and pictures and none of those people use their phones to call 911 or 999,” the Fire Chief said.

“So, we are asking people, if you see a situation where we are needed or you think we are needed; instead of making a video of it to send to your friends, call us. Let us know that someone needs us, let us know that something is happening. Let us know that this is a situation where we might be able to render some assistance,” he added.

McLean recalled a recent fire at a local home where people were nearby taking videos, yet none of them called the fire department.

He said it was after nearly fifteen minutes, a resident, who was not nearby, saw smoke coming from the house and called the fire department for assistance.

And while giving an informal summary of fires that have happened in the territory this year, McLean said these events have not been deadly but have caused quite a bit of damage to the properties of victims.

He said his department will continue its public education campaign on fires for the rest of the year and hopes this will make persons more vigilant.