Fire prevention and fighting at relics

Fire prevention and fighting propaganda work at Doc Cuoc Temple (Sam Son City) is given special attention.

Thanh Hoa has more than 1,535 historical-cultural relics and scenic spots. Along with restoration and prevention of degradation, investment in fire prevention and fighting equipment systems at many relics is increasingly receiving attention.

In Sam Son City, in preparation for the peak summer tourist season, the city government has coordinated with functional forces to carry out propaganda and fire prevention instructions at relics and scenic spots, focusing on Doc Cuoc Temple, Co Tien Temple and To Hien Thanh Temple. During the summer tourist season, there are days when these relic sites welcome thousands of visitors to offer incense and visit the landscape. Director of the Center for Culture, Information, Sports and Tourism of Sam Son City, Duong Duc Hung, said: “The hot summer combined with the large number of visitors at times, the risk of fire and explosion at the relics is very likely to occur. At Doc Cuoc Temple and Co Tien Temple, each relic is equipped with 15 fire extinguishers, To Hien Thanh Temple is equipped with 10 fire extinguishers; the areas for burning votive papers are arranged far from the relics. Up to now, 100% of the guardians at the relics and the staff of the center have been trained in fire prevention and fighting, mastering the steps of fire extinguishing. Before entering the summer tourist season, the fire extinguisher system, electricity and fire prevention and fighting conditions at each relic have been checked and reviewed. Fire prevention and fighting regulations signs are posted in areas where tourists frequently pass by, easy to see. In addition, due to the architecture and interior of the relics being made of wood, there are many flammable materials, so each relic has arranged 5 guardians and at least 100 people. At least one staff member of the center is always on duty, guiding and reminding visitors to follow fire prevention regulations, and not allowing visitors to burn incense inside the temple.

In fact, fires that have occurred at some relics such as Trung Tuc Vuong Le Lai Temple (Ngoc Lac), General Nguyen Chich Temple (Thanh Hoa City) show that the common difficulty is that the fire prevention system is not synchronized and modern, even the old power lines and exposed wires can easily lead to short circuits and fires. Meanwhile, the State budget is still limited, so the call for the community to join hands to protect the relics is given special attention by localities and relic management boards.

Head of the Chin Gieng Temple Relic Management Subcommittee (Bim Son town) Nguyen Anh Huan said: “The special feature of Chin Gieng Temple and Song Son Temple is the number of visitors coming to burn incense and visit the landscape all year round. There are even days when the number of visitors reaches thousands, making it very difficult to completely control the risk of fire and explosion. Therefore, along with strengthening inspection and management work, the management board pays special attention to propaganda through loudspeaker systems, regulation boards, billboards, and posters so that people and visitors can comply with fire prevention and fighting regulations. In particular, it focuses on emphasizing the role and responsibility of each person and visitor in protecting and promoting the value of the relic. Recently, most people coming to the relic burn votive paper in the right place, do not jostle, do not smoke in the worship areas”.

In the context of climate change, extreme weather, and the increasing number of visitors to monuments during the summer, a small fire or electrical short circuit can wipe out a monument. Every citizen and tourist needs to raise their awareness in strictly complying with fire prevention regulations. Every small act such as burning incense properly, offering incense in the right place, not lighting fires randomly or reporting to the monument management board immediately upon detecting signs of fire or explosion... all contribute significantly to preventing unwanted risks.

Article and photos: Hoai Anh

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/phong-chong-chay-no-tai-cac-di-tich-247036.htm