The University of Lagos Fire Service, (UFS), has emphasized the need for business owners and private individuals to acquire first-rate firefighting equipment and follow safety precautions to prevent fire outbreaks within the university.
The Acting Head of the Service, Mr. Wasiu Oriyomi Jimoh, stated this on Thursday, March 16, 2023, during an orientation and sensitization exercise at Anchor Gas, a private gas-plant operator within the Akoka campus of the university.
Mr. Jimoh accompanied by senior UFS officers averred that the sensitization exercise was initiated to expose stakeholders within the university community to preventive knowledge on Fire outbreaks, which is critical to saving lives and protecting businesses.
His words, “This exercise is necessary because of the need for more safety consciousness. It is the responsibility of business and shop owners to protect their property and investments from fire in accordance with the Fire Safety Code”.
The Chief Fire Officer who highlighted several tips to curb fire outbreaks explained that the first thing to do, in the case of a fire outbreak, is to raise an alarm for everyone to exit the building, gather at a muster point, and thereafter, make a call for help to the fire service.
Mr. Jimoh urged the business owners within the University to imbibe a practical emergency response system to save lives and properties in case of fire outbreaks.
While speaking on the danger of installing gas cylinders in the kitchen as a bad practice with regards to safety, the fire service boss stressed the need for all homes to have at least one fire extinguisher; the CO2 or the Dry Chemical Powder (DCP) extinguisher.
He also highlighted the application of traditional methods like the use of sand, and water mixed with detergent in non-electrical outbreaks and the use of bunches of leaves to put out and subdue fire.
At the end of the sensitization exercise, the UFS team took participants through a fire evacuation drill.
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Anchor Gas, Mrs. Toyin Omotoye who was in attendance at the orientation and sensitization program appreciated the University Fire Service for the awareness campaign and described it as an eye-opener.
The next orientation and sensitization program, of the UNILAG Fire Service, would involve all the occupants of the Senate House, with the ground floor of the building serving as the Assembly/Muster Point, while representatives of each Unit/Department/floor within the Senate House would participate in the Fire Prevention Lecture at the J.F. Ade Ajayi Auditorium, UNILAG, Akoka.
Watch the UFS demonstrate how to put out small fires below:
