A siren rings out followed by smoke from a high rise building. Within minutes firefighters arrive to bring out, treat and take away injured people on ambulances before spraying water from a ladder truck to douse an imaginary flame.
This is how Brac University (BracU) and the Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence carried out a fire drill on the university’s Mohakhali campus on Monday, 28 January 2019.
Personnel of BracU’s administration department and medical centre practiced their respective roles devised for such incidents, all overseen by firefighters of Tejgaon Fire Station.
On the benefits of carrying out such drills, Senior Station Officer Faisalur Rahman said, “Raising awareness was a key aim for this drill.”
“Incidents of fire are unwarranted, so awareness and alertness are two important aspects,” said Registrar Lt Col Md Foyzul Islam (Retd).
“Highest importance must be laid on the safety of others and staying level-headed. I believe with practice these drills will reduce the extent of damage in case there is a real incident of fire,” he said.