Fire Prevention Week underway across the state

GANGTOK, 17 April: The Sikkim Fire and Emergency Service [SF&ES] under the Police Department has been observing the ‘Fire Prevention Week’ across the state since 14 April. The said week will continue till 20 April and is being celebrated on the theme ‘Smoke Management Saves lives’.
Addressing media persons, Deputy Chief Fire Officer [DCFO], East, Prakash Rai stated that the fire prevention week is being observed across the nation since 1963 as recognized by the Central government and during the week, fire stations across the nation conduct numerous fire safety programmes with an aim of generating awareness amongst the masses.
Informing about this year’s weeklong celebration, he mentioned that during this week all the fire station in-charges across the state carry out bazaar inspection with respect to fire safety along with generating awareness on fire safety, teaching the public how to use fire fighting equipments during an emergency and other safety measures related to fire or natural calamities like earthquakes, lightning strikes, landslides and more.
Likewise, the department in order to make the fire prevention week interesting is even organising a painting competition for the first and second grade school students in selected schools of all the four districts. The painting competition is on the theme ‘Fire Safety in Government Schools’ and the winners of the competition will be rewarded by the department, added Mr Rai.
Four schools namely Tashiding Government School [West], Mangan Government School [North], Kitam Government School [South] and Thamidara JHS [East] have been selected for the competition. Mr Rai added that since 2009 till 2011 almost 75% to 80% schools, Panchayats, Block Administrative Centers and Bazaars across the state have been covered under the fire safety awareness campaign along with the local public. The objective of holding such a week is to educate the general mass on utilizing the installed fire extinguishers during fire breakouts, informed Mr Rai.
With respect to forest fires he went on to add that this year there have been scanty reports on forest fires across the state as compared to earlier years and the SF&ES wants to continue the same efforts in minimizing fire incidents in the state in the days ahead too.