Firefighting and rescue drills for fishing boats at fishing ports

Attending the drill were representatives of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Fire Prevention and Fighting and Rescue Police Department (Nghe An Police), the Fisheries Sub-Department, Cua Hoi Border Guard Station and representatives of Nghi Hai Ward People's Committee (Cua Lo Town).

Delegates and forces participating in the exercise listen to the exercise content. Photo: Nguyen Hai

Fire prevention, fire fighting and rescue on fishing boats are one of the new requirements and contents in state management of fire prevention and fighting, when recently in the province and in the fishing port area, there have been frequent incidents.fishing boat firecausing heavy property damage to fishermen.

After the local forces initially handled the fire, professional firefighters arrived to spray water to put out the fire. Photo: Nguyen Hai

Technical infrastructure to ensure fire fighting and rescue in fishing port areas and equipment, fire prevention knowledge for fishermen are still weak and inadequate. Up to now, among the 4 ports managed by the Management Board, the ports have fire fighting hydrant systems but their operational capacity is still limited. Notably, there is an increasing number of equipment on fishing boats that are at risk of short circuit and catching fire, butfire awarenessbetween fishing boat workers and boat owners is not commensurate.

The minimum equipment is a fire extinguisher, but many fishermen still do not know how to use it. Photo: Tien Dong

Speaking at the opening of the drill, Mr. Tran Xuan Hoc - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said: The drill content is part of the annual coordination plan between the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Provincial Police. Therefore, along with the actual inspection of fire prevention and fighting and rescue equipment in the port area and on fishing boats, it is necessary to carefully prepare drill methods that are close to practical requirements, focusing on the propaganda and practice of skills for the fire prevention and fighting and rescue team at the facility and fishermen when a fire or explosion situation on board occurs, to promptly draw experience after the drill to supplement and perfect fire prevention and rescue plans...

Firefighting forces at the fishing wharf south of Lach Quen, Quynh Thuan commune (Quynh Luu) in 2020. The incident burned down 4 fishing boats and caused nearly 3 billion VND in damage. Photo: Viet Hung

At the drill, along with instructions on initial fire fighting skills for the Fire Prevention and Fighting Team at the port immediately after detecting a fire or incident on a fishing boat; initial handling plans for controlling the fire, arranging forces to evacuate people and property on the fishing boat out of the dangerous area; instructing staff to call specialized fire trucks; protecting property and security and order in the area where property is gathered...

Rehearsing a situation of rescuing people and property when a fishing boat enters the port and catches fire. Photo: Nguyen Hai

Based on the report, from the assembly location, the professional fire prevention and rescue force will arrange people and vehicles to approach the scene with the situation, the plan is to send a reconnaissance force to haverescue plan; arrange firefighting forces to put out the fire from the shore parallel to the firefighting from the sea by canoe; firefighting forces with specialized vehicles and fire hoses spray water at the base of the fire to put it out; plan to equip masks for rescue to bring victims out for emergency treatment...

Firefighters approach the fire from the sea. Photo: Nguyen Hai

At the end of the drill, the functional forces, together with the Fishing Port Management Board, Border Guard Station and Nghi Hai Ward People's Committee, organized an exchange of practical experiences and coordinated solutions when unexpected situations and incidents occur to disseminate information for response and handling at fishing ports.