Mumbai: Four hundred and forty-two buildings, housing Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) schools, will undergo fire audits to ensure security of students and staff, the civic education department has informed. All teaching and non-teaching staff of civic-run schools will be given training in using fire equipment and to deal with other emergency situations.
Around 312 BMC school buildings need fire safety upgrades and improved security measures. The education department claims to have surveyed fire security in all civic schools. Milind Sawant, deputy municipal commissioner (DMC), said, “We have collected this data through a survey being conducted for the last six months. We found that 312 school buildings need correction in fire equipment or safety measures. The fire audit will be completed soon.”
Training in use of fire equipment like fire extinguishers, water pipes, sprinklers and first-aid kits will be imparted to both the teaching and the non-teaching staff, claimed the education committee. Mangesh Satamkar, chairman of the BMC education committee, said, “We will provide training to all teachers and non-teaching staff of our schools in terms of fire security. All the staff should know how to use the fire equipment, how to act in an emergency situation and how to rescue students.”
All BMC schools should have a fire compliance certificate, claimed members of the committee. Surendra Singh, member of the committee, said, “Providing fire equipment in schools is just the first step but imparting training to all staff is very important. Also, all schools should have a fire certificate, which indicates that the schools are fire-compliant, have emergency exits and fire-fighting tools.”
These decisions come in the wake of several incidents of fire occurring in different pockets of the city. A parent, Govind Rane, said, “The infrastructure of BMC schools needs to be improved in terms of security and safety. Fire safety is the need of the hour and the civic body should ensure that students and staff work in a safe environment in school buildings.”
