The Regional Fire Prevention and Rescue Officer for Greater Kigezi, SP Moses Muhanguzi, has urged staff of the North Kigezi Bishop’s Office and students of Canon Beatrice Ruhindi Skills Training Institute to take a proactive role in preventing fire outbreaks rather than waiting for emergency rescue services to respond after incidents occur.
He made the call during a fire safety awareness workshop held at Canon Beatrice Ruhindi Skills Training Institute in Kinyasano, which was attended by staff of the Bishop’s Office and students from the institute.
SP Muhanguzi highlighted the leading causes of fire outbreaks, including arson, electrical faults caused by overloaded appliances, unattended electrical equipment, poor wiring, loose electrical connections, negligence such as smoking and improper use of lighters, unsafe cooking methods, uncontrolled burning, using mobile phones while charging, gas leakages, and accidental causes such as heat waves, lightning, wild birds and spontaneous ignition from heaps of coffee husks.
He also explained the stages of fire, namely the infant stage, where a fire has just started; the free-burning stage, where the fire spreads and becomes difficult to control; and the smouldering stage, where burning continues slowly with little or no visible flame.
“Fire can spread rapidly and cause extensive damage if not detected and controlled early. Regular inspection of electrical installations, correcting loose electrical connections, avoiding the use of mobile phones while charging, and properly securing gas cylinders are important preventive measures,” he said.
SP Muhanguzi further advised offices, institutions and vehicle owners to acquire fire extinguishers and regularly check their expiry dates to ensure they remain effective during emergencies.
He also encouraged offices and institutions to keep buckets of sand at strategic locations as an additional firefighting measure.
The officer urged participants to identify the cause and type of fire before attempting to extinguish it, explaining that different categories of fires require different methods of control.
SP Muhanguzi also called upon the public to promptly contact the Fire Prevention and Rescue Services whenever a fire outbreak occurs.
He cautioned against first calling politicians during fire emergencies, noting that fire incidents are not political matters and require immediate professional intervention.
“Many people delay contacting the Police Fire Prevention and Rescue Services until fires have already spread and become difficult to contain. The public should prioritise alerting rescue teams as soon as a fire breaks out in order to save lives and property,” he said.
Speaking at the close of the workshop, the Bishop of North Kigezi Diocese, Rt. Rev. Onesimus Asiimwe, thanked SP Muhanguzi for taking the initiative to educate the public on fire prevention and safety.
“People often suffer due to a lack of knowledge. Continuous public sensitisation on safety measures that can help prevent fire outbreaks is important in saving lives and property,” he said, referring to Hosea 4:6.
The workshop forms part of ongoing efforts by the Uganda Police Fire Prevention and Rescue Services to increase public awareness about fire safety and equip communities and institutions with the knowledge and skills needed to prevent and respond to fire emergencies.
