Strengthening fire prevention and fighting before, during and after the Lunar New Year

The dispatch stated: Recently, the fire and explosion situation in localities across the country has been complicated, with many large fires causing serious damage to people and property, causing panic among the public.

In Nghe An, in the first 10 months of 2022, departments, branches, units and localities have focused on synchronously implementing many measures and solutions for fire prevention, fighting and rescue, thereby achieving many positive results; the number of fires was controlled and reduced compared to the same period in 2021, no large fires occurred, fires causing particularly serious damage and no serious forest fires occurred in the area.

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

However, seriously assessing, the fire and explosion situation in the area is still complicated at times, the number of fires still occurs a lot, specifically: From December 15, 2021 to October 31, 2022, there were 56 fires in the province (24 fires occurred in residential areas; 16 fires occurred in production and business establishments; 1 fishing boat fire...) killing 4 people, property damage estimated at over 5 billion VND. Of which, fires occurred due to electrical system failures (34/56 cases, accounting for 60.7%); technical incidents (13/56 cases, accounting for 23.2%); negligence in using heat sources, open flames 7/56 cases, accounting for 12.5%)...

The main causes of fires are that there are still some shortcomings in state management of fire prevention and fighting in units and localities; heads of agencies, organizations and householders have not paid due attention to ensuring fire prevention and fighting safety; violations of fire prevention and fighting safety regulations still occur frequently, especially in the management and use of electricity, heat sources, open flames, etc.; on-site fire prevention and fighting forces in some places are not operating effectively, and are still confused in handling situations when fires occur; fire fighting equipment is still limited, not meeting the requirements of fire fighting in the new situation.

Scene of fire at clean charcoal processing factory for export. Photo: Duc Thanh

It is forecasted that the production, business and storage of goods for the Lunar New Year and the Spring festivals in early 2023 will increase; high electricity consumption will overload businesses and homes; dry weather will lead to risks of unsafe fire prevention and fighting.

To proactively prevent, contain and minimize the number of large fires and explosions and damage caused by fires and explosions, contributing to ensuring security, order and fire safety in the province, the Provincial People's Committee requests:

Provincial departments, branches, unions and People's Committees of districts, cities and towns:

Continue to thoroughly grasp and effectively implement the Party's guidelines and the State's laws and policies; directions of the Central, Provincial Party Committee, Provincial People's Council and Provincial People's Committee on fire prevention, fighting and rescue, especially continue to focus on implementing the quality and effectiveness of the tasks assigned by the Provincial People's Committee in Official Dispatch No. 4239/UBND-NC dated June 10, 2022 on strengthening fire prevention and fighting for residential areas, households, houses combined with production and business; Official Dispatch No. 7105/UBND dated September 16, 2022 on strengthening fire prevention and fighting for karaoke establishments in the province; Official Dispatch No. 8105/UBND-NC dated October 14, 2022 on a general review and inspection of fire prevention, fighting and rescue safety in Nghe An province.

Authorities participate in extinguishing a house fire. Photo: Van Truong

- Enhance the responsibility of leaders at all levels of government, heads of agencies, enterprises and units in organizing the implementation of fire prevention, fire fighting and rescue work; effectively deploy solutions and measures on fire prevention, fire fighting and rescue; take responsibility for ensuring fire prevention and fire safety at agencies, units and localities assigned to manage.

- Strengthen state management of fire prevention and fighting at units, localities, agencies and enterprises; effectively promote the "4 on-site" motto. Actively coordinate and closely cooperate with the police, army and border guards stationed in the area to promptly and effectively fight fires and explosions; minimize human and property damage, promptly overcome consequences and stabilize the situation in the area. Strengthen inspection of the regular work of the civil defense force and the conditions for serving fire fighting and rescue on-site.

- Issue documents directing agencies, units and organizations in the area to strengthen fire prevention and fighting, organize signing of commitments, voluntarily comply with legal regulations on fire prevention and fighting, and prevent large fires and explosions from occurring. Focus on directing the development and replication of fire prevention and fighting safety models in the area, especially the model of "Fire Prevention and Fighting Inter-family Safety Group" and the model of "Public Fire Fighting Point".

Scene of a house fire. Photo: Chu Minh

The Provincial People's Committee also assigned localities to:Organizing festivals and ceremonies at the beginning of the year must focus on directing and ensuring on-site fire prevention and fighting safety, such as: Propagating and recommending fire prevention and fighting regulations; organizing forces, equipping means and training fire prevention and fighting skills for on-site forces; developing and organizing fire fighting drills, paying special attention to fire fighting plans in parking lots; rescuing and saving crowded places... Recommend organizations and individuals to strengthen fire prevention and fighting safety, strictly comply with the provisions of law on transporting flammable and explosive goods, and limit transportation on routes passing through or near locations and areas where cultural and political events take place during the Lunar New Year 2023.

