Of Fire Safety And More!

Recently, the third and fourth floors of a coaching centre in Surat caught fire and more than twenty students were killed in the mishap. This incident is a serious matter of concern for many, and should be a wake-up call for all of us, Indians, who are least bothered when it comes to fire safety.

Two owners of the building and the one of coaching centre were arrested, as this incident occurred owing to the absence of fire safety equipment in the building. The question is, "Can we really blame the owners when the students literally jumped to death from the top floors in a bid to escape?"

This incident reflects how we don't often think before taking any action during times like these. This happens due to the release of adrenaline in our bodies, the hormone which is responsible for the fight or flight phenomenon. In less scientific terms, our minds go in blaring," ESCAPE! ESCAPE! ESCAPE!", and we follow any escape route our brain finds, without thinking it through. It is normal human behaviour and nobody can escape it.

So, what can we do? Though the fight or flight respond can not be countered, perhaps we can equip ourselves better with training. This will make sure we are prepared for any incident like this.

The government should work for it and begin campaigns that impart fire safety training to the young and old alike. District-level camps should be the first step in this direction.

Luckily, the university I study at, takes a lot of interest in fire safety. Thus, we were given fire safety lessons during our induction programme. We were given a similar session again during the "Fire Safety Awareness Week" organised at our campus. We were told about the various types of fire- Types A, B, C and D, and how they are classified. We were also told how to use fire extinguisher cylinders and water hose pipes in cases of emergency.

And yet, many of my peers hardly paid any attention to want was being spoken, and were joking among themselves and occasionally laughing rather raucously. The evil eye that many teachers have them wasn't enough, and they paid no heed to anything that was being taught, even when they know a fire could be a matter of life and death. Maybe we don't need fire safety classes as much as we need to start taking important things seriously. After all, nothing is dearer than life!