Expand and modernise fire service

With the recent conflagration at Chawkbazar in the old part of the city, the need to make fire service equipped with latest fire equipment has become evident. Time and again, the media has underlined difficulty in tackling emergencies in old Dhaka due to dense population and narrow roads.

Nine years ago, during the Nimtali fire, the same concern was raised and with the latest catastrophe, upgrading and expansion of fire service have become immediate. There is no question that the Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence, played a pivotal role in dousing the Chawkbazar fire though the service has to be trained to deal with crisis in a highly populated area.

Old Dhaka is already mired in problems and despite government bans, many houses still store flammable materials. On top of that, the electric lines are not secure, there are open sewers and drains which pose constant threats.  Thankfully, the fire service is also taking training to deal with water related accidents. It’s important to recall the tragic death of a child when it fell into an open sewer a few years ago. Despite continued efforts, the fire service could not retrieve the child or the body.

While attention has to be given to ensure that sewers and drains are properly covered, for the time being the fire department must have materials to tackle any sort of emergency without loss of human lives.  Long ladders, small cars that can enter alleys, pipes which can bend easily to enter congested areas plus rescue helicopters are mandatory.

The government deserves kudos for taking steps to recruit 5000 personnel and increase 150 stations. Another prudent move would be to place small sub stations at all intersections of the old city, so in case of a fire incident, the basic safety operation can begin before the big vehicles arrive. While the improvements are being done, there can be fire drills in old part to give the residents an idea about what to do in case there’s an emergency. Many lives are lost because people in a time of panic do not know what to do and choose the wrong place for safety.

 

 

 

Expand and modernise fire service

With the recent conflagration at Chawkbazar in the old part of the city, the need to make fire service equipped with latest fire equipment has become evident. Time and again, the media has underlined difficulty in tackling emergencies in old Dhaka due to dense population and narrow roads. Nine years ago, during the Nimtali fire, the same concern was raised and with the latest catastrophe, upgrading and expansion of fire service have become immediate. There is no question that the Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence, played a pivotal role in dousing the Chawkbazar fire though the service has to be trained to deal with crisis in a highly populated area. Old Dhaka is already mired in problems and despite government bans, many houses still store flammable materials. On top of that, the electric lines are not secure, there are open sewers and drains which pose constant threats. Thankfully, the fire service is also taking training to deal with water related accidents. Its important to recall the tragic death of a child when it fell into an open sewer a few years ago. Despite continued efforts, the fire service could not retrieve the child or the body. While attention has to be given to ensure that sewers and drains are properly covered, for the time being the fire department must have materials to tackle any sort of emergency without loss of human lives. Long ladders, small cars that can enter alleys, pipes which can bend easily to enter congested areas plus rescue helicopters are mandatory. The government deserves kudos for taking steps to recruit 5000 personnel and increase 150 stations. Another prudent move would be to place small sub stations at all intersections of the old city, so in case of a fire incident, the basic safety operation can begin before the big vehicles arrive. While the improvements are being done, there can be fire drills in old part to give the residents an idea about what to do in case theres an emergency. Many lives are lost because people in a time of panic do not know what to do and choose the wrong place for safety.