It’s almost winter and that’s when most fire incidents occur. In Bumthang, winters have become quite synonymous with fire accidents in recent memory. To alert the residents and prepare them for fire disasters, the Japan Alumni Association of Bhutan in collaboration with the Bumthang District Administration organised an awareness programme yesterday at Chamkhar with financial support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency or JICA.
Local leaders and community representatives attended the daylong programme. They were briefed on the causes of fire disasters and measures to prevent them. A hands-on training on electrical wiring and the usage of fire extinguishers was also conducted.
The JICA Chief Representative said he hopes to see more such programmes to collaborate on in the future as well with the Japan Alumni Association of Bhutan.
“Since the 1960s, we have accepted a number of trainees and scholarship students in Japan. It’s more than 2,400 individuals now. So the alumni association organised today’s event. I think that Bumthang has suffered a lot from fire incidents, so I hope this seminar today will be effective to prevent fire in the future in this area,” said JICA Chief Representative, Yamada Tomoyuki.
“When the winter comes there will be lots of people who will have to collect fire woods for their Bukhari to warm their houses where we need a lot of precaution and prevention methods to avoid a fire hazard. Therefore, we thought that we will start from Bumthang but we will go to other districts for spreading this advocacy awareness program in the coming years,” said Pema Gyalpo, General Secretary of the Japan Alumni Association of Bhutan.
The Japanese government donated over 30 fire-fighting vehicles to Bhutan through the grassroots project so far. These vehicles are in use in various districts across the country today.
Meanwhile, attendees of yesterday’s sensitisation event say they will share the skills and knowledge they acquired from the training with their friends and families.
“Fire safety is everyone’s responsibility. Even if we spread the awareness after the training, if everyone doesn’t take equal responsibility, it wouldn’t make any sense,” said kezang Dorji, Chhumey Mangmi.
“If somehow our neighbours’ houses catch fire, we will now be able to help them in terms of handling electrical hazards to putting out fire among others. Winter in Bumthang is very worrying because houses are all traditionally built primarily out of woods, so if one house catches fire, then it’s very difficult to control it. That’s why we always keep worrying,” said Rinchen Wangmo, a resident of Chamkhar.
Bumthang’s Chamkhar town suffered four major fires in succession from 2010 to 2016 losing lives and properties worth millions.
More recently, there were three house fire incidents last winter alone. A 12-year-old girl was burnt to death as well. In February this year, prompt action from police and DeSuups prevented a chimney fire from engulfing a building in the town.
Signs of a looming fire disaster seem to have no end in this town. Frequent preparation, precaution and prevention exercises could save it from another tragedy.
Kipchu, Bumthang
