Effectiveness of fire prevention and firefighting models

In the context of increasing fire risks, building fire safety models at the grassroots level is a practical solution. In Ninh Hoa town and Van Ninh district, the "Fire Safety Neighborhood Group" and "Public Fire Fighting Station" models have been effectively implemented.

Building models

According to the leader of the Fire and Rescue Team of Area 3, under the Fire Prevention and Rescue Police Department of the Provincial Police, inspections in 8 communes, wards, and towns in Ninh Hoa town and Van Ninh district have revealed that 21 neighborhood fire safety groups and 24 public fire fighting points have been established and are in operation. Compared to the first quarter of 2024, this represents an increase of 5 neighborhood fire safety groups and 3 public fire fighting points, demonstrating the local government's attention to fire safety. In addition, Ninh Hiep ward (Ninh Hoa) has creatively implemented a "Mobile Fire Truck" model suitable for areas with many small alleys and narrow lanes – places where specialized fire trucks have difficulty accessing.

Firefighting forces participating in extinguishing a fire that occurred in late July 2024 in Van Ninh district.

The "Neighborhood Fire Safety Group" model operates based on the connection between households in the same area, forming a network of mutual support in fire prevention and response. These groups not only disseminate fire safety information but also participate in fire drills, ready to assist in case of an incident. Meanwhile, "Public Firefighting Points" are located in residential areas, equipped with fire extinguishers and hoses to help residents quickly extinguish fires in their early stages. The effectiveness of these models has been demonstrated in six fires that occurred in the area, including three vehicle fires, one food service establishment fire, and one warehouse fire. Although property damage was estimated at approximately 592 million VND, there were no casualties thanks to the timely intervention of local forces, effectively leveraging the role of the neighborhood groups and public firefighting points.

It needs to be further replicated.

According to the assessment of the leaders of the Fire Prevention and Rescue Police Department, the success of the models is due to many factors. First, local authorities have implemented comprehensive plans, from issuing operating regulations and organizing fire fighting drills to mobilizing people to participate. Inspections and reviews in 8 communes, wards, and towns show that localities have built "Safe Neighborhood Fire Prevention and Control Teams" and "Public Fire Fighting Points" models; and simultaneously encouraged people to create second escape routes (20,083 households, an increase of 1,351 households compared to Q1/2024) and equip themselves with fire extinguishers (15,550 households, an increase of 1,542 households). In addition, localities have intensified propaganda efforts, with 1,356 radio broadcasts, 9,215 leaflets and posters, and hundreds of social media posts, contributing to raising people's awareness of fire prevention and control.

However, the construction and maintenance of these models still face some limitations. Specifically, the strengthening of the civil defense force has not ensured the minimum number of members as stipulated, especially in Ninh Hai and Ninh Thuy wards (Ninh Hoa district). Localities have established 77 civil defense teams with 531 members, but only 119 have received professional training in fire prevention and rescue, leading to limited ability to respond to major incidents. Furthermore, the provision of firefighting equipment for the civil defense teams has not met requirements, sometimes rendering public fire-fighting points ineffective.

To address existing shortcomings and limitations, the Fire and Rescue Team of Region 3 has proposed several specific solutions. Firstly, localities need to organize professional fire prevention and rescue training courses for civil defense forces, ensuring each team has sufficient personnel and skills to respond effectively. Simultaneously, localities need to increase investment in firefighting equipment for public fire stations, especially in densely populated areas with high fire and explosion risks. The completion of facility management records, including inspection reports and fire drill reports, needs to be carried out rigorously to ensure transparency and effectiveness in management. In addition, models of fire safety such as "Neighborhood Fire Safety Teams," "Public Fire Stations," and "Mobile Fire Trucks" should be expanded. The Fire and Rescue Team of Region 3 also recommends that higher-level leaders organize training courses for advisory staff at the commune-level People's Committees to improve their capacity in state management of fire prevention and control.

JACKIE CHAN

Source: https://baokhanhhoa.vn/xa-hoi/202505/hieu-qua-cac-mo-hinh-phong-chay-chua-chay-9df2476/