Dubai: Putting out major fires is not the only priority for Civil Defence personnel as they are also focused on preventing them.
“We cannot send out safety tips to reach people’s homes so instead we have launched a pavilion at one of the most visited places in Dubai. About 80 per cent of the fires are small and the damages are very low, and we carry out such awareness programmes every year across the country to continue raising awareness,” Major-General Rashid Thani Al Matroushi, commander in chief at UAE Civil Defence.
Located at the Gold Souq’s Treasury Dome in Dubai Mall, the awareness campaign runs until August 22 from 8pm-12am.
The campaign also provides residents with the basic knowledge on how to use fire extinguishers.
The General Directorate of Civil Defence will simultaneously carry out a study at the pavilion to record the level of awareness that residents have on how to put out fires, in addition to the safety precautions taken in their homes.
The study, which is being carried out in collaboration with Saudi Factory for Fire Equipment (SFFECO), is held alongside the awareness campaign that was launched on Sunday night.
Eng Adnan Al Suleiby, deputy general manager of SFFCO, pointed out that there are five types of fire that are each caused by solids, chemicals, gases, electrical and fat matters. Residents are also reminded that fire extinguishers discharge rapidly so there should be more than one available on hand.
“Residents have to understand the importance of having a safety plan at home, and there should be fire extinguishers and an evacuation route. People should do fire drills in their homes and know where everything is located because it only takes seconds to think, and minutes to act,” added Al Suleiby.
