In the aftermath of the fire that raged through the Jesus Dome at the Durban Christian Centre, we take a look at a few preventative measures.
|||Durban - Thankfully nobody was injured in the blaze that raged through the Jesus Dome at the Durban Christian Centre on Tuesday night. In the aftermath of this event, we look at what we have learnt from it and how such volatile situations can be avoided.
We interviewed Marc Rougier Lagane, of Rolag Consulting, who specialises in fire and safety risk assessment and management. As the cause of Tuesday night's fire has not yet conclusively been established, Lagane was only able to provide us with general comments pertaining to fire prevention and safety.
“Although sometimes such situations are unfortunately unavoidable, it is imperative to ensure that a building complies with building regulations and bylaws. The possession of fire protection equipment in such situations is essential and just as essential is the maintenance of such equipment, which must be done once a year as stipulated by law,” said Lagane.
Lagane explained that it is pointless having fire safety equipment if nobody knows how to use it, so training people within an organisation on how to react in an emergency is essential to ensure that damage and casualties are minimised.
“From the time emergency services are called to the time that they are actually able to respond, there is an inevitable waiting period. It is important for people to be trained on how to contain a fire in the event of an emergency until emergency services are able to arrive on scene,” added Lagane.
Lagane explained that every building should have an emergency containment plan in the event of a fire or emergency and such a plan can be developed by calling in a professional risk assessment company to assess and manage the most effective possible emergency plans.
“Housekeeping is extremely important. By housekeeping, we refer to avoidance procedures. How items are stored, how order is maintained, ensuring that volatile goods are not stacked too close to the ceiling or lighting points and ensuring that a clean, tidy and safe environment is maintained within an organisation. When an assessment is done and an emergency plan has been devised, it is imperative that, if there are any alterations or additions to the building, a new assessment needs to be done and a new plan needs to be devised to ensure optimum safety. A professional or an expert must be consulted to ensure the most effective emergency and containment plans.”
While tragedies are sometimes unavoidable, in instances where measures could be put in place and danger can be averted, it is better to be prepared - and have a contingency plan - to minimise damage to buildings and property and, even more importantly, to minimise the chances of lives being lost.
IOL MOJO