History is to learn good and bad things from the past and make ourselves ready to face or avoid bad things and to continue doing good things or make it better. One such event was the disastrous fire and subsequent explosion in the Cargo Ship at Bombay dock on 14th April 1944 where 66 brave fire fighters laid down their lives battling the Ship fire. In respect of them 14th April is declared as Fire Service day by Government of India and Fire service week is observed during 14th to 20th April every year. During this week Mumbai Fire Brigade and other Fire Services organize various activities to sensitize general public about Fire safety.

A critical component of any preventative strategy is having a complete understanding of the dangers and consequences. The first step in developing an integrated fire safety plan is to raise public knowledge about fire safety. Every residents in the building or employee on the job site is responsible for fire prevention. Management of housing societies or any organization must take the lead in developing a shared understanding and awareness of fire prevention and fire protection. Experienced management and leaders recognize the value of safety and learning basic fire fighting method in protecting their adorable people and assets, and it is important to conduct fire safety exercises on a frequent basis.

The result of a fire emergency is directly influenced by fire prevention strategy and related training. Relative Fire Acts and provincial rules promote this well-known notion. Authorities can rely on the prevalent laws and legal ways to effectively implement fire safety regulations.

A component on fire safety awareness and a detailed fire safety plan should be included in the agenda of the housing society as most of the casualties are observed in the residential premises and especially multi storied buildings. Proper training to tackle fire in its incipient stage and safe evacuation is a vital part of the fire safety plan. Regardless of the size of a building or complex, each person must be made aware of his or her safety obligations, which is best accomplished through training and frequent mock drills.

Fire safety sensitization is an instructional process that reminds everyone in the home or workplace about the best practice to avoid causing a fire risk, as well as what to do if a fire occurs. A plan informs and reminds everyone about the unique prevention strategies and safety procedures that apply to them. Every Co-operative society and business heads should have a structured training plan in place to ensure that all occupiers are aware of their obligations and the fire safety measures available in the premises. The most effective communication strategy begins with training in fire alarm systems, evacuation routes, and the process for basic fire fighting.

To preserve people and precious assets in a building, Society management must own key programme. Efforts to raise safety awareness and training must be adapted considering the size and risk factors of the premises in question. Effective communication about the importance of safety procedures, maintenance of the existing fire fighting and fire prevention installations along with adequate financing in the annual budget are responsibilities of the management. Leaders of the society should examine the training thoroughly with the help of experts to ensure that it is updated, the training scenarios reflect real-world events, and that it incorporates safety benchmarks to help the society build a fire safety culture.

In the realm of fire fighting and fire prevention, fire safety is of utmost importance. The goal of fire safety is to keep people safe. It is critical to have a good fire safety management system in place in the Residential building or workplace because fire is a hazard that can be fatal to both people and property. Fire safety is often disregarded, but with a robust safety system in place, the hazard can be avoided or reduced to a low risk with a simple effective technique. We must ensure that Authority has strong fire safety management processes in place to ensure that no injuries or deaths occur, as well as to comply with the Fire Act requirements in that particular region.

Annual training should be conducted to ensure that all Security and facility staff are up to date on fire safety. They should be trained in fire-prevention techniques and, if possible, evacuation and first-aid training. They should also be provided written instructions on how to operate the fire safety equipment available in the premises, as well as emergency protocols. Even with all of our fire protection procedures in place, a fire can still occur. Before, after, and during a fire, it's critical to have damage control measures in place. 

I urge to all the citizen to take initiative and grab this opportunity provided by Fire Brigade on the occasion of Fire Service Week. Every body must have active participation in the Drills and lectures arranged by respective Fire Services. This will definitely help them to prepare themselves to aviod many fire incidents and even though it arises. 

(This "CFO" Published in May 2022 Edition)