With the cooperation of the Lebanese Fire Prevention Commitee – LFPC Your Newspaper for Public Safety – Issue 10 .org saturday, March 22, 2008 Published by YASA with THE DAILY Star www.dailystar.com.lb YASA Group for Public Safety International Non-Governmental Organization With the cooperation of the Scientific Research Foundation MEMORIAL Tribute to all victims In memory of all those who lost their lives due to the various unintentional injuries that surround all human beings, whether it was domestic, road, school or others, YASA pre- sents you this public safety newspaper. Few days before the Mother’s Day, YASA dedicate this edition to all mothers whether injured or lost a beloved one due to uninten- Fire tional accidents. By Ziad M. Akl EDITORIAL Towards Better Fire Safety Safety This edition comes to highlight the risks and hazards due to the various types of fires and to show the importance of fire safety promotion. It is a human right to have a fire safe environment. All around the world fire safety and health is addressed through various organizations. YASA and LFPC cooperated together to promote the importance of fire safety promotion. All humans want to keep away from all types Promotion of fires and its consequences. Hence we wish everybody a life free from fires and burns. By Mona Khouri Akl O YASA AGENDA N Listen to YASA program on Voice Civil Defense T of Lebanon-VDL, every Friday at V 6:20 p.m (Beirut time). 125 & Every Wednesday on anb TV station, at 9:30 a.m, and the rerun at 4:30 p.m. R Sign the Online petition by visiting A Every Thursday on OTV station, at D 9:10 a.m, and Friday at 9:30 a.m. I O www.lfpc.org S www.yasa.org 2 .org saturday, march 22, 2008 First phase, Community Development Project _ CDP of the Council for Development and Reconstruction _ CDR LFPC equips 100s of public schools in South Lebanon with fire safety equipments A school director receives the fire extinguishers After the increasing threat on the lives gave trainings on how to use these dour, Shoukin, Zebdeen, Arabsalim (2), of students while at school due to the equipment in order to achieve higher Zefta. Al Nmeirieh, Al Sherkieh, Ad increasing fire incidents, the Lebanese performance in fighting fire. Dweir, Jibsheet, Kfer Fila, Ain Kana, Fire Prevention Committee- LFPC The public schools in South Lebanon Jbaa, Jarjouaa, Zouhair Chehada- Jar- started an initiative to distribute fire received fire safety equipments till ….. jouaa, Al Nabatieh, Bent Jbeil(2), Jmeil safety equipments to public schools 2008 are in the following: Jaber Bezi- Bent Jbeil, Rmeish, Abed Al in South Lebanon, in collaboration Kindergartens: Mayfadoun, Kfer Latif Saad, Ain Ebel, Kouneen, Berglieh, Mogtarebi Ein B’al, Hanaway, Abasiya, with the Committee Development Remman, Al Nabatieh Fawka, Toura, Ber’asheet, Jmaijma, Safed, Kherbet Kana, Al Adayse, Al Klai’a, Belat, Jdaidet Ein B’al, Kana, Marj’yon, Al Khyam, Project- CDP of the Council for Devel- Technical Schools: Bent Jbeil, Tyre , Selm (2), Kfer Doneen, Harisa (2), Marj’yon, Dbeen, Kfer Kela, Ebel Al Sa- Majdelselm, Al Marwanieh, Al Ser- opment and Recnstruction- CDR. This Kfer Heta …. Sydet Al Bshara – Rmeish, Al Bazouria, ki, Al Khyam, Mar Jerjes, Al Marwanieh afend, Kfer Heta …. initiative in its first phase covered the Elementaries: Deb’al, Al Hmairy, Al Shehabieh, Al Masaken, Tyre (2), (2), Al Kherayeb, Al Serafend (2), Kfer The second phase of the project will governorates of Al Nabatieh, Tyre, Shouhadaa M’raka, Al Bazouria, Al Berj Al Shemaly, Deir Kifa, Joieh, Al Melky, Kfer Heta, Al Mjaydel, Al Krya, take place in the governorates of Ba- Marjaayon and Bent Jbeil, whereby Shehabieh, Tyre, Joieh, Toura, Jbaa, Shahid Hasan Kasir- Deir Kanon Al Haret Saida, Ein Al Delb …. troun and Koura in collaboration with each school was given fire extinguish- Kefra, Majdelselm …. Nehr, Toura, Ma’roub, Al Shahid Mon- High Schools: Remmal Remmal, Al George Nassim Khoriaty Foundation. ers, smoke detector alarms and fire Intermedates: Shouhadaa Deir eer Saad- Barish, Khalil Jerady, Al Nabatieh, Jibsheet, Mayfadoun, Hasan LFPC hopes to reach all public blankets, in addition to thousands of Zehrani, Mayfadoun, Kfer Remmen Shahid Mohammad Saad, Tayer Deba, Kamel Al Sabah, Jbaa, Arabsalim, Bent schools around Lebanon to prevent brochures and posters and YASA.org (2), Samih Dakhil Chaheen, Al Haj Al Shahid Mershed Al Nahas, Sma’ieh, Jbeil, Rmeish, Kefra, Tebneen, Al more tragic fire accidents. newspapers. Mahmmoud Fakih, Hasan Halal, Deir Kanon Ras Al Ein, Elma Shaab, Al Sayed Mohsen Al Ameen, Al Sheha- A professional team from LFPC Haboush, Haroof, Hasan Hamad Ghan- Nakoura, Al Abasiya, Berj Rahal, bieh, Tyre (2), Elma Shaab, Al By Joseph Ballan Lebanese Fire Prevention Committee- LFPC In 1998, a group of university friends tion awareness, to advocate protec- habits. To this day the LFPC remains ty in buildings according to interna- witnessed a