A wave of fires in the Capital
In Madagascar, it’s already summer and it should be raining normally. Unfortunately, the island is not spared by global warming. It’s very hot, but it hasn’t rained so far This weather is very favourable to the development of fires.
It has recently been noted that interventions of firefighters have increased in Antananarivo. On average, the fire brigade responds to 3 to 6 fires a week in Madagascar’s capital, but last September it responded to 12 fires in one week (10 house fires and 2 bush fires in the outskirts). Short circuits were the main cause. Faulty electrical installations and human negligence were blamed. (Source: Eric RALAIVAONORO, head of the Tsaralalàna fire brigade – L’Express de Madagascar, September 2024).
AiNA soa « on fire »
Because fires can cause material and human damage, fire safety is generally associated with first aid. For some time now, we have been receiving numerous requests for fire safety training from our partners. To meet this new demand, the AiNA soa team of trainers has undertaken a review of its knowledge of the subject.
For me personally, this training is more than necessary before developing this new project. Although I already know something about fire safety, sharing experiences and practicing with professionals is always essential.
The training course organised with G4S Madagascar last October not only gave me new skills but also the confidence to include this topic in our range of training courses.
Outlook
During this course, I realised that firefighting is a skill that needs to be shared as widely as possible in Madagascar. Unfortunately, most Malagasy cannot benefit from this training for various reasons. However, the risk is present on a daily basis both in towns and in the bush. We are therefore going to try to make it accessible to as many people as possible, if only to raise awareness of the right reflexes and attitudes to adopt in the event of a fire.
Work has already begun on our own fire safety training manual. We hope to have this training on offer by 2025. Our aim is to see many of our compatriots aware of the risks of fire, particularly bushfires, and capable of reducing and controlling them.
Ny Ony, Doctor and First Aid Trainer at AiNA soa
Source: free image on freepik