Three measures we should take after the Endarasha fire tragedy

 

The tragic fire at Endarasha Hillside Academy serves as a stark reminder that fire, while a useful servant, can be a merciless master. This incident highlights a critical yet often overlooked technology of smoke detectors.

These devices play a vital role in keeping fire under control, particularly in learning institutions. As we mourn the departed souls from this unfortunate event, we must seize this moment to review our approach to fire safety in schools.

Far from being mere items on a safety checklist, smoke detectors stand as our first line of defence against fire outbreaks. These vigilant devices provide crucial early warnings, often detecting smoke before it becomes visible to the human eye. In a school setting, where hundreds of young lives are at stake, those extra minutes or even seconds can mean the difference between a safe evacuation and a tragedy.

The Endarasha incident illustrates potential consequences of inadequate fire detection systems. Had smoke detectors been properly installed and maintained, it’s likely the fire could have been detected earlier, minimising damage and ensuring safety of learners and staff.

Consider this: according to global fire safety statistics, the presence of working smoke alarms can reduce the risk of dying in a home fire by 55 per cent. In educational institutions, where the density of occupants is often higher and evacuation can be more challenging, early detection becomes more critical. Sometimes there are misconceptions about the radioactive materials used in some smoke detectors. Ionization smoke detectors, widely used due to their effectiveness and affordability, contain a minute amount of radioactive material, typically Americium-241. This material ionizes the air within a chamber in the detector. When smoke enters this chamber, it disrupts ionization, triggering alarm.

The amount of radioactive material in these detectors is extremely small – usually about 1 microcurie or less. To put this into perspective, it’s less radiation than you’d receive from eating a banana or taking a short airplane flight. In fact, you would need to be exposed to the radiation from about 200 smoke detectors for an entire year to receive the same dose as a single chest X-ray.

As the country’s regulatory authority on all matters concerning nuclear and radiation applications, the Kenya Nuclear Regulatory Authority takes the safety of radioactive materials with utmost seriousness. Stringent safety standards for all smoke detectors sold in Kenya are enforced. The radioactive material in these devices is hermetically sealed within a metal chamber, rendering its release impossible in normal circumstances.

It’s crucial to understand that even in the event of a fire, the risk of radiation exposure from a damaged smoke detector is negligible. In fact, the potential radiation dose from a burning detector pales in comparison to the natural background radiation we encounter daily from terrestrial and cosmic sources.

Reflecting on the Endarasha incident, we need to take three decisive actions to improve fire safety: One is mandatory installation: All schools, public and private, should install smoke detectors in every classroom, dormitory and common area. This should be backed by legislation and enforced through compliance checks.

The other is regular inspections: We need a robust system to ensure these devices are functioning correctly. This includes not only checking the devices themselves but also verifying that batteries are replaced on schedule and that the detectors haven’t been tampered with.

Then public education: We must educate school administrators, teachers, parents and students about the importance and safety of smoke detectors. This should cover not only benefits of smoke detectors but also address common misconceptions about their safety.

Time has come for us to fully embrace this life-saving technology. Smoke detectors, including those using minute amounts of radioactive material, are inexpensive, safe, effective, and absolutely crucial in protecting our children.

As we look to the future, newer technologies in fire detection are being explored. This includes smart, interconnected systems that can provide even faster alerts.