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ramu_mallela SEFI Member
Joined: 26 Jan 2003 Posts: 4
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Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 10:11 am Post subject: Fire resistance of public buildings |
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Dear Colleagues,
All of us are aware of the terrible tragedy involving the death of about a hundred children in a fire mishap. The photographs of the charred bodies of those innocent kids and the pathetic plight and anguish of their parents shall continue to haunt us forever. But the public memory and the attention span of the media is very short. I am deeply moved by this incident as an Engineer ( and as father of a little daughter). I strongly feel that the issue of fire safety of buildings needs to be discussed in this forum.
I would like to mention the following points:
1. As is mentioned in many news paper ariticles, human life is not valued much in our country. We forget every disaster all too quickly and blissfully await the next visit of disaster. This tendancy must change.
"Those who forget history are doomed to relive it " - Frederik Neitzsche ( A German philosopher)
2. The issue of fire -resistance of materials does not form part of course curriculum of civil engineering students. This leads to lack of awareness in the civil engineering community regarding the hazard of fire. This should change.
3.Owing to lack of funds, many poor students continue to study under thatched roofs in this country.
4. Even many schools buildings built in concrete do not have fire-safety measures.
5. With mercury soaring above 45 degrees celcius at many places in the country during the summer time, the chances of fire hazard are heightened.
6. There is a complete lack of public awareness regarding basic fire safety measures. There is neither nor informal training in this regard.
7. Besides schools, other important public structrures also need to be protected against fire hazard.
In light of the above, we as civil/structural engineers need to do the following:
1. Devise stringent codal provisions for the engineered structures with regards to fire resitance. Providing enhanced security provisions for schools, cinemas, restaurents and other public places.
2. Create overall awareness in the engineering community in this aspect.
3.Devise new fire-proofing materials to protect the traditional and non-engineering structures. ( For example, is it possible to delay the burning of bamboo by spraying some chemicals on it?)
4. Popularisation of Codal provisions for fire safety.
5. New research into enhancing the fire resistance of traditional materials like bamboo, wood besides , of course, concrete and steel.
I strongly feel that we can surely minimise the loss of lives and property by fire by adequate preparatory and preventive measures.
I also would like to know the practices being followed world-over in this regard.
M.V.Rama Rao
Asst. Professor in Civil Engg.
Vasavi College of Engineering, Hyderabad-31
5.
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