MINESUP staff trained on containing fire outbreaks

A one-day theoretical and practical workshop ended in Yaounde on July 23.

A workshop to sensitise staff of the Ministry of Higher Education (MINSEP) on the need to be alert to any danger that occurs in their working environment took place last Wednesday July 23, 2014 in Yaounde.

It took place under the theme “Management and Prevention of Fire Outbreaks in University Premises: The Case of an Alert at the Ministry of Higher Education.”

While opening the workshop, the Secretary General at the Ministry of Higher Education Ngomo Horace Mawga reiterated that the workshop was out to sensitise workers on how to face a disaster.

He explained how there have been situations where fire occurred in buildings and hierarchies were disappointment with the reaction of workers who left the impression that they did not know how to confront such a situation.

Given that workers do not know how to protect themselves during a fire outbreak neither do they know how to save the building which is on fire or others and property.

The Secretary General said participants who also came from other ministries (Ministries of Forestry and Wildlife and State Property and Land Tenure) sited at the 16th floor building hosting the Ministry of Higher Education will definitely learn what to do in the case of a fire outbreak and other disasters such as an earthquake, inundation from broken pipes as well as electrocution.

Although authorities of the various ministries said they are not praying for disasters, the Technical Coordinator of the workshop, Mrs Chanty Madja said it was important to make sure that when an accident occurs, workers know what to do when faced with such a situation.

During the workshop, experts were able to give response to certain questions asked by the Minister of Higher Education such as how to protect the human resources of the ministry.

In a theoretical manner, MINESUP staff also learned how to be safely evacuated from the 16th floor of the ministerial building during a fire outbreak.

Participants at the seminar also received theoretical and practical training on different techniques to extinguish fire as well as rescue methods to be given to fire victims.