‹‹ Raise awareness about the different types of danger; publicize the major causes of fires as well as emergency means; putting in place strict measures for fire safety and learning how to use the fire extinguisher ››, these were the main objectives of the first edition of the seminar on “fire safety for all”.
Seminar organized on the initiative of the media FEMME D’AFRIQUE MAGAZINE led by journalist Christelle MPONGO and presented by Boris GONDAMOYEN NOUGANGA, security officer and educational manager, expert in the field of fire prevention. He is also the boss of the company SFPI CONSULTING (security, training, fire prevention).
From the outset, participants were given the history of fires around the world and fire safety. This concerned the period from the Middle Ages to contemporary times. Cases of fires in the DRC, particularly in recent months, were also mentioned, as well as their causes.
Then the trainer of the day detailed some concepts such as fire, fire prevention, forecasting but also the fire itself.
He explained that fire is formed during a “fire triangle”, that is to say there must be a fuel (the material that burns), an oxidant (oxygen) and activation energy (heat, sparks). And to end the fire or rather extinguish it, you simply have to remove one of these 3 elements during a Fire.
Boris GONDAMOYEN NOUGANGA, Central African citizen working in Europe, also equipped the participants on the principle of classification of establishments, that is to say all buildings, premises or enclosures in which people are admitted either freely, or in exchange for remuneration or any participation or in which meetings are held open to all comers or by invitation, whether paid or not. He highlighted the flaws or risks in the construction of certain buildings in Africa which do not take these rules into account and which therefore expose the people who live there or frequent these buildings to death in the event of fire.
The means of extinguishing fires were presented and their uses explained to the participants.
At the end of the seminar, a practical exercise was done outside the training room before a final written test, taken in the room.
Christelle MPONGO, who invited the audience to this activity, welcomed the progress of this seminar because according to her words it was not easy to convince people to participate in this meeting because for some there was no opportunity. ‘interest. She told our microphone that her media FEMME D’AFRIQUE MAGAZINE participated in this activity because very often when there are fires it is women and children who are the first victims. The woman is the one who cooks very often or uses household appliances.
Christelle MPONGO informed that after this first edition, others will follow, particularly in the provinces.
The activity took place on Thursday June 13, 2024 in Kinshasa, in the commune of Gombe, at the amphitheater of the National Institute of Biological Research (INRB). Several journalists, including many women from the capital of the DRC as well as some experts from the Congolese government took part in this seminar.
Note that the Ministry of the Interior participated in this activity via the representative of the Secretary General of this department which manages the fire service in the DRC.
Dave NGONDE
