Govt steps up measures to mitigate fire outbreaks this summer

LUCKNOW : To avert fire mishaps this summer, the Uttar Pradesh government commenced the statewide ‘fire safety week’ on Thursday. The theme of the fire safety week will be ‘prevention is better than cure’ to ensure that fire damage is kept to a minimum.

To mark the launch of the week, the officials of the fire service department pinned a ‘flag’ to chief minister Yogi Adityanath at his official residence.

The government press note stated that the objective of the ‘Fire Safety Week’ is not only to protect the state, particularly in rural areas, farm barns and kutcha houses, against fire hazards but also to create awareness among the public.

The major emphasis during the week is to generate fire safety awareness among people through a series of demonstrations and messages using various digital and social media channels like YouTube. Offices, markets, schools, and commercial institutions in prominent places have been selected for the demonstrations.

For quick control of fire accidents, instructions have been given to the fire service department to maintain preparedness and on the other hand, a publicity campaign has been started for effective prevention of fire accidents, in places such as hospitals, nursing homes, multi-storey buildings, schools. The concerned staff will be trained by conducting mock drills at such places. In industrial and commercial establishments, the focus will be on the basic mantra of ‘Learn Fire Safety, Increase Productivity. In the ongoing campaign, the main causes of fire accidents such as electrical short-circuit, electrical overloading, careless use of gas cylinders, and smoking, have been found, about which the people will be made aware through digital means. In multi-storeyed buildings, the residents will be trained in emergencies evacuation drills, and mock drills.