Strengthen fire prevention in hot season

Potential fire hazard

In recent times, the Provincial People's Committee has directed relevant agencies to focus on synchronously and drastically implementing measures to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of state management of fire prevention and fighting. Notably, it has strengthened the inspection, examination, review and acceptance of fire prevention and fighting (PCCC) in accordance with the provisions of law.

In particular, focusing on fire safety inspections at key facilities with fire and explosion risks. In 2022, the whole department detected and handled 352 facilities, fined and paid the state budget more than 4.4 billion VND. Thereby, it has contributed to the prevention, containment and limitation of fires with particularly serious consequences.

Fire Prevention and Rescue Police Department inspects a karaoke business in Nghia Dan district. Photo: Dinh Tuyen

However, according to the functional sector, there are still some works and facilities that have changed their construction functions not in accordance with the planning, land use purposes and design documents approved by competent authorities; affecting traffic, fire safety distance, leading to ineligibility for fire safety review and acceptance.

Propaganda work on fire prevention and fighting is sometimes not comprehensive and extensive; the mass movement for fire prevention and fighting in some localities is not strong, awareness, legal understanding, and awareness of fire prevention and fighting of a part of the population is still limited. The number of fires still occurs frequently, especially in residential houses, households, production and business establishments, wiring systems on electric poles, etc.

A large fire almost completely destroyed the property of a family renting a wedding hall in Dai Dong commune, Thanh Chuong. Photo: Contributor

In 2022, the province had 123 large and small fires, killing 4 people and causing property damage of more than 6.2 billion VND. In early 2023, a number of fires continued to occur in the province.

Typically, at around 10pm on March 4, a big fire broke out at a family that specializes in renting wedding tents in Thanh Son village, Dai Dong commune, Thanh Chuong. It is known that the fire burned down many valuable assets of Mr. Nguyen Doan Son's family, only cash in the safe worth about 800 million VND was burned.

The scene of the fire in Dai Dong commune, Thanh Chuong district on the evening of March 4, 2023. Photo: Huy Thu

Previously, at 3:00 p.m. on February 22, the Fire and Rescue Command Center (114) - Nghe An Provincial Police received a report of a fire occurring at Bong Market, Bao Thanh Commune, Yen Thanh. The area where the fire broke out was a clothing kiosk inside the market hall.

Authorities mobilized 4 fire trucks and dozens of police officers to quickly arrive at the scene and put out the fire in time, preventing it from spreading to surrounding kiosks.

Scene of the kiosk fire at Bong market, Yen Thanh. Photo courtesy of CTV.

Tighten management and prevention work

It is forecasted that in 2023, the weather situation in the province will continue to be complicated, under the impact of climate change, leading to natural disasters such as storms, floods, heat waves, droughts, etc. becoming increasingly extreme and unpredictable. In addition, along with the development of the economy and society, many high-rise buildings, entertainment areas, production and trading establishments, etc. are being built and put into operation, coupled with the high demand for electricity, which will lead to a great potential risk of fire and explosion.

To overcome shortcomings and limitations, continue to do a good job of ensuring safety. Fire prevention and fighting and rescue (PCCC and CNCH) in the province, the Provincial People's Committee issued Notice No. 124/TB/UBND dated March 1, 2023 on the conclusion of Comrade Le Hong Vinh, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee at the conference to evaluate the performance of the Provincial Steering Committee for Fire Prevention and Fighting and Rescue in 2022, and deploy tasks for 2023.

Overview of the conference to review and summarize fire prevention and fighting and rescue work in Nghe An province in 2022 and deploy key tasks in 2023. Photo: Nguyen Hai

In particular, it requires departments, branches, sectors, units, People's Committees of districts, cities and towns to focus on drastically and effectively implementing Directive No. 01/CT-TTg dated January 3, 2023 of the Prime Minister on strengthening fire prevention and fighting work in the new situation, with the goal and viewpoint: Taking people as the center, as the subject, putting people's safety and lives first and foremost; fire and explosion safety for economic and social development.

Research and innovate the form, content and methods of propaganda and education on fire prevention and fighting and search and rescue knowledge suitable for each target group, focusing on propaganda on the responsibilities of forces and people participating in fire prevention and fighting and search and rescue work. Pay attention to building and replicating models of ensuring fire safety in the direction of volunteerism, self-prevention and self-management in residential areas, business clusters, industrial parks, etc.

