Most households in Bahrain are playing with fire by not installing safety equipment such as alarms and smoke detectors, an official has warned.
Civil Defence officer Major Hamad Swar said smoke inhalation was the most common cause of death among blaze victims, who often have four to seven minutes to save their lives.
“Most people seem to believe that they would have to break the bank in order to instal a good fire security system,” Major Swar said, during the Capital Trustees Board meeting yesterday.
“You do not need to invest in a hi-tech state-of-the-art security system with sprinklers and other fancy equipment. All you need to keep you and your family safe is a smoke detector.”
According to Major Swar, most battery-powered smoke detectors would do the job and they are available in stores around Bahrain for just about BD20 on average.
“This is a one-time investment, and a very simple one at that,” he said. “All you have to do is hang it in a central location such as a hallway so that everyone can hear it, no complex wiring work is needed.”
He said the smoke detector would sound an alarm in case a fire breaks out in the building, prompting people to get their loved ones out of the premises before tragedy strikes.
“A big misconception is that it is the fire that kills you. More often than not, the main reason for blaze-related tragedies is asphyxiation caused by smoke inhalation,” he said.
“On average, it takes about four to seven minutes to kill you, it is not a large window to get out to safety.
“Imagine you are asleep, and completely unaware of a fire breaking out, mainly because you do not have a smoke detector or anything else to warn you. It just makes a tragedy more likely to happen.”
Major Swar urged all citizens and residents to inform the authorities immediately in case of a fire in their residence, and to have an extinguisher installed within the premises.
“First, get your family, especially young children, out into the open so that they do not suffer terrible burns or inhale smoke,” he said.
“Second, call emergency services immediately, regardless of how big or small the flames are. On average, it takes them about four minutes to reach your location, if not less.
“If the fire is fairly contained, use the correct extinguisher (whether powder, foam or water) to put it out.
“If you do not have the right extinguisher, or if the fire spreads, leave the premises immediately and wait for the civil defence personnel to arrive.”
During the meeting, Major Swar also highlighted the new National Civil Protection Platform, which provides information on emergency protection and preparedness, as well as news and updates on public safety awareness programmes, videos and animations on safety procedures.
The website, which can be accessed on www.ncpp.gov.bh, also provides a map of security centres and services departments in the kingdom. It is available in both English and Arabic.
The GDN reported earlier this month that campers and food truck operators were asked to ensure all safety protocols are adhered to after a spate of blazes in Sakhir.
Interior Ministry Civil Defence operations officer Captain Mohamed Jamal revealed that most emergencies the authorities have had to deal with over the current camping season have been fire-related.
Additionally, fire safety drills, awareness campaigns and inspections have been held consistently by authorities in schools and worksites over the past year.
In case of an emergency, people should contact the Emergency Call Centre by dialling 999. The calls are free and cover all emergency services – fire, police and ambulance.
nader@gdnmedia.bh
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