On the side of the Provincial Police:The Provincial People's Committee requested to coordinate with relevant agencies and units to strengthen propaganda and guidance for people in the use of gas, electricity, chemicals, arrangement and storage of goods, equipment for fire prevention, escape, and emergency escape; propaganda on fire prevention measures in residential and commercial buildings, industrial parks, supermarkets, markets, commercial centers, cultural relic sites, apartments, high-rise buildings, etc.

Organize a general inspection of fire prevention, fire fighting and rescue safety for 100% of facilities under the State management of fire prevention and fire fighting, focusing on closely inspecting business establishments with conditions on security and order, large-scale establishments, crowded establishments, highly dangerous, fire and explosion-prone establishments such as: Hotels, motels, karaoke establishments, bars, dance clubs, apartments, high-rise buildings, markets, shopping malls, warehouses, factories... Strictly handle violations of fire prevention, fire fighting and rescue; resolutely suspend or suspend operations according to the provisions of law.

For facilities that still have violations of fire prevention, fire fighting and rescue, it is necessary to organize re-inspections and checks on the implementation of the facilities, ensuring that the existing problems and violations of fire fighting and rescue are thoroughly remedied, according to regulations.

Proactively review, develop, supplement, and revise firefighting and rescue plans for facilities under fire prevention and fighting management; especially firefighting and rescue plans for key projects and facilities with high fire and explosion potential, with coordination and mobilization of many forces and means. Strictly maintain a 24/7 combat readiness regime; ensure readiness for timely and effective rescue when a fire or explosion occurs.

Directly investigate and clarify the causes of fires and explosions according to the provisions of law; draw lessons from prevention work, and strictly handle the responsibilities of organizations and individuals that cause fires and explosions.

Provincial Military Command, Provincial Border Guard Command:Coordinate with the Provincial Police and relevant agencies and units to deploy plans and measures for fire prevention and fighting and rescue at defense facilities and units operating in the province under their management; be ready to mobilize forces and means to participate in fire fighting and rescue when required.

Department of Information and Communications:Direct press agencies (Provincial Radio and Television, Nghe An Newspaper...) to coordinate with the Provincial Police and related units to develop and strengthen propaganda on mass media, the Internet, social networking sites...

The propaganda content needs to focus on disseminating and educating knowledge about fire prevention and fighting laws; warning about the risk of fires at facilities and houses during the dry season and Lunar New Year 2023; the consequences, harms and sanctions for violations of fire prevention and fighting laws; handling results of functional forces; forms of commendation of "good people, good deeds" in fire prevention and fighting work... In particular, focusing on implementation during golden hours to attract a large number of people to participate and watch.

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

Department of Industry and Trade:Strengthen State management of electricity, coordinate with the Provincial Police in disseminating and guiding fire prevention and fighting work for agencies, organizations and people using electricity and substances and goods that are dangerous to fire and explosion within the scope of management.

Nghe An Electricity Company, Nghe An Power Transmission:Direct subordinate units to strengthen inspection of electrical systems and networks to prevent risks of fire safety from electrical systems and equipment. Coordinate promptly with the police force to handle related incidents when fires occur.

Department of Agriculture and Rural Development:Direct the Forest Ranger force to strengthen the inspection of forest fire prevention and control; regularly coordinate with the People's Committees of districts, cities, towns, relevant agencies and units to identify and give early warnings of forests at risk of fire for proactive prevention; guide cadres and people to practice plans and preventive measures to ensure forest fire prevention and control safety.

Department of Culture and Sports:Directing to strengthen inspection of the implementation of regulations on entry and exit to relic sites, the use of means and tools that can easily cause fire at relic sites (electrical equipment, incense burning, burning votive paper...), paying special attention to Kim Lien Relic Site, Former General Secretary Le Hong Phong Relic Site, Chung Son Temple, King Quang Trung Temple... Coordinate with relevant units to deploy preventive and response measures when fires and explosions occur at relic sites and management areas.

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

The Provincial People's Committee also requested the Provincial Fatherland Front Committee and its member organizations to coordinate with provincial departments, branches, and authorities at all levels to strengthen propaganda and mobilize union members, association members, and people to properly implement fire prevention and fighting work; coordinate with functional forces to organize fire fighting, rescue, and relief when fire and explosion incidents occur./.