Every citizen is a firefighter

Ward police officers check fire extinguishers at public fire stations

On the evening of late September, despite the light rain, 15 households in Hoang Tan block, Tam Thanh ward were still present to participate in the fire fighting and rescue drill at the Fire Safety Inter-Household Team.

The hypothetical situation is a fire at a house that also sells motorbike equipment. As soon as the fire is discovered, the residents coordinate to handle it according to the "4 on-site" principle: reporting, guiding escape, rescuing trapped people, moving property, and organizing initial fire fighting. The serious and urgent atmosphere shows a clear change in awareness and action: from waiting for specialized forces, now each resident is ready to become a "fire fighter" right where they live.

Captain Ngo Son Ha, an officer of Tam Thanh Ward Police, said: The situation was built close to reality, with an element of surprise to test the ability to respond on the spot. Despite the unfavorable weather, people still participated fully and seriously. That shows that fire prevention work is now no longer a private matter.

In fact, the drills have helped the Fire Safety Inter-Household Team model to play the role of “core” in fire prevention work at the grassroots level. Currently, Tam Thanh ward has established 11 teams, each team consists of 7-15 adjacent households. All households are equipped with fire extinguishers, alarm bells, demolition tools and are trained to use them, coordinating smoothly like a professional team.

Mr. Vu Huu Toan, Head of the Fire Safety Inter-Household Group No. 2 in Hoang Tan Block, shared: Our group has 15 households. Before, without training, everyone was confused, not knowing what to do if a fire broke out. Now it is completely different, each house is equipped with a fire extinguisher, placed in an easy-to-reach place. When an incident occurs, just press the alarm bell and the whole neighborhood will be there immediately. Some use the fire extinguisher, some guide the escape, and some help move property.

Not only in Group 2, many other residential areas in the ward have also seen clear changes. People understand that if they are just a few minutes late, the consequences can be unpredictable. Ms. Dinh Thi Doan, a member of Group 1, Group 4, Hoang Tan block, shared: My house now always has a fire extinguisher ready at the entrance. Every month, I check the extinguisher once to see if it is still usable. Previously, I only did this when instructed or reminded by the staff, but now it has become a voluntary habit.

From these simple habits, a safety “shield” is being formed in each house and the whole community. Currently, about 95% of households in Tam Thanh ward have equipped themselves with portable fire extinguishers; many families also have demolition tools, smoke masks or spare extinguishers to share with neighboring households.

Not only stopping at each household, the ward also built 14 public fire stations in alleys over 50m deep - where specialized vehicles have difficulty accessing. Each station has a fire cabinet with 2 fire extinguishers and 1 set of demolition tools, placed in a position that is easy to see, easy to take, and convenient to use.

Along with equipment, propaganda work is considered the "key" to changing awareness. In addition to fire prevention knowledge dissemination sessions in residential groups, the ward also organizes mobile propaganda through loudspeakers, integrated into association and mass organization activities. Since the beginning of the year, the ward has organized 12 propaganda sessions, attracting about 2,400 participants; distributed 2,000 leaflets and posters with instructions on how to handle fires, escape instructions, and how to use fire extinguishers.

Mr. Vu Hong Trung, Chairman of Tam Thanh Ward People's Committee emphasized: We identify fire prevention and fighting as a key task, which cannot be done for formality. The establishment of inter-household fire safety teams with nearly 100 households participating is not only a movement, but has created a widespread influence in fire prevention and fighting work, becoming a habit of community life. Thanks to that, for many years, the ward has not had any serious fire or explosion incidents; small electrical short circuits have been detected and handled on the spot by the people.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Tran Van Tuong, Deputy Head of the Fire Prevention and Rescue Police Department, Provincial Police, Tam Thanh Ward is a typical locality in grassroots fire prevention work. The ward has built a solid foundation with 25 civil defense teams and a system of inter-family fire safety teams, 14 public fire fighting points, thereby promoting the motto "4 on-site". All are deployed in the direction of taking prevention as the main thing, considering fire prevention as a basic, long-term solution; concretized by the simple motto: "Every safe house - every safe neighborhood". This is an effective model that needs to be replicated to ensure fire safety right from the grassroots.

With more than 6,000 households (about 28,000 people) living in 25 blocks, Tam Thanh ward is gradually building a fire prevention "shield" right from the grassroots. When each household becomes a fire prevention "soldier", safety will truly enter the daily life of each house and each small alley here.

Source: https://baolangson.vn/khi-moi-ho-dan-la-mot-nguoi-linh-phong-chay-5060515.html