People practice fire prevention and fighting at the launching ceremony of the Fire Prevention and Fighting Safety Inter-family Group model. Photo: An Quynh

The Provincial People's Committee also requested to improve the quality of state management of fire prevention and fighting and search and rescue, focusing on inspection, review, and guidance on fire prevention and fighting safety; tighten the review and acceptance of fire prevention and fighting. In particular, for all serious violations of fire prevention and fighting(such as violating the design review regime)next,Fire safety acceptance...), facilities that are slow to implement regulations on fire prevention and fighting work, leading to a high potential risk of fire and explosion, must focus on advising and directing drastic solutions to immediately overcome the problem, not allowing facilities to continue operating, leading to a potential risk of fire and explosion.

Continue to review, consolidate, build and maintain the effective operation of Civil Defense Teams, Grassroots Fire Prevention and Fighting Teams and Specialized Fire Prevention and Fighting Teams according to the provisions of the Fire Prevention and Fighting Law to meet the requirements of timely and effective handling right from the beginning, from the grassroots when fires and explosions occur... Maintain the effectiveness and replicate models and typical examples in ensuring fire prevention and fighting safety, create emulation movements, contribute to better implementation and spread of the mass fire prevention and fighting movement from the province to the grassroots.

Firefighting forces practice fire prevention and fighting. Photo: Quang An

For functional forces (Provincial Military Command, Provincial Border Guard Command, Provincial Police, Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development):The Provincial People's Committee requires serious implementation of the work of being ready to fight fires and rescue 24/24 hours, promptly grasping information and situations and participating in effectively handling fires, explosions, incidents and accidents.

Department of Agriculture and Rural Development:Direct the Forest Ranger force and the Forest Protection Management Board to proactively coordinate with authorities at all levels and functional sectors to synchronously and drastically deploy solutions to ensure forest fire safety, organize warnings and forecasts of forest fire risks; promptly inform the mass media in communes, wards and towns so that cadres and people know and strictly comply... paying special attention during the peak of hot weather in 2023, not allowing forest fires to cause great damage.

DepartmentBuildbuild:Strengthen state management of the appraisal of construction planning documents and design documents to ensure strict compliance with regulations, paying attention to conditions related to fire safety work stipulated in relevant construction regulations, standards and planning.

DepartmentLabourLove:Continue to closely coordinate with the Provincial Police and relevant units to direct the inspection and handling of violations of fire prevention and fighting laws in industrial clusters; establishments managing, using, preserving, trading and transporting chemicals, industrial explosives, gasoline, liquefied petroleum gas, markets, shopping centers, supermarket systems, and business stores; keep a list of establishments that do not ensure fire prevention and fighting safety to revoke licenses and certificates under the management responsibility of the Department of Industry and Trade according to regulations.

YouManagementreasonAreaterribleeconomyWinterMale:Closely coordinate with the Provincial Police in inspecting and supervising the implementation of legal regulations on fire prevention and fighting in projects and works in industrial parks. Propose preferential policies and financial support for investment in the construction of technical infrastructure and fire-fighting water supply systems in industrial parks, especially for industrial parks using the budget to invest in the construction of technical infrastructure to ensure compliance with fire prevention and fighting requirements as prescribed. Strengthen the dissemination of fire prevention and fighting knowledge to workers in industrial parks and industrial clusters.

Fire drill at Ho Chi Minh Square. Photo: Dang Cuong

DepartmentCulture and Sports:Strengthen guidance for localities to tighten the work of granting karaoke business licenses in the province, not granting karaoke business licenses to establishments that do not fully ensure conditions of security, order, and fire safety. Consider revoking business licenses for establishments that are operating but do not meet fire safety, security and order conditions. At the same time, direct the Management Board of historical and cultural relic sites to regularly do a good job of fire safety.

Practicing using a hose and water hose to fight fires at Nghe An Electricity Company. Photo: Duc Dung

On behalf of Nghe An Electricity Company,The Provincial People's Committee requests: Regularly inspect the power system and network in the province to prevent risks of fire safety and electrical accidents; thoroughly resolve the problem of connecting and connecting power lines that do not comply with regulations and have drastic solutions to prevent and limit fires in power lines and electrical equipment on electric poles.

Disseminate and guide agencies, organizations, businesses and people on how to use electricity safely and effectively; at the same time, warn and overcome risks of fire, explosion, and electrical short circuits, especially during the peak of the heat wave in 2023, when people's demand for electricity increases.

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