The Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development in collaboration with the Rising Lions Club of Seychelles has organised a fire-fighting training session for educators and staff of the ministry, as part of the plans to improve emergency preparedness at all schools across the country.

The two-day training sessions, partly funded by the Rising Lions Club of Seychelles, comprised both theory and practical exercises geared at equipping the participating school staff with the knowledge and know-how to respond in the event of a fire on school premises. It was conducted in collaboration with the Seychelles Fire and Rescue Services Agency (SFRSA).

Director for Health and Safety and Risk Management Section at the ministry, Regina Prosper, a former officer at the Department of Risk and Disaster Management (DRDM), noted that it is part of the ministry’s strategy to have an emergency plan and team across all schools in the country as risks and emergencies can occur at any unforeseen time, and quick action and reaction is often necessary to mitigate the situation.

“The ministry has been working towards developing an emergency plan for all schools since 2017, including private schools, although they have their own plans. So far, a substantial amount of work has been completed and we have an emergency plan programme. Emergency teams have to be established and are currently being established, and, of course, they need to be trained in first aid and fire-fighting, among others,” Ms Prosper explained.

Thus far, seven emergency response teams have been set up comprising representatives of emergency response services. Since the inception of the project, the ministry in 2017 held consultative workshops with teachers, and introduced the safety plan tailored to each respective school, based on the results of risk-assessments carried out at each facility.

“Last year, a total of 60 teachers from both primary and secondary school institutions were trained in first aid. For the fire-fighting training, 32 staff from different schools participated in the training which comprised practical exercises as well, including lighting a fire in a container and extinguishing it using different equipment. It was very well appreciated especially by the female educators and we thought the practical is just as important as theory to boost their confidence in knowing that in the event of an emergency, they can do something in the meantime that they are awaiting emergency response teams,” Ms Prosper said.

“It is important to note that the emphasis is on saving lives and not on being heroes. Other aspects of the training include provisions for evacuating the premises,” Miss Prosper added.

Private schools are not being left out of the plan, although they already have their own plans but the ministry intends to have a set national format, that can even be understood by first responders and other concerned agencies.

“Schools are surrounded by risks and to mitigate such risks depends on how much knowledge they have as to how to respond. Equipment is something that is lacking as the aim is to have fully-equipped fire points and other safety equipment in all schools. We also need to be mindful of the types of materials used as this too could cause a health and safety risk, for instance if glass enclosures are used. Fibre glass enclosures are more appropriate but are costly,” Ms Prosper further added.

Speaking of the collaboration with the Rising Lions Club, Ms Prosper explained that after the on-site risk-assessments were completed, she submitted a proposal to the club, who kindly assisted by covering some costs associated with the training course.

“I am very pleased with how the sessions went and I could tell, the educators themselves were enjoying it, as they were still asking questions by the time we were to finish. The Rising Lions Club of Seychelles have been very supportive and is looking forward to collaborate on future projects,” she said.

Future training sessions in first-aid and fire-fighting are expected to be organised in the near future.

Participants who have successfully completed the first-aid training and fire-fighting training course will later this month receive their certificates.

The accompanying photos show some highlights of the training session.

Laura Pillay

Photo sources: Rising Lions Club of Seychelles

The Seychelles Fire and Rescue Services Agency tended to a minor incident at the Maharajas Restaurant, Eden Island yesterday evening, and were able to contain the situation and stop it escalating into a fire.

The call requesting fire services was received by the authority at exactly 4.51pm, after a heat extractor was thought to be on fire by employees of the Indian restaurant.

According to public relations officer of the Seychelles Fire and Rescue Services Agency (SFRSA) Jones Madeleine, by the time they arrived on scene a few minutes after the call, everyone had already been evacuated from the building.

Mr Madeleine clarified that the fire was not considered dangerous as such as it was a smouldering fire (no flames but rather just smoke).

“Upon arriving on scene, everyone had already been evacuated. They use a stone oven at the restaurant and this was on as usual and caused some sort of malfunction with one of the fans in the heat extractor located above the oven. So while it was not an actual fire, it caused the stubborn stuck-on grease and oil on the extractor to melt resulting in lots of smoke,” Mr Madeleine said.

Nothing was affected or destroyed during the incident except for the stone oven itself, which cracked after being cooled down so rapidly.

Laura Pillay

Leta dan ki sa lakaz ti ete swivan sa dife (Sours portre : SBC Nouvel)

Dife in konpletman detri de lakaz ki ti koste obor kanmarad.

Sa lensidan ti ariv granmaten Sanmdi anler Mont Plaisir dan distrik Anse Royale e zofisye relasyon piblik kot Lazans Servis Tenny Dife ek Sovtaz, Jones Madeleine, i dir zot ti ganny alerte ki i annan sa dife ver 6er15 Sanmdi bomaten e letan ki zot ti ariv dan sa landrwa toulede lakaz ti anflanm.

