month of July, an increase of 26 over the same period last year.

Just 24 of the calls were for special humanitarian assistance and the remaining 107 were fire calls.

Pembroke Parish made 39 calls, followed by the city of Hamilton with 20.

No serious injuries were recorded.

The overall financial loss for July was estimated at $31,162.

Chief Fire Officer Mr. Reginald Rawlins also reminded the public to exercise extreme care when using gas barbecues.

One of the Service's recent calls, he said, was to a gas barbecue fire, caused by a leak in the propane gas cylinder. After the fire had been put out, it was found the leak had been ignited at the valve connection by the flame of the gas burner.

He advised the public to read the safety instructions before using a gas barbecue for the first time.

Other safety points include:- After storage, gas grill should be cleaned and tested to ensure proper functioning of gas jets; Check for gas leaks by brushing cylinder valve and hose connections with soapy water. Bubbles will indicate a leak; Ensure ignition source is in position and lit before turning on gas supply to burner. If burner fails to ignite, shut off gas, wait a few minutes for gas to dissipate before trying again; Place the grill a safe distance from the house, away from drafts; Never use a gas or conventional charcoal grill indoors; Ensure proper supervision whenever a barbecue grill is in use; and Avoid loose-fitting clothing while cooking. If clothing catches fire, stop -- drop -- and roll to smother flames. Never run, as running will fan the flames.

Mr. Rawlins also had these safety tips when using traditional charcoal grills: Use an approved charcoal lighter fluid, preferably a non-flashing type fire-starter to light the coals; Never use charcoal lighter to "freshen'' a fire; After use, soak the charcoal with water, to ensure coals are properly extinguished: and Keep all matches and flammable liquids safely stored away and out of reach of children.