Why is fire training limited to commercial sectors only?
Although as per the law, fire training is not exclusive to the commercial sector; commercial and industrial environments sometimes have stricter fire safety laws and training requirements than residential locations
Bangladesh has a tragic history of fire-related catastrophes that have caused extensive damage in many different regions of the country. Fire incidents are now more frequent, as evidenced by the sad occurrence at Nimtoli in 2010 and the recent fire in Bangabazar (April 2023) that claimed at least 3,500 shops.
As per the report of The Business Standard, 89,923 fire incidents occurred between 2004 and 2018. It caused 2,000 fatalities and 11,000 injuries. Despite this tremendous loss, fire incidents have not stopped.
Fires lead to property losses, occasionally death and injury, and are very destructive by nature. Urban regions are more at risk of fire because of the high population and building density.
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Fire occurrences are fairly common in Dhaka city at the moment, and the city is suffering significant economic losses as a result. The frequency of these incidences also varies among the various land use groups in which they are dispersed. Unfortunately, the city still lacks proper fire training and instruments to extinguish the fire.
As Bangladesh's metropolitan areas grow without essential infrastructure like fire stations, the frequency of fire occurrences has increased fourfold over the past 20 years. According to research, there were 24,102 fire incidents reported throughout Bangladesh in 2022. At least 98 persons were killed and 407 injured during these accidents. Thirteen of the fatalities were firefighters.
The information was made public by the Bangladesh Fire Services and Civil Defense headquarters in the annual statistics on fires and accidents. Also, nationwide fire incidents resulted in property losses totaling more than Tk342 crore.
Urban experts attribute the rise in fire incidents to a number of factors, including unplanned urbanisation, building code violations, a pervasive culture of non-enforcement, people's carelessness, increased use of gas cylinders and other electronic devices, and a lack of oversight by the relevant authorities.
They add that the absence of adequate urban fire safety measures puts residents of the nation's capital and other large cities at a significant risk of being affected by flames.
Understanding the precise reasons behind Bangladesh's high rate of fire incidents is the next step in reconsidering this issue. One important contributing reason is the lack of adequate fire safety measures.
In the older parts of the city, like Old Dhaka, many buildings require extra fire protection measures. They are therefore more vulnerable to fires, which can spread rapidly and cause serious harm.To avoid fire accidents, we must impose stronger fire safety laws across the country.
In order to do this, all buildings must be equipped with the proper fire safety gear, such as sprinkler systems, fire alarms, and smoke detectors. We must also make sure that these systems are properly maintained and routinely inspected in order to guarantee their performance.
Preventing fire incidents is not just the duty of specific property owners. The government and law enforcement organisations have a critical responsibility to play in ensuring that fire safety standards are implemented and upheld nationally. To ensure that all buildings are up to code, the government should enact and enforce severe fire safety requirements.
Additionally, they must provide funding and resources to ensure that property owners can afford to install and maintain adequate fire safety systems.
Law enforcement agencies must also take the initiative to prevent fires. Regular inspections of buildings are necessary to make sure that fire safety regulations are being followed. They must also swiftly address issues and make property owners responsible for violations.
The corporate sector and civil society, in addition to the state, also have important roles to play in preventing fire accidents. When building new structures or remodeling old ones, contractors, building developers, and property owners should prioritise fire safety. To prevent fire mishaps, they should follow all applicable fire safety legislation and take appropriate safety measures.
By advocating stronger fire safety legislation and standards and holding property owners and developers accountable for the security of their facilities, civil society could also support these measures.
Also, the corporate community and civil society can support efforts to put out fires by providing funds and resources to improve fire safety infrastructure and emergency response services. This can include providing free fire engines and other emergency response equipment, aiding campaigns to educate the public about fire safety, or providing first responders like firefighters with training and support.
Last but not least, we must recognise the importance of public education in lowering the probability of fire incidents. Many people in Bangladesh are not aware of the risks associated with fire accidents or how to prevent them. In the event of a fire, complacency brought on by this ignorance may prove fatal.
To solve this issue, we need to educate the populace about fire safety measures and the need of being prepared for an emergency. This entails giving people instructions on how to use fire extinguishers, how to escape a burning building, and how to put out fires before they spread out of control.
To guarantee that everyone is fully familiar with the necessary drills, such as equipment and dos and don'ts during a fire event, regular training should be organised in educational institutions, offices, business places, and residential areas.
Although as per the law, fire training is not exclusive to the commercial sector; commercial and industrial environments sometimes have stricter fire safety laws and training requirements than residential locations.
This is because the presence of potentially dangerous products, machinery, and equipment, as well as bigger populations of people, makes commercial and industrial environments more likely to experience a fire.
Also, commercial and industrial establishments are required to follow a number of laws and standards established by governmental agencies and business associations, which include regular fire drills and personnel training on fire safety techniques.
Residential properties, in contrast, may not be compelled to hold fire drills or give residents fire safety instruction. Residential properties are also often subject to fewer laws.
Nonetheless, it's important to remember that no matter the situation, everyone may gain from receiving fire safety training. In any circumstance, knowing how to put out a fire, leave a building, and utilise a fire extinguisher effectively, can save lives.
There are numerous fire departments that offer public education programs on fire safety, and anyone interested in learning more about fire safety can also access internet resources.
Sumaiya Selim Sushme is a Student Tutor (ST) at BRAC Business School, BRAC University, Dhaka.
Dr Syed Far Abid Hossain is an Assistant Professor, BRAC Business School, BRAC University, Dhaka.