Dapre lenformasyon sa de fanmir ti’n esey telefonn nimero dirzans 999 osito ki zot ti’n vwar dife me pour en bon pe letan personn pa ti reponn zot lapel me letan zot ti ganny en larepons i pa ti enn ki ti donn zot en soulazman.

Enn sa lakaz zis striktir ki reste tandis ki lot i aplat ater.

Dapre Madanm Joanne Raoul sete loder lafimen ki ti lev zot ver 5er bomaten e deswit i dir son msye in esey tenny dife dan lakaz akote me lafimen sorti dan sa lakaz anflanm in anpes zot kapab esey sov enpe zot bann keksoz.

I dir zot ti zis gete kot zot lakaz i brile san kapab fer nanryen.

Madanm Raoul ki annan son pti biznes fer snacks kot son lakour i dir zot in perdi tou sa ki zot ti annan dan sa dife.

Msye Madeleine i dir lazans ti deplway en masin sorti Anse Boileau e de sorti anvil me ler zot ti ariv lo teren dife ti entans e malerezman dife ti’n propaze akoz in pran tro bokou letan pour zot ganny averti.

I dir ti pran zot anviron 30 minit pour met sa dife anba kontrol e anviron 2 erdtan pour tenny li konpletman.

Madanm Raoul, lo son kote, i dir si zot lapel pour lasistans ti’n ganny pran vitman zot ti ava kapab sov enpe zot bann posesyon.

Msye Madeleine i dir tou lapel ki antre lo 999 i devret ganny dirize vitman kot lazans konsernen e dan sa ka kot Lazans Servis Tenny Dife ek Sovtaz e sa ti ava permet zot azir pour evite ki dife i propaze e i dir i pa premye fwa ki zot ganny bann tel konplent e in osi dir zot ankor pe demande ki zot ganny en nimero ki ava permet zot azir pli vit posib.

Antretan, sa fanmir pe ganny asiste avek lotorite distrik Anse Royale e son bann partener me zot ekspekte ganny en lakaz dirzans Barbarons ozordi Lendi.

Marie Anne Lepathy

Kantite ka dife dan batiman in redwir lannen pase

Konpare avek 2018 kot ti annan 54 ka dife dan batiman, lannen pase, 2019, Lazans Servis Tenny Dife ek Sovtaz in rikord mwens ki 30 ka dife dan batiman ki en rediksyon anviron 50%.

Sete zofisye relasyon piblik e portparol sa lazans Msye Jones Madeleine ki ti donn sa bann sif sa semenn letan i ti pe fer en bilan lo bann ka dife pour 2019.

Msye Madeleine in dir ki kantite ka dife batiman ki’n annan lannen pase in redwir konsiderableman konpare avek lannen 2018 e sa in fer ki lannen pase Lazans Servis Tenny Dife ek Sovtaz pa’n sitan okipe e in dekri lannen 2019 konman enn ki’n plizoumwen kalm e trankil pour Lazans Servis Tenny Dife ek Sovtaz.

«2019 in en lannen ki’n ase kalm pour fire service malgre bann defi ki in anmennen me nou’n ganny en bes dan kantite calls ki’n antre kot fire service. Bann fakter ki mon krwar in ede enn se bann lantrennman ki nou’n fer e sa in ogmante pour sorti 4500 dimoun par lannen pour ariv plis ki 6000. Lo kote lenspeksyon, menm si nou annan enpe konstrent lo kote zofisye servis tenny dife, kot par ler nou’n bezwen retard louvraz serten lofis pour kapab ranplas dan loperasyon, sa in ede pour redwir enpe bann lenspeksyon ki nou fer,» Msye Madeleine in dir.

«Si nou ti annan plis lenspeksyon petet ti ava annan mwens risk kot dimoun ti ava ganny notifye lo bann prekosyon ki zot devret pran pour anpes dife pran,» Msye Madeleine in fer resorti.

Me Msye Madeleine in dir ki parmi bann diferan lakoz dife ki zot in rikorde dan bann batiman i ankor annan dife koze par neglizans.

«I ankor annan dife neglizans kot dimoun i bliy pwalon lo dife, zot kit gas ouver, labouzi alimen san sirveyans, dan bann laundry i annan ka kot dimoun i zis tir lenz dan dryer e pa tennyen e la lasaler i akimile e koz en dife.»

Me malgre tousala Lazans Servis Tenny Dife ek Sovtaz pe kontiny son zefor pour amelyor kalite servis ki i donn piblik e sa i atraver plis formasyon pour son bann zofisye ki tenny dife e i osi annan plan pour azout plis kanmiyon tenny dife dan son laflot.

«Pli tar Avril nou ekspekte ganny de pli pti masin/kanmiyon tenny dife pour azout dan nou laflot. Sa de kanmiyon pou kapab ariv dan bann landrwa pli vit akoz zot pou pli pti e kapab pas dan nenport pti santye ki pli pros avek en lensidan dife ki nou ti pou kapab arive avek bann kanmiyon ki nou annan konmela,» Msye Madeleine in dir.