very big ship burning with tion of environmental resources, and one of the very few organizations to tional standards, which was enacted its full capacity of fuel close to the to boost networking among various advocate and lobby for fire safety in in March 2005. Following the enact- seaport of Beirut. After knowing that parties concerned with public safety the whole of the Middle East region. ment of the decree, the LFPC dedicat- the big losses leading to this tragedy and fire protection i.e. secure effec- After years of activism now, LFPC has ed a major number of its activities to were due to lack of awareness and tiveness of solutions to problems aris- around 100 members from different make the Lebanese citizens aware of malpractice and such tragedies could ing from fires. backgrounds. Among them are sur- the crucial role of this decree in pre- have been easily prevented, friends Since 1999, the LFPC has been in- vivors of fire incidents, family mem- venting losses in building and facto- and parents of some victims joined volved in the protection of human bers of fire victims, physicians, engi- ries in the whole nation, namely it or- efforts and decided to establish a na- lives and the environment through or- neers, public health professionals, ganized press conferences and taking tional non-profit organization (NGO) ganizing and participating in activities lawyers, dentists, safety professionals, part in media talk shows/interviews. It to make the Lebanese people aware related to different fire safety in sever- - Disseminating specialized education- university and school students, inter- also carried out more than 100 pre- of the dangers of fires on public safety al countries. These endeavors include: al programs for school-aged children. ested public and others. sentations attended by students of and of the necessity to observe prac- - Fire safety interventions for more - Giving lectures for the military ser- The main activity of the organization different age groups. tices known to prevent such hazards than 50,000 students spread over the vice and university students on fire haz- Through its continuous efforts since Nowadays there is almost a daily and related tragic consequences. As different regions of Lebanon to pro- ards, ways to avoid them and essential 1998, namely awareness raising cam- coverage of fire incidents with exten- such, they founded the Lebanese Fire mote fire safety and injury prevention. measures to take in case of injury. paigns and lobbying, LFPC was able to sive reports on the situation of forests Prevention Committee (LFPC) in - Organizing a bi-annual nationwide Since fire safety has never been ad- secure in a relatively short time, public in Lebanon the problems faced, the 1998 with the aims to counter the student competition for fire related dressed before in Lebanon, LFPC’s attention, support and cooperation, as threats, and the possible solutions. In wide spread problem of fire accidents drawings, songs and poems to which ongoing campaigns have shown in- well as official interest and commitment the same context, LFPC has conduct- and related injuries and losses in the organization received thousands creased public awareness about fire to enhance protection from fire hazards. ed around five media interviews Lebanon (domestic fires, forest fires, of submissions. The outstanding ones safety issues. In addition, LFPC has re- The LFPC played a major role in weekly between television and radio industrial fires, and fires in buildings). were exhibited during LFPC’s National ceived a lot of feedback from parents drafting and securing the ratification concentrating on the prevention of LFPC also aims to spread fire preven- Fire Prevention Conferences. who have changed their unsafe of a new decree that ensures fire safe- forest fires. saturday, march 22, 2008 .org 3 LASSA and LFPC stress on the importance of School Fire Safety According to the Lebanese Association for School Safety Awareness – LASSA school safety requires planning and con- stant vigilance. LASSA stresses that safe- ty inside the school is no more a matter of locking all the doors and windows, however all schools have to be aware of much more safety issues. Schools have to be aware of electronic threats includ- ing stealing confidential data and more. www.lassanet.org However LASSA also stresses that school safety has to be everyone's re- cords regularly, and disconnect appli- sponsibility which would include all staff ances where practical. from the principal through all the admin- G Keep all doorways clear. istrative staff to the smallest rank em- G Dispose of rubbish daily. ployee in the school. G Protect all unused outlets in With this in scope, LASSA in collab- kindergarten and pre-school nurseries oration with LFPC recommend the fol- with safety plugs. lowing points for better fire safety in- Safety in school As for schools that have a Gymnasi- side the school.