Fire safety: Equipment available at govt schools but no one to demonstrate its use

Amritsar, May 25

The recent incidents of fire outbreaks in the city are a constant reminder that fire safety needs more attention. As per the SC guidelines of 2009, the apex court had directed installation of fire extinguishing equipment and adoption of other safety measures in all government and private schools across the country.

Schools fare better than other buildings

• While city schools and colleges fare relatively better than other public institutions in terms of having fire safety infrastructure in place, conducting mock drills have been an issue as reportedly barring a few private schools, mock drills are not regularly conducted in schools.
• Private and government schools in city have fire safety equipment in place. But while private schools have been conducting mock drills once a year, there have been no mock drills conducted in government schools in past several years.

While city schools and colleges fare relatively better than other public institutions in terms of having fire safety infrastructure in place, conducting mock drills have been an issue as reportedly barring a few private schools, mock drills are not regularly conducted in schools.

Abiding by the regulations, private and government schools in city have fire extinguishers, hose and other safety equipment in place. But while private schools have been conducting mock drills once a year in collaboration with the Fire Department and Commissionerate of Police, there have been no mock drills conducted in government schools in past several years.

It is common knowledge that upgrade of fire equipment requires funds and while senior secondary government schools in city have few modern fire safety equipment such as water hoses and extinguishers installed in classrooms and premises, the primary and elementary schools have to rely on the traditional method of sand-filled buckets in the name of fire safety equipment.

“An official communique from the department does ask for refilling of fire safety equipment and replacement or installation of new apparatus in schools, but there are no funds earmarked for schools specifically to buy the required equipment. The fact is that most of the schools do have fire safety equipment in place, but the maintenance needed to upgrade them in case of need is not in place. Even fire safety drills are not conducted which is a basic awareness issue for teachers as well as students. All this is highlighted only if any fire incident is reported,” said Ashwani Awasthi, district president, Democratic Teachers’ Front and a government school teacher.

Most of the fire safety equipment is bought by government schools under amalgamated funds that are provided to them through the Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan.

A number of mock fire safety drills and other events were organised in the city during the National Fire Safety week in April but most of these drills were conducted at private schools and colleges.

“There is no specific data on how much money is spent on upgrading fire safety equipment in schools, though, by the department. The funds are adjusted from amalgamated funds by specific schools as per their requirement,” said an official from the District Education Department.