Konsernan plan formasyon sa lazans, Msye Madeleine in fer resorti ki i reste pour kontinyelman elev kalite servis e sa i lo tou nivo ki swa management, loperasyon ek lezot pour fer ki servis ki zot donn piblik i pli profesyonnel me in fer resorti ki mank mendev kalifye i osi reste en defi pour sa lazans.

Marie-Anne Lepathy

La maison a été totalement brulé (Photo : Jones Madeleine de la SFRSA)

En cette fin d’année, une famille à Beau Belle doit faire face à une catastrophe non attendue. Un incendie s’est produit hier matin et a détruit une maison en béton de cinq pièces dont deux chambres à coucher, un salon, une cuisine et la salle de bain. Les quatre occupants de la maison sont heureusement sains et sauf.

D’après l’attaché de presse de l’Agence des services d'incendie et de sauvetage des Seychelles (SFRSA), Jones Madeleine, son service a reçu un appel à 8h15 hier matin.

« Tout de suite nous avons expédié trois camions de sauvetage et ils sont arrivés sur les lieux à 8h29, malgré le trafic. On voyait la maison en flamme et nos hommes se sont mis à l’œuvre pour contrôler le feu et de l’empêcher de se propager dans la maison d’à côté. Pour le moment, le premier constat est la destruction complète de l’intérieur de la maison et nous ne savons pas la cause primaire de cet incendie. Il me semble que l’incendie a été déclaré après que les quatre membres de la famille ont quitté leur maison pour leurs devoirs quotidiens. Heureusement il n’y a pas eu de fatalité humaine », a ajouté M. Madeleine.

La famille en question est en contact avec les services sociaux et elle fait des démarches pour bouger dans une maison.

Vidya Gappy

The new fire boat is expected to boost SFRSA’s firefighting and rescue capacity (Photo: Anel Robert)

The firefighting and rescue capacity of the Seychelles Fire and Rescue Services Agency (SFRSA) is expected to get a big boost following the donation of a boat from the embassy of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Seychelles.

It was the chargé d’affaires of the embassy of UAE in Victoria, Ahmed Alneyadi, who handed over the 30-foot fire boat to chief fire officer Albert Rose, in a small ceremony held yesterday afternoon at the SFRSA headquarters, Latanier Road.

Present were the Designated Minister Macsuzy Mondon, who is also responsible for the Ministry of Home Affairs, the principal secretary in the Department of Risk and Disaster Management (DRDM) Paul Labaleine, senior and junior staff of SFRSA. It is the first time that SFRSA acquires a fire boat in its firefighting fleet.

The boat, which had been stationed at the Airport Fire and Rescue Services for some time now before being commissioned to SFRSA, has cost R2.8 million. It holds a twin 120 gallon tank and 2X 300 horse power (HP) outboard engines which can achieve high speed from 45 to 50 knots.

The boat can cater for six seated fire fighters with additional standing manpower. Fixed with a modern navigation system, it is thus specifically equipped to take care of any fire emergencies arising on ships and ports.

The boat is not just restricted to extinguish and deal with potential fire problems but includes a number of other roles and responsibilities from a wide range of rescue missions.  

In his remarks, Mr Alneyadi highlighted that the boat was a generous donation from the Ministry of Interior of the UAE. He noted that His Highness Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the president of the UAE, has proclaimed 2019 as the ‘Year of Tolerance’ which has brought forth positive vibes to its communities and to the rest of the globe, thus promoting excellent cohabitation.

Mr Alneyadi, who hailed the work of firefighters, said that though they do so to keep people, the community, the environment and properties safe from the devastation by fires, it must be admitted that firemen still require special tools and state-of-the-art equipment to enable them to perform their duties impeccably.

Guests and SFRSA staff in a souvenir photograph after the handover of the boat (Photo: Anel Robert)

“Today’s occasion is an expression of the strong bond and partnership that has existed for many years between Seychelles and the UAE and is continuing to grow,” Mr Alneyadi said, expressing the embassy’s deepest admiration for the noble profession of the firefighters.

On the part of the government of Seychelles and SFRSA, senior divisional officer, Regis Bethew, thanked the UAE, through Mr Alneyadi, for the wonderful donation noting that it will enhance their firefighting and rescue capacity and any relevant tasks which may arise in relation to ships, ports and coastal emergencies.

“This donation is basically to share and extend the importance of this honourable cause, which is to save and protect lives and properties at sea, hence, this boat is much more than a gift, in fact it is a necessity when considering its purpose and capabilities,” Mr Bethew said.

Speaking to the press, SFRSA’s spokesperson Jones Madeleine said that as there is no seaworthy trained human capacity available to immediately man the fire boat, SFRSA will train personnel to operate the boat while it seeks authority from the Seychelles Ports Authority (SPA) for a place to anchor it. The fire boat will also have a name in the near future.