An accident is uninvited and anything could cause it. You could accidentally leave a stove on or a short circuit can be the reason behind a catastrophe. It’s often by accident, until it’s not.
When you willfully ignore safety precautions, you have inadvertently made the arrangement. The recipe for disaster is always there; all it needs is a spark, leading to the unthinkable.
If you look at all the recent fires in Karachi, you will spot an uncanny resemblance, a pattern, a sequence of events. Fortunately, a few steps can help avert it and keep your loved ones safe.
- Unsuspected Visitor
Often, we perceive that a blaze happens on its own, but it doesn’t. Almost every resident of the metropolitan has at least once looked at the jumbled wires hanging out of an electric pool and thought to themselves: “this is a disaster in waiting”.
It goes by without incident for years, but one day, it finds that one spark enough to bring down an entire structure. So, that wiring you’ve been planning to sort or the circuit breaker that must be replaced, do it sooner.
- Fuel to the Fire
Everything caught flames, you’re panicked, and the cause can’t be immediately determined, that’s understandable. But why is it spreading like wildfire? What is it feeding on? It’s all the clutter you hoarded for years; cardboard boxes, clothes, and stray packing are all adding fuel to the fire, making it unstoppable.
- Better Late Than Never
Procrastination hurts, but sometimes, the damage is so enormous it’s irreversible. You maybe putting off an inspection, thinking it’s just been a few months and nothing seems out of the ordinary. But something needed to be discovered and it’s avoidable only if known. That’s what a scheduled inspection is for; to prevent minor issues from turning into major tragedies.
- Nothing to Douse the Flames
Think about it this way: you have every thing in order, but someone or something else causes a fire to erupt. It’s happening right next to you and the flames pose an imminent danger. But you either don’t have PPE or your extinguishers haven’t been checked in years. Get your PPE urgently!
- Every Man for Himself
If your staff isn’t aware of the exits or where they lead, or how an extinguisher works, they are at greater risk than you think. Knowing when or how to evacuate a building, use the equipment, or deliver first aid can be life-saving in unexpected situations. Invest in it and you won’t regret it.
- Know Your Workforce
Does any of your staff have a condition that can cause a breathing problem during certain situations, particularly, a fire? Have you put enough measures in place to avoid it in case of an emergency? Make sure you do and it will be rewarding.
- Situational Awareness
How soon can a water bowser reach your building? Do you have the rescue services’ numbers on the speed dial? How smooth is the road infrastructure leading to your office or residence? Is there a fire hose nearby? Take these factors into account beforehand, and you will be happy you did.
