Plans are being drawn up to teach civil defence in schools as a subject, according to a senior officer of the Royal Oman Police.

Col Ahmed bin Hassan Al Zedjali, assistant director general of civil defence, said the Royal Oman Police was taking all possible measures to check the growing incidents of fires in public places, caused largely by soaring summer temperatures and the excessive use of electrical equipment.
"To avoid this, people should not overburden electrical equipment and they should maintain gas cylinders," he said.

Schools, he said, should be the nursery for such a move, which he hoped would succeed with the help of a civic-minded society.

He said not all buildings and commercial shops were applying safety measures, thus inviting fires and other trouble. The Royal Oman Police, he added, has intensified its inspections to take defaulters to task.

He called upon parents to ensure that children don't play with electrical appliances.
"You should also keep a close watch on your children while they swim in farm pools," he said, urging farm owners to get rid of dry grass to avoid fires in the sweltering heat.

Col Al Zedjali said the department responds immediately to an SOS but sometimes a delay is caused because of the lack of clear description. He encouraged callers to dial 999 the moment an