Frequent fire outbreaks: NFPA safety experts storm Lagos
IN the last few years, not less than five major fire incidents have been recorded in Lagos with billions of Naira worth of property lost in the process. For instance, just recently, fire razed a major market in Kaduna, the Kaduna State capital, with traders left to count their losses and start appealing to authorities to assist in mitigating their losses. In 2012, the Federal Fire Service said it saved property worth N19.54 billion from various fire incidents, which ravaged parts of the country. But during same period, property valued at N5.95 billion were lost to fire incidents during the period. Statistics also showed that 185 lives were lost in 470 fire incidents in same year. The oil and gas sector recorded the highest number of fire incidents with 168 lives lost in164 incidents. Available statistics also revealed that private residences recorded 96 fire incidents that claimed eight lives, while 10 lives were saved in the period under review. It is as a result of incidents like these that leading safety management outfit, Safety Consultants and Solution Providers Limited, is organising West Africa National Fire Protection Association, NFPA, Conference with the theme: “Building NFPA Compliant Fire Safety Systems,” scheduled for April 18 to 21, 2016 in Lagos Briefing newsmen on the forthcoming conference, Roland Ngong of National Fire Protection Association West Africa, NFPA-WA, who was flanked by Ms. Antonia Beri, Lead Consultant, Safety Consultants and Solution Providers Limited, and Mr. Femi Young, Executive Director, Safety Consultants and Solution Providers Limited, said the conference will draw leading fire safety experts across the United States of America, who would educate Nigerians, especially professionals, on latest developments on safety measures and safety gadgets that prevent hazards, both at the home and the workplace. According to Ngong, his organisation was aware of fatalistic approach of most Nigerians to safety issues, hence the need to bring in experts to help Nigerians understand that they could take their destiny in their own hands. He said: “There are certain areas that NFPA concerns itself with. And that is why we are organising the West Africa NFPA conference. We will be providing training as well as seminars on certain aspects of safety.” Some of the areas expected to be covered in the conference included the Life Safety and Means of Egress. This training will be based on the life safety and means of egress requirements contained in NFPA Life Safety Code. Topics to be covered will include classification of construction and occupancy type, determining occupant load and egress capacity, requirements for protection of vertical openings and hazardous areas, and determining requirements for building services and fire protection features. Another key area to be covered is the Automatic Fire Sprinkler Systems. This training will be based on the fire sprinkler system requirements contained in NFPA Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems. Among experts expected is Russell B. Leavitt. Russ is the Executive of Telgian Corporation, an international firm providing fire, life safety, and asset protection engineering and consulting services. Also expected is John Campbell, who has more than 25 years of experience in the fire protection community, including all areas of the fire sprinkler industry. He has extensive experience in fire suppression system design, fire hazard analysis and fire protection system inspection and testing.
