The theme for this year’s National Fire Service Day on April 14 is Prevent Fire Accidents “ Promote Nations Development” as well as the Fire Prevention Week which started on April 14 and will continue until April 20. We pay homage to the Fireman Martyrs who sacrificed their life in the line of duty. A fire can happen at any time at any place irrespective of its occupancy status. It can also occur at any structures, may be at a home or at a workplace or in a hospital or in public place like theatre, Mall etc. Fire in any occupancy has the potential to cause harm to its occupants and serious damage to property.
Fire Risk Survey (FRS) 2013, carried out by M/s Pinkerton in association with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry(FICCI) found that Fire accounted for 8.45 percent of the causes of accidental deaths in India. Fire Risk Survey (FRS) also revealed that Fire has been rated as the fifth highest risk in the industry as of 2013. The output of the industries adds to the GDP which is the index of development progress of the country. Thus it goes without saying that effective reduction in fire accidents in industries will add to the development of the country.
The National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) statistics publicly available show that the major causes of deaths from accidental fire are due to electrical fire, cooking gas and fireworks (see boxes).
Electrical fire
Electricity has become an inevitable part of our life. From the moment we wake up to the time we go back to bed, all throughout the day it is put to use. Meanwhile, enjoying the perks of electricity we tend to forget how dangerous it can be. In the modern era, electrical connections are hidden behind the scenes, inside the walls of our houses giving us the comfort needed, it is important to know about the electrical system because of the potential harm it may cause. All electrical items degrade with age and use. They should therefore be tested at certain intervals to check if they are in a condition to be used further.
As may be seen from the data in the case electrical short circuit, the number of death cases has been growing for the past 5 years. This has also coincided with the growth in the power supply availability in rural households. However, despite this trend instances of short circuit related fires are more prominent in make shift extension to the shops in market places. The regulatory authority has to play a proactive role to prevent such cases.
Cooking gas
In the case of cooking gas cylinders, there is a declining trend in the death rate relating to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). There is however no room for complacency. In the past two years there has been a significant increase in LPG gas connections for the rural and urban poor.
In a recent case in a residential flat in Panaji, LPG had leaked through a cut in the non-standard rubber pipe and non-standard pressure regulator fitting connected to the cooking range, which resulted in a major explosion involving many residential flats in the complex and reaching even across to the opposite building which was about 80 meters away. This incident should open our eyes to the serious implications of carelessness in the use of LPG for cooking purposes.
The norms of safe use of LPG are normally provided by the gas supplier, however the primary responsibility of ensuring compliance with the instructions lies with the owner of the property whose life and property will be at risk if the instructions are not followed properly.
Fireworks
Fireworks on the occasion of celebrations and festivals are the spontaneous activity of the community. However the firework displays and handheld crackers are fraught with serious consequences if these are not done under effective supervision. There had been some decline in the fireworks related accidental death as per the NCRB data. Unfortunately a massive disaster involving fireworks that occurred at Puttinval Temple in Paravur, Kollam, Kerala, killing over 100 people and injuring 300, has focused attention once again on the need for stricter safety measures and controls.
The Explosives Rules 2008 lay down conditions for retail sale and storage of fireworks in temporary shops during festivals. It has been the experience that enforcement/voluntary compliance with these rules is often lacking in actual practice. The guidelines are as below:-
• The temporary shed for sale of Fireworks should be made of non-flammable material.
• The shed shall have atleast three mtrs. of distance from each other.
• The shed shall not face to each other.
• No oil burning lamps, gas lamps and naked lights shall be used in the shed.
• Electrical lights shall be fixed on wall or ceiling and shall not be suspended by flexible wires.
• No halogen lamp shall be used in the temporary shed.
• Display of fireworks shall not be allowed within 50 metres of any shed.
• Not more than 50 sheds shall be allowed in one cluster.
Prevention increases safety
Over the past three decades and more the department of Fire and Emergency Services has been endeavouring to sensitize the community on the need for fire prevention, fire protection and mitigation of losses due to fire. The extent of provision of fire protection measures at the initial stage has increased substantially. However, random audit of continued functional efficacy of these measures has shown significant neglect by various occupants/owners of buildings prone to fire risk. This is one area where there is a serious concern and the department would like to see serious improvement. Efforts have been made to draw the attention of the owners to the lacuna in fire safety due to failure to ensure continued compliance of the functional efficiency of the installed fire protection measures.
The goals of fire prevention programs are to prevent loss of life, property damage. Fires often cause disruption of business activities, loss of business documents, loss of employee work hours, and liability claims resulting from the spread of fire to adjacent properties. A successful fire prevention program is part of the day-to-day operations of every property. Fire prevention is the responsibility of the owner, the manager, and all occupants of a property.
Public fire safety education
Fire safety education has been a valuable area of public fire protection. This function has undergone rapid change and growth, focusing increasingly on the importance of prevention in public fire protection management. The department undertakes two phases of public fire safety education.
• Fire prevention education
• Fire reaction education
These phases are important to change the way the general public views fire and encourage people to act in a fire safe manner. There is strong misperception about the frequency of fire and hence there is a lethargy and tendency to avoid to maintain the functional efficiency of Fire Safety System. It is precisely when lethargy and neglect occurs that fire too occurs. Continuing with the endeavour for sensitising the community, educational programmes are taken up by the department at village panchayat level through lecture and demonstration on basic fire safety and safe use of cooking gas (LPG) as well as disaster preparedness.
Extending the activity further we have taken up fire safety education of secondary school teachers under the “training of trainers” programme, dealing with basic fire safety and evacuation drill procedure thus enabling the teachers to provide training to their students in secondary schools.
The Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services, in a joint effort with the Directorate of Education (SCERT), in collaboration with M/s Underwriters Laboratories (UL) India, has launched a training programme “Safer School Safer India” as a pilot programme with an intention to build a safer India to safeguard children and teach them how to stay safe. This training programme is for enhancing the awareness level of the primary school children and through them the families, on safety culture.
The training module is designed to create interest in children at primary level (Standard 1 to 4) and involve them in activities which will lead them to fire prevention and fire safety learning. In the first phase 27 schools of Tiswadi taluka were involved in conducting the “Safer School Safer India” programme through their teachers. A total of 3730 children of Standard 1 to 4 were imparted training in the Safer School Safer India training module which includes topics on “Good Fire and Bad Fire”, Fire Triangle and the four Ps - Prevent an Accident, Protect yourself from eire, Plan to escape and Practice being safety smart. The second phase of this programme will include schools from Bardez and Quepem talukas which will commence during the new academic year of 2016-17.
An effective fire prevention program does not only serve the citizens but also serves the safety of the fire-fighting personnel. Fire prevention and mitigation efforts equate to fire fighter safety.
The Fire Protection Systems have to be in place, in working condition. This facilitates prompt access and effective fire fighting operations. Such prompt operations help in saving lives and property in a minimum possible time, which in turn reduces the risk to safety of firefighters. We need to foster a culture which incorporates fire prevention as our first effort.
The writer Ashok Menon, PFSM, CMGM PGDDM, A.D.F.E. (NFSC),G.I Fire E (U.K.) & (I), A.M Fire E(I) is the Director of Fire and Emergency Services, Goa.
