IMA hosts online webinar on residential fire safety awareness

The Indian Muslim Association (IMA) Kuwait, in collaboration with the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) – Kuwait Chapter, successfully conducted an online awareness webinar on ‘Residential Fire & Safety Hazards’ on August 3 at 7pm.

The event aimed to educate the public on essential fire safety measures and prevention strategies in light of recent fire incidents in residential areas across Kuwait.

The webinar, held via Zoom, was co-hosted by the ASSP Kuwait Chapter in coordination with four esteemed Indian associations in Kuwait: Mogaveera Association Kuwait, Maurya Kala Parisar Kuwait, Life Again Foundation, and United Telugu Forum Kuwait. The event was attended by a large and diverse audience, who actively participated in the interactive session.

The webinar featured two distinguished speakers who shared their expertise in fire safety and emergency response.

Ashok Garlapati, President of the Board of Certified Safety Professionals USA and Advisory Board Member of ASSP Kuwait Chapter, enlightened the audience with in-depth case studies of recent fire incidents in residential areas in Kuwait, discussing probable causes and preventive measures.

Dr. Ibrahim El-Mahdy, QHSE International Consultant, provided a detailed analysis of common causes of residential fires and offered insights on how to prevent them. He explained that fire is a chemical reaction involving the rapid oxidation or burning of fuel, requiring three elements to occur: heat, fuel, and oxygen.

Fuel: It can be any combustible material like solid, liquid, or gas. Most solids and liquids become a vapor or gas before they will burn.

Oxygen: The air that we breathe is about 21 percent oxygen. Fire only needs an atmosphere with at least 16 percent oxygen.

Heat: Heat is the energy necessary to increase the temperature of the fuel to a point where sufficient vapor is given off for ignition to occur.

Therefore, a chain reaction can occur when the above three elements of fire are present in the proper conditions and proportions. Fire occurs when this rapid oxidation or burning takes place.

Highlights of the event

• Understanding fire hazards: Participants gained insights into the common causes of residential fires and learned preventive measures.
• Safety measures: Practical tips and guidelines were provided to enhance fire safety in homes.
• Emergency response: Key steps to take in the event of a fire, including evacuation procedures, were discussed.
• Fire safety equipment: The importance of having functional fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, and other safety devices was emphasized.
• Interactive Q&A session: The webinar featured an engaging Q&A session where participants’ queries were addressed by the experts.

Mr. Mohammad Yusuf, Vice President of ASSP-KC, delivered the vote of thanks, expressing his sincere gratitude to IMA for initiating and organizing this timely event. He also extended heartfelt appreciation to the entire teams of IMA, ASSP-KC, Mogaveera Association, Maurya Kala Parisar, Life Again Foundation, and United Telugu Forum for their exceptional efforts in coordinating the successful webinar.

The event commenced with the recitation of the Holy Quran by Master Ibrahim and was conducted by Br. Faheem Shareef and was well-received by the attendees, who expressed their gratitude for the valuable insights and practical information provided during the webinar.

The event underscored the significance of community-driven initiatives in promoting safety awareness, highlighting IMA’s dedication to collaborating for the betterment of society.

For those who missed the live session, the webinar recordings are available at the following links: Ashok Garlapati’s presentation at: https://youtu.be/DgaAD5R2BOQ and Dr. Ibrahim El-Mahdy’s presentation at: https://youtu.be/BVcMlYUEf8o.