Big step after the fires in Delhi: Recommendation to make smoke detectors and sprinklers mandatory in all buildings.
After the death of more than 31 people in two massive fires in the capital Delhi within the last one month, serious questions have been raised on the fire safety system. After these incidents, Delhi Fire Service (DFS) has now started an initiative to implement new and strict safety standards for buildings across the city. According to the information, the department has sent a proposal to the Delhi government, in which it has been recommended to make smoke detectors and automatic sprinkler systems mandatory in all types of buildings, residential, commercial and public. Officials believe that if these modern fire protection systems are implemented on a wide scale, the loss of life and property in fire incidents can be reduced to a great extent. The department claims that this can reduce deaths in fires by about 97%.
Strictness after two major accidents
This proposal was prepared and sent to the government after the tragic fire incident in Vivek Vihar on May 3. In that accident, a fire broke out in a residential building after an AC blast, in which nine people from two families died. Small children were also included among the dead, which made the matter even more serious. Just a month later, on June 3, a massive fire in a hotel in South Delhi’s Malviya Nagar further increased the seriousness of the situation. 22 people died in this accident, including 13 foreign nationals. These consecutive incidents have exposed the lack of fire safety measures in the capital and sparked a new debate.
The fire department believes that if modern fire safety equipment like smoke detectors and automatic sprinkler systems are made mandatory in all buildings, then timely warning can be given in case of fire and large-scale loss of life can be prevented. Officials claim that this can drastically reduce deaths in fires. The proposal also suggests that these safety equipment be installed in new buildings as well as old buildings in a phased manner, so that a uniform and strong fire safety framework can be created across the city.
revealed in the investigation
Serious negligence has come to light in the investigation of two recent major fires in Delhi. According to fire department officials, early warning fire safety equipment was not present at both the incidents. The investigation found that neither smoke detectors were installed in the buildings nor was an automatic sprinkler system available. For this reason, people could not get timely warning after the fire and the situation rapidly became serious.
Danger signal will be received in just 15 seconds
The working of these devices and their effectiveness have been explained in detail in the proposal sent by Delhi Fire Service. According to the proposal, smoke detectors will issue an alert signal within about 15 seconds as soon as smoke starts spreading in a building. With this, people will be warned in the initial stage of fire and safe evacuation will be possible in time.
Similarly, the sprinkler system is designed in such a way that as soon as the temperature of a place reaches 68 degrees Celsius, it will automatically activate and start spraying water. This will help in controlling the fire before it spreads. Officials believe that with the widespread use of these two systems, it will be possible to control fire incidents at an early stage. This can not only reduce property damage but also save a large number of lives.
Every year around 100 people die due to fire
According to the department, on an average about 100 people die in fire incidents every year in Delhi. Officials claim that if modern fire safety technologies such as smoke detectors and automatic sprinkler systems are used on a wide scale, the number of fire deaths can be significantly reduced. The department estimates that this figure can come down to only three if effective technical systems are implemented.
Why have fire incidents become more dangerous than before?
Fire safety experts have expressed serious concern about the design of modern buildings and the materials used in them. Experts say fires in today’s buildings spread more rapidly than ever before, significantly reducing the time available for rescue. Less ventilation in modern buildings, increased use of air conditioning systems, synthetic furniture and other artificial materials play an important role in the rapid spread of fire. All these elements make fire more intense and dangerous. Fire safety experts say that a decade ago, after a fire broke out in a room, it used to take about 15 to 17 minutes for it to spread completely, whereas now this time has come down to about 5 minutes. Due to this change, in case of fire, the time people have to react and get out safely is now very limited.
72 lakh buildings, but security system is very limited
According to fire department data, there are about 72 lakh buildings in the city, but modern security systems like smoke detectors and sprinklers are limited to only about 10 thousand buildings. In view of this huge gap, Delhi Fire Service has suggested a phased implementation plan to the government, so that the fire safety system of the capital can be made modern and effective. According to the proposal, smoke detectors and automatic sprinkler systems will have to be mandatorily installed in all new buildings constructed after the implementation of the new rules. With this, buildings constructed in future will be safer. Along with this, it has also been suggested to set a deadline for the existing buildings, within which it will be mandatory for them to install these modern security systems.
Building owners may get financial relief
In order to strengthen the fire safety system in the capital, the Fire Department no longer wants to be limited to just the rules, but is also emphasizing on encouraging people and building owners to adopt safety equipment. The fire department believes that along with making modern safety equipment like smoke detectors and automatic sprinklers mandatory, financial assistance is also necessary for their adoption. For this purpose, the government can consider subsidies, tax exemptions or other relief schemes.
Focus on awareness along with rules
Delhi Fire Service is not limited to just policy changes but has now become active towards strengthening fire safety at the ground level also. The department has conducted a massive awareness campaign in more than 191 areas of the capital to inform people about fire prevention and proper response in case of emergency. According to the fire department, the aim of this campaign is to prepare the citizens as active helpers in emergency situations rather than making them mere spectators, so that in the event of a fire, the damage can be reduced in the initial minutes.
Under the campaign, special training camps are being organized in parks and public places in Delhi in collaboration with Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), Market Associations, Temple Committees and local groups. Till now, more than 13 thousand people have been given practical training under this programme. This includes important information like safe evacuation in case of fire, use of fire extinguisher and helping in relief efforts while avoiding panic in emergency situations. The fire department believes that the first few minutes are very important in the event of a disaster. In such a situation, if common citizens are given basic level training, they can play an important role in saving many lives before professional help reaches the spot.
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