Community Fire at ICT

In September last year the government of Kenya published the Fire Safety Policy.

This was a proposal to reform the fire safety legislation in Kenya through a regulatory body. The main purpose was to simplify, rationalise and consolidate the law with respect to fire safety in buildings in use but it will also provide an opportunity to introduce others powers and duties for the fire service including placing a statutory duty upon fire authorities to conduct community fire safety work.

This move is welcomed by many Kenyans who have in the recent past witnessed many fire incidences.

WHAT IS COMMUNITY FIRE SAFETY?
The term community fire safety (CFS) refers to a range of activities conducted both locally and nationally by ICT Fire and Rescue to educate and assist the Kenyan public in making themselves safe from fire. This is a sole initiative of the ICT Fire and Rescue to help the community in equipping them with the relevant information on fire safety.

ICT Fire & Rescue has efficient arrangements for providing education, information, publicity and encouragement in respect of the steps to be taken to prevent fires in community and to prevent death or injury to any person being caused by such a fire.
ICT Fire and Rescue has maintained a strategic overview of CFS and has created a Department of Community Based Fire Safety (CBFS) to run promotional campaigns in fire safety and first aid and to provide educational resources for local community groups to engage in fire safety and first aid training.

Locally, ICT Fire and Rescue is involved in a wide range of activities including: work in schools, those organizations at greater risk from fire; forming a multi-agency partnership with organizations to reduce fire risks and a range of publicity and compaign efforts.  ICT Fire and Rescue is currently working closely with the followings organizations and schools:

• Primefuels Kenya Ltd
• Wilmar Agro Ltd
• Syngenta & Pollen (K) Ltd
• Frigoken (K) Ltd
• Brookside (K) Ltd
• Mt. Kenya Academy Junior School
• Mt. Kenya Academy Senior School
• St. Paul’s Gatuanyaga Secondary School
• Munyu Mixed Secondary School
• Munyu Girls Secondary School
• St. Mark Secondary School
• Ngoliba Boys Secondary School
• Kiboko Secondary School.

WHY CFS?
The concept of community of CFS was embraced when ICT Fire & Rescue in its operations to the schools and the community at large saw the need for fire safety requirement by the Kenyan society. Many fires have broken out and few people have an idea on how to handle these fires. Most fires in homes are preventable if the behaviour of the householders could be changed. People need to be educated in how to make themselves safe from fires in their homes and have a safe house strategy.

ICT Fire and Rescue therefore has devoted itself to ensuring that the community is well informed and that the organizations within the community also participate in this CFS programme. Organizations should ensure that resources are devoted to the CFS to build a strong society in fire safety operations.?

www.ictfire.com