Dear Editor,
Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it’ – George Santayana. Remember the entire Linden family that perished in a fire in their heavily grilled home? Remember the young woman on the East Bank who died in a fire in her heavily grilled bedroom? My two storey home in Turkeyen is also heavily grilled – BUT with a difference. It was designed to open from the inside. An unlocked padlock secures the grill on the inside to deter burglars. A long rope is nearby ready to tie to the grill to slide down to safety. Breaking my neck or back to escape a fire is not my cup of tea.
The Mahdia dorm grill should have been designed the same way so that students can exit through the windows quickly… External CCTV cameras and motion sensors would alert the dorm mother in her room if any truant wants to abscond. Secondly, I parrot incessantly to my household about the dangers of fire. I have a bucket of sand and a small fire extinguisher near my stove. When I buy cooking gas, I check for leaks. I check the stove knobs and cylinder adapter incessantly to ensure they are properly closed. Some time ago, my neighbour went out leaving a garbage fire burning. I and other neighbours had to form a bucket brigade to save my home. Fire prevention is not about rules and regulations. It is about the safety of your life and the lives of your family.
Are teachers and students trained in fire drill exercises? If not, history will not be kind and a similar disaster will recur perhaps with a greater loss of life. During my days at Queen’s College fire drills were held. The last company I worked with, held fire drills twice a year. Billions are spent on celebratory occasions. Yet to spend money on smoke alarms, sprinklers and fire exits is a financial problem. Imagine you are a prominent member of society and you are in a building on fire with no exits, the front and back doors are blocked by fire. Your financial or social status will not help you. Imagine a fire breaks out while school is in session with both front and back doors blocked by fire (God forbid). The past will come back to haunt us. Those that hath ears to hear let them hear.
Sincerely,
Arthur Young
