Good morning! All’s well with you?
I don’t know if you’ve heard the tragic news about the fire in Mahdia, a town in the interior of my lovely native land.
Eighteen teenage girls and a five year old boy lost their lives in that fire. They, and others who have survived, were trapped in a school dormitory. The windows of the dorm, like the windows of countless homes throughout Guyana, were enclosed with iron bars to keep out danger, to protect those inside. The woman in charge of the dorm, according to the news, was fast asleep when the fire broke out. She awoke confused and terrified, and couldn’t find the door keys quickly enough.
This is not the first time such a horrific death has occurred in this small country of ours…citizens trapped because there was no way out, and because there were no means to put the fire out as soon as!
The Mahdia tragedy has been haunting me for days. I keep remembering an elderly uncle who died in his home which burnt to the ground.
I think of what can be done to keep our homes relatively safe.
I’d like to share with you a few safety tips I learnt at a Guyana Red Cross course. (I will keep this short and simple.)
Fire alarm and smoke alarm.
Don’t underestimate the power of this humble looking gadget to warn you. Install them in your home. Check the batteries ever so often.
Cooking?
Do NOT throw water in a frying pan that’s caught afire. Those flames will blaze up even more. Turn off the stove and cover the pan with a lid immediately.
Fire extinguisherS. Plural.
Try as much as possible to buy fire extinguishers. There are different types. Find out about the kind that’s most suitable for your home, office, business place. Keep them readily available at all times. Learn how to use them. Have them inspected every year. Refill them if necessary.
In our old family home, we had 2 types of extinguishers. I kept one in the kitchen and one in the bedroom. (Shout out to Wieting and Richter in Water Street, Georgetown! You guys are lovely.)
Wet blanket.
It’s better to throw a wet blanket on a small fire rather than a bucket of water.
My Auntie M. told me I saved her home with this tip. A fire had erupted in her kitchen after she lit the stove…the gas pipe connection behind the stove had loosened a bit. She suddenly remembered the discussion we’d had a year or more ago, and she quickly soaked a blanket in water and covered the flames. The wet blanket suffocated the fire.
Sand?
Store a few buckets of sand soaked in water in your home. This may not feel too attractive (especially if you have cats and curious kids), but if you can’t afford fire extinguishers, isn’t it better to have something rather than nothing?
What other suggestions can you think of, my friend? Please share.
All I can think of right now is that our homes should be safe places, cosy and filled with love.
I know I’ve promised to tell you about that other ball of fire, but right now, I don’t feel comfortable talking about it. Please stay safe, well-fed and happy. Take good care of you.
Until the next Sunday, plenty luuuve, neena.
P.S. Feel free to chat with me on Substack Notes and on neenamaiya.carrd.co.
Good advice!
Sorry to hear about the fire. That’s very sad. Thanks for the great tips.