Rwanda National Police

Rwanda National Police (RNP) has extended fire safety awareness to students of Independent University of Kigali (ULK) Gisenyi campus as well as traders and dwellers in Musanze and Rubavu towns as the force continues to educate different groups of the public on how to avert fire outbreaks.

The training in Musanze conducted on Tuesday benefited about 250 people before it was taken to about 800 students of ULK and about 200 traders and dwellers in Gisenyi.

According to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Paulin Kalisa, the deputy Commanding Officer of the Fire and Rescue Brigade in RNP, as the country is experiencing fast development, electricity connectivity and use of cooking gas has equally become part of communities' daily commodities across the country.

“In this awareness on fire safety, we train different groups of people on safer ways of using Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), safety precautions and how to use different gadgets to put out fire when it breaks out,” said SSP Kalisa.

“We remind them to always check their electric installations, use quality electric cables, use qualified electricians practitioners not lay practitioners; kitchen set-up especially when using cooking gas, how safe to connect a gas cylinder and gas stove,” he added.

“The majority of fire incidents can be prevented by paying heed to guidelines of the safety precautions. There are basic techniques one can apply to prevent fire outbreaks; records show that most of fire incidents in the country originate from people’s recklessness and lack of skills with regards to dealing with electricity, use of old electric wirings and overloading.” 

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The general public and the business community in particular are also urged to acquire portable firefighting gadgets like fire extinguisher and gas or fire detectors.

Prince Mazimpaka, one of the students of ULK-Gisenyi, said that he has gained more knowledge on fire safety.

“I didn’t know how to use a fire extinguisher, how safe to use cooking gas and use of fire blanket,” said Mazimpaka

The general public is also reminded to always be quick to call the RNP Fire and Rescue Brigade for emergency response on 111 (toll-free line), 0788311224 and 0788